The adventure of Arbolia, the benefit company created from the collaboration between Snam and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, begins in Parma with the aim of carrying out forestry initiatives in Italian cities. Over two thousand plants will be planted in a green area of ​​20 thousand square meters owned by the Municipality of Parma, located close to the South ring road.

It is a positive example of collaboration between public and private aimed at adding forestation in a public area in order to combat global warming, improve air quality and create new green areas available to the community. This project, carried out by the Municipality of Parma, anticipates the creation of green lungs in public areas present on the margins of major communication routes, such as the ring road, and is based on a sponsorship agreement, between the Municipality and the Arbolia company, which will be responsible for the construction and maintenance for the first three years.

The intervention will be financed by Max Streicher S.p.A, a company based in Parma belonging to the German group Max Streicher and which has been operating for about 20 years in plant and infrastructure construction in the energy sector. Alongside this area, Arbolia has already identified two other publicly owned green areas in which numerous trees will be planted, thus following up a large forestation project.

Two companies have already agreed to finance part of these further interventions: Impresa Tre Colli SpA, based in Fidenza, an Italian private company specialized in the construction and maintenance of oil plants, gas industrial and commercial construction for almost 50 years, and Enereco SpA, an Italian private multinational company based in Fano and specialized for over 25 years in engineering services, construction management and design.

Arbolia is a benefit company, created by Snam and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, to promote environmental sustainability, biodiversity and combat climate change.

The project was developed by the Municipality of Parma, through a preliminary survey to identify the most suitable areas. Within the green space, 2066 plants will be planted among poplars, plane trees, oaks, ash trees, hackberry trees, lime trees, elms, hornbeams, maples, viburnums, walnut trees, dogwood shrubs, elderberries and Judas trees. Another six thousand will be added another 6 thousand thanks to the forestation projects in other areas.

The environmental effects from the first project are significant: the total absorption of carbon dioxide (CO₂) for each year is estimated at 178 tons; the absorption of Fine Dust (PM₁₀) corresponds to 483 kilograms per year.

The mayor, Federico Pizzarotti, underlined: "The planting of more than 2000 plants good news for Parma, it is a commitment that represents the development model of the city: green, with a high quality of life and based on sustainable well-being. The project allows us to take part in the fight against climate change and protect Parma's green heritage,  which is much loved and appreciated by the people of Parma".

Salvatore Ricco, CEO of Arbolia, underlined: "We are happy to launch the first Arbolia project in Parma, a city both very attentive towards environmental sustainability and the Italian capital of culture 2020-2021. With this initiative we want to make a concrete contribution to improving the quality of air and life, for the benefit of the Parma community, and we hope to be able to replicate it soon in other areas of the city".