Project description

The second project curated by Arbolia was launched in Salento and was the result of a collaboration between the Municipality of Lecce and the Foundation for the management of the University Botanical Garden - Botanical Garden of Salento.

Thanks to this initiative, around 4,000 plants, belonging to around 30 species of native tree and shrubs, have been planted in an area of three hectares owned by the Municipality and the Foundation.

The companies that contributed to making the project possible, through the adoption of the plants, are Enereco (2,250 plants), Ediltunnel (1,500), Almaroma (200), AC Advocacy and Communications (50).

Social and environmental benefits

This first major urban forestry project which is aimed at the re-naturalization of an area within the Salento Botanical Garden, in line with typical local plant models.

The new urban wood will be able to absorb up to 123 tonnes of CO₂ and 2,652 kg of PM₁₀ per year. 

Most used species

The areas have been studied and defined by the Botanical Garden Foundation and the Municipality of Lecce, using a technical-scientific approach to recreate 7 typical Salento habitats: Pine forest, Cork forest, Kermes oak wood, Holm oak wood, Thermo-hygrophilous forest, Maquis shrubland/garrigue, Mesophilous oak forest.

The following were planted:

TREES

• Evergreen oak, 500 plants
• Kermes oak, 599 plants
• Macedonian oak, 46 plants
• Cork oak, 61 plants
• Valonia oak, 46 plants
• Oak of Virgil, 140 plants
• Southern nettle tree, 72 plants
• Narrow leafed ash, 18 plants
• Manna ash, 34 plants
• Aleppo pine, 283 plants
• Carob tree, 23 plants
• Field elm, 18 plants
• White poplar, 18 plants
• Black poplar, 9 plants

SHRUBS

• Arbutus, 277 plants
• Cistus infestus, 260 plants
• Sage-leaved rock-rose, 235 plants
• Montpellier cistus, 235 plants
• Viburnum, 112 plants
• Privet, 59 plants
• Evergreen rose, 100 plants
• Lentisk, 364 plants
• Terebinth, 37 plants
• Rocking Horn, 27 plants
• Dogwood, 26 plants
• Almond Pear Tree, 88 plants
• Tree heather, 97 plants
• Erica forkalii, 119 plants
• Common hawthorn, 75 plants
• Chasteberry, 18 plants

(*) calculated considering the growth of plants over 20 years based on the following bibliographical studies:

Study conduct by the Tuscany Region “guidelines to the plating of specific tree species for the absorption of nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter and ozone” in partnership with the National Research Council as part of the program 'MOnitoring ozone injury for seTTing new critical LEvelS' ('Mottles')

Research conducted by the National Research Council carried out at the Institute of Biometeorology of Bologna, which considers31 tree and shrub species. Research conducted as part of the Qualiviva project, which saw the Pistoia Nursery Association as the leader and AIAPP (Italian Association of Landscape Architecture), CNR-IPSP (National Research Council - Institute for the Sustainable Protection of Plants) as a partner, CREA-VIV (Council for Research in Agriculture and Analysis of Agricultural Economics - Research Unit for Nursery and Management of Environmental and Ornamental Green), DiSPAA - University of Florence (Department of Sciences of Agrifood Production and Environmental Science), the Minoprio Foundation, the Agricultural School of Monza Park as well as Plants and Flowers of Italy and the Consorzio Florovivaisti Lombardi, which considers 103 species to be used in urban areas, also with regards to the absorption of CO₂.