Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Among the activities proposed are the Milan green treasure hunt from 10 to 14 May, training programs for teachers and workshops for schools

Milan, 16 April 2021 – As part of Forestami, the urban forestation project which has the final objective of planting 3 million trees by 2030 in the metropolitan city of Milan, “Forestami School” comes to life, a special project dedicated to training and education about the vast world of trees and the multiple benefits of urban forestation.

A schedule of activities promoted by the Municipality of Milan, curated by Parco Nord Milano and created thanks to the contribution of AXA Italia, world leader in the protection sector, which supports Forestami also through the donation of 750 trees.

Mainly designed for the generations who will have the future of the planet and the territory in their hands, so that they can contribute their thoughts, behaviors and actions to safeguarding the environment, the Forestami School program is not only aimed at students of all levels and degree but also to all those who want to learn something about trees and from trees, through paths that combine knowledge, sharing and action.

For the design of the educational and training program dedicated to schools throughout the metropolitan city, Forestami also collaborates with the Department of Education and Education of the Municipality of Milan for a multi-year program of educational and training activities available to teachers and the development of participation school programs designed for children and dedicated to the theme of urban forestation and environmental sustainability, which can also be used online, which enrich the tools available to teachers even during this difficult time of the pandemic.

"Never before in this period - declares the councilor for Education and Instruction Laura Galimberti - have children and young people shown particular attention to environmental issues and strongly asked for greater involvement in the decisions taken by adults and institutions on the topic of sustainability This initiative, which is part of the wide network of activities already started with schools - think of plastic free projects or school gardens, but also of the theme of outdoor education and the tradition of 'Nature School' in Milan -. aims to train more aware adults who will be able to protect nature and the planet in a more determined way. Growth itself comes through comparison and relationship with nature. This is why we want to collaborate to offer schools activities in the form of edutainment, which can be carried out primarily outdoors, but also online, if the health situation requires it".

"Since its inception, Forestami has always aimed at disseminating the advantages of urban forestation as a key element of a greener and more breathable future for our cities. We must all, without exception, fully understand the concrete benefits of plants in everyone's lives the days – says Stefano Boeri, President of the Scientific Committee of Forestami – Urban forestation is a simple, practical and essential contribution to the care of the planet large-scale urban development can be conceived without an educational path in the territory in which it operates and, hopefully, even beyond".

Scheduled activities

Training for secondary school teachers - (Gotham Project)

The first training project for secondary school teachers on environmental sustainability in urban areas with the StorytellinGame technique was launched on 29 March, curated by Alberto Pian and AREA Parchi Lombardia in collaboration with Rete WEEC Italia and Green school.

Milan green treasure hunt

Milan's green treasure hunt will begin on May 10th. A game, online for this edition, open to students and teachers of primary and secondary schools but also to groups of friends (in particular for the 10-15 year age group) in which families and enthusiasts of all ages can join. An initiative, created by FRAME - Communication Festival in collaboration with Parco Nord Milano which, through five days of ingenious and stimulating tests, puzzles to solve, clues to discover and green actions to carry out, and thanks to the help of virtual maps as in a real treasure hunt, will allow participants to experience a new and original way of looking at the territory, the environment, sustainability, testing themselves through knowledge, cooperation and action. To sign up, simply form a group with classmates or friends, decide the name of the team together, choose a team leader who is over 16 years old and enter a unique reference email address.

Registrations open today and close on Monday 3 May, on the website www.cacciatesoromilano.it.

The breath of the planet - Integrated digital teaching laboratory

How does the delicate balance between the breathing of man and that of the Planet work? This will be the focus of the "Breath of the Planet" workshops which will currently be virtual and then, as soon as conditions make it possible, will be hosted in the futuristic air bubble-shaped structure that seems to float above one of the mirrors park water, Oxy.gen, born from the collaboration between the Zambon group and Parco Nord Milano and designed by the architect Michele De Lucchi. As part of the Forestami project, Associazione Idea proposes a special version of the "The breath of the planet" path which, starting from plant anatomy and physiology with chlorophyll photosynthesis and touching on the concept of biodiversity, will lead participants to understand the importance of urban parks and forests on our planet.

From September 2021 and for 2022, infant, primary and lower secondary school classes will be able to participate in the "Outings in the forest" program, days in which they will be able to assist and take part in tree planting interventions at the centers of urban forestation identified in the four cardinal points of the city. The classes will also have the opportunity to take part in personalized educational paths to decline the theme of urban forestation according to interdisciplinary languages.

"We are happy – states Riccardo Gini, Director of Parco Nord Milano – of the direct involvement of Parco Nord Milano in the Forestami School project, an initiative that goes beyond the Park's technical activity linked to Forestami plantations. The long experience of environmental education with the schools developed by Parco Nord Milano and over twenty years of coordination by AREA Parchi Lombardia, they are put at the service of Scuola Forestami thanks to AXA Italia which, in addition to planting new trees, wanted to support a long-term program on education for sustainability, fundamental for the path towards the urgent ecological transition".

"We are proud to support Forestami - underlines Patrick Cohen, CEO of the AXA Italia Group - because environmental protection is a strategic priority for us and we want to reaffirm our commitment and be part of the solution. The Forestami project allows us to give substance to this commitment on two fronts, that of planting, but above all that of education, in line with our raison d'être, which has protection at its centre, we want to be alongside children and their families in this process of raising awareness on safeguarding our planet, so that we can look to the future with confidence".