Modena – strategic plan for urban green infrastructure and forests
2024–2026 · Municipality of Modena / Fondazione AlberItalia ETS · University of Milan · Elements for a strategic plan for the management of urban green infrastructure and forests in Modena (May 2026) · Assessment of ecosystem services provided by urban forests in Modena (May 2026) · Priority areas for increasing tree canopy cover (March 2026) · Protocol for monitoring the effects of Nature-Based Solutions on public health · Guidelines for the management of Modena’s green infrastructure – planning guidance, ecosystem services and intervention catalogue (2026)
The project develops a scientific and operational basis for the planning, management and design of Modena’s urban green infrastructure and forests, integrating vegetation structure, ecosystem services, accessibility, ecological connectivity, public health, climate resilience and priorities for new interventions. The knowledge base combines the municipal green inventory, spatial datasets, LiDAR, satellite imagery and field surveys. The analysed system includes approximately 1,372.7 ha of mapped green infrastructure, including about 371 ha of urban forests, as well as parks, recreational green spaces, street vegetation, school grounds, sports areas, retention basins and other green infrastructure.
Spatial analyses assess access to green space and ecological connectivity and combine these with vegetation structure, microclimatic conditions and social vulnerability. Ecosystem services include carbon sequestration and storage, air-pollutant removal, rainfall interception and urban cooling. A dedicated component focuses on urban and peri-urban forests. Dendrometric and structural surveys were combined with i-Tree Eco and Landsat data to estimate current ecosystem services, assess their plausible development over 30 years and identify major risks: heat and drought, pests and diseases, wildfire, windstorms and mechanical instability.
Related research lines: Urban forests and nature-based solutions · Sustainable forest management and planning