PEFC Italia , a body promoting the correct and sustainable management of forestry assets, presented the new standard for the certification of the Sustainable Management of Urban Green Space on 21 November, on the occasion of National Tree Day.
The following participated in the Working Group for the definition of the standard:
National authorities (Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies, Green Committee of the Public Ministry of the Environment)
Local authorities (Regions of FVG, Emilia Romagna, Sardinia, Autonomous Province of Trento, Municipality of Turin, Municipality of Genoa)
Category organizations (SIA, Assofloro, BioAgricert, Coldiretti, Federforeste, DREAM, CSI, CSQA , CONAF, AUSF)
Environmental associations (Legambiente, LIPU)
Scientific research (CNR, CREA, University of Florence, University of Perugia, SISEF)
The PEFC certification has as its main objective to ensure the regular supply of Ecosystem Services by Urban Green Spaces , i.e. multiple benefits provided by ecosystems to humankind, starting from the ability to absorb CO2.
The increase in city greenery can, among other things, also have an impact on the real estate market , increasing the price of properties by up to 20% of their value, as well as playing an important role in regulating hydraulic risk : the greater the density of plants and the lower the risk of soil erosion and consequent flooding.
Finally, there are the social and aggregative advantages : the number of green and open air spaces available to citizens is directly proportional to the possibility of creating interaction, sharing and opportunities to engage in sporting activities, improving both the physical and mental well-being of the community. community.
The new standard is a tool capable of providing a guarantee on the sustainable management of urban green spaces , and applies to linear or widespread trees along neighborhood and transit roads, to public and private parks and gardens, to urban forests, which become hubs of "green" services for citizens.
The standard, awaiting its approval at an international level, has already been applied in Italy to two very important entities: the Parco Nord of Milan and the Municipality of Turin.
At the basis of the certification, the standard identifies 6 key criteria in particular.
The maintenance and improvement of urban greenery through changes in surface area and census of greenery and tree balance, implementing good practices to contribute positively to the global carbon cycle.
Maintaining the health and vitality of ecosystems through monitoring, pruning interventions, plant health protection, fertilization, planting and planting.
The maintenance and development of production functions in the management of green areas through a green care, management and regulation plan.
The maintenance, conservation and appropriate improvement of biological diversity, through the preservation of areas and animal or plant species at risk, areas designated for biodiversity and monumental trees and trees belonging to rare species, through the implementation of prevention practices, mitigation and compensation in the construction and management of infrastructures in rare, sensitive or representative ecosystems.
The maintenance and improvement of protective management functions through tree cover, inventory, mapping, planning of sensitive soils and areas with specific direct protective functions as well as waterproofing and rainwater management and estimation of irrigation needs .
The maintenance of other functions and socio-economic conditions through communication and invitation to public participation, monitoring of the risk associated with the presence of trees, insurance management of any damage or disputes and the analysis of problems relating to pollen and allergens, in addition to the evaluation of noise pollution and the supervision of the specialization index of personnel employed in the green sector. (Source: Eleonora Mariano, https://www.pefc.it/ )
Download and consult the standard from here .
Also consult the ITA 1000 Standard from here .
All standards and documents related to the review process are available here .