An increasingly green city where parks and natural areas take on a central role. From 2019 to 2024, the municipal parks and gardens of Cesena have recorded an important surface development: in fact, they have reached 4 million and 11,135 square metres, with a prevalence of equipped parks, in which citizens organize initiatives and carry out different types of activities , from sports to recreational-cultural ones, and historical-cultural greenery, such as the very central public gardens and the literary park of Villa Silvia Carducci. Overall, the heritage of green areas (430, plus the school areas) has grown by over 17 hectares and over 5,155 new trees have been planted.
The “forested green” has also seen a significant increase over the last five years, thanks to the creation of two particularly important forest projects: the forest created within the Fagiolo area, along via Machiavelli, and the forest created in via Sant’Anna, near the municipal gardens. The “uncultivated green” instead groups together very different areas, with varying degrees of usability and accessibility. For example, it ranges from the hilly area of Formignano to the marginal areas of the plain with different destinations. Finally, a significant portion is represented by the green sports areas, generally granted to companies and associations that, in addition to management, take care of ordinary maintenance, and by the school gardens, implemented with educational gardens and structures usable by the school population.
To date, the tree census started in 2007, and implemented every year, has not yet been completed. The trees counted and checked as of May 2024 are 6,794, out of a presumed total of approximately 30,000. The census and specialist monitoring were carried out on the basis of priorities: it was concluded in relation to school areas, in an advanced stage of execution for the main avenues with trees of considerable size, it was started for the most frequented green areas with tree specimens already developed. Between 2019 and 2024, the tree population has further increased as the number of plantations has been significantly higher than the felling due to desiccation, stability problems, damage to private property. In the reference period, in fact, 1,343 trees of various sizes were cut down, while the planting of new trees was equal to 5,155 (without considering thousands of shrubs), with a positive balance of 3,812 trees.
From a tree for every newborn to Green City Cesena for an increasingly green and inclusive city. “In recent years – comments Mayor Enzo Lattuca – we have taken care of the greenery present in the municipal territory of Cesena by developing actions and projects that have involved a large part of the population, many associations and third sector bodies and the world of school. For an increasingly green city, the involvement of the entire community is essential because efficient policies linked to correct management of urban greenery must correspond to actions aimed at increasing the commitment of each individual citizen on the environmental front. We have started planting urban forests with thousands of trees with the aim of absorbing carbon dioxide emissions and creating an ecosystem to protect animal species. We are creating new natural spaces for the conservation of biodiversity. Gradually, asphalted and paved urban areas of Cesena will become green and permeable to precipitation. This is also how we try to combat the effects of climate change – continues the mayor – green areas ensure that the city better resists high temperatures and violent precipitations. The expansion of green areas is not only a fundamental need to combat climate change: these, in fact, provide a healthy and pleasant environment in which people can relax and practice sports and children can play. For this reason, many parks have been implemented with sports equipment and inclusive games for everyone”.
As part of the “A tree for every new born” project, Cesena’s green heritage grows every time an adoption is successful and when a boy or girl is born. Based on the statistical data collected from 2019 to 2023, 3,119 trees were planted, including lindens, oaks, plums, ashes and hornbeams.
