Urban green areas

In 2014, urban green areas summed up to 2.7% of the territory of provincial capitals (more than 567 million of m2). 16.1% of the municipal area was included in protected natural areas while utilized agricultural areas (Uaa) (2010, data referred to the municipality where the land is located) corresponded to 44.3% of the territory.

The average availability of urban green areas was 31.1 m2 for each resident: the highest values were reported in the cities in the North-east area (50.1 m2), at least twice those of the Centre, the North-west and Islands. In the southern part of the Country the average value (42.5% m2 per inhabitant) was impacted by the high availability of the Basilicata provincial capitals. In 17.2% of the per capita city availability was equal to or greater than 50 m2 per inhabitant, while 16,4% did not reach the threshold of 9 m2 as required by law.

More than half of cities had a specific “green profile” defined by above-average allocations of urban green areas (18 cities), or protected natural areas (19 cities) or areas designated for agricultural use (28 cities). Pavia, Lodi, Cremona and Matera had values higher than the average for all three types of green areas.

The number of Urban farms (small green areas of public property, made available to citizens for domestic horticulture and leisure gardening) was growing in the cities, 64 administrations activated them in 2014 (+4.9% compared to the previous year).

Green historical areas – consisting of villas, gardens and parks, protected as part of the historical and cultural landscape – covered on average a quarter of the green public spaces; urban forest areas covered more than 20%; areas of so called Verde attrezzato 14% (used for small neighborhood parks and gardens with children’s play areas, equipped with paths, benches etc.), large parks and other urban green landscape areas (areas unpaved created for aesthetic or functional use, such as bike lanes, roundabouts, street trees, flower beds) both about 10%. Monumental trees (protected from Cultural Heritage Italian Code) were present in 67 capital cities.

At the end of 2014, 55 city had classified the trees planted in public green areas; 30 cities planted new trees, 15 published an arboreal balance (accountability tool of green capital); 29 launched local initiatives to develop urban green spaces.

During the second year since the beginning, 55 municipalities implemented initiatives on the occasion of the National Day of the Trees (21st of November).

Census of green areas is the management tool most used by the administrations (in about 3 cities out of four). 25 capitals carried out a monitoring aimed at ensuring the safety of trees.