Roundabout no. 809, located near the University Campus in via Langhirano, was inaugurated in Parma. It is the first roundabout featuring an urban forestry project by the KilometroVerdeParma Forestry Consortium thanks to the valuable contribution of the sponsor Ghirardi Srl (supporting member of the Consortium) and the collaboration of the Municipality of Parma.
The project was born from a synergy between several actors following the release of the Municipality’s public notice for the search for subjects interested in stipulating an environmental sponsorship contract for the setting up and/or maintenance of the greenery of one or more roundabouts located in the municipal area.
New forms of city greenery, therefore, which bring multiple advantages: from the reduction of fine dust to the containment of the effects of smog, from the slowing down of rainwater with a view to hydrogeological defense to the protection of biodiversity and the landscape against neglect and degradation.
The ribbon cutting was attended by Maria Paola Chiesi, president of the KilometroVerdeParma Forestry Consortium, the Councilors Chiara Vernizzi (Urban Regeneration), the Councilor Francesco De Vanna (Public Works and Legality), Gianluca Borghi (Environmental Sustainability, Energy and Mobility), in representative of the Municipality of Parma, and Claudio and Tiziano Ghirardi, Directors of Ghirardi Srl. The roundabout, which is located between the Southern ring road, Strada Langhirano, Strada Martinella and the access to the University Campus of Parma, covers an area of approximately 8,000 m2 .
The area subject to intervention saw, under the technical direction of the Forestry Consortium, the planting of 270 trees including native species such as field maple and ash, flowering trees such as apple, pear and wild cherry, ornamental plants such as Liriodendro, Ginko, Liquidambar and 90 shrub essences such as Rosa Canina, Viburnum, Sanguinella, for a total of 360 essences. The Consortium also installed a drip irrigation system for the correct hydration of the plants.
The company Ghirardi Srl, in addition to carrying out at its own expense the greening interventions of the public area present inside the assigned road roundabout, will provide for the next three years to carry out all the necessary care and maintenance interventions.
“The creation, for the first time, of a roundabout is part of the objectives and projects of urban reforestation that we have been carrying out in recent years and demonstrates that even a seemingly unusable space can be transformed into an important resource for redeveloping urban greenery, improving the landscape and increasing biodiversity, contributing to regeneration and environmental well-being. We are very proud of this initiative, because it marks a further step in a path of sustainability, an important piece in terms of increasing the natural wealth of the territory. I would like to thank the supporting member Ghirardi Srl, the Municipality of Parma and all those who collaborated on a project that demonstrates how the synergic work between different entities can once again make the difference” underlined Maria Paola Chiesi, President of the KilometroVerdeParma Forestry Consortium.
“The construction of this roundabout is an example of how collaboration between the public and private sectors can lead to concrete and positive results for our city. – say Councilors Gianluca Borghi, Francesco De Vanna and Chiara Vernizzi – This project not only redevelops an urban space, but also represents an important step forward in our strategy of urban regeneration and enhancement of greenery in every corner of the city. This is essential to improve the quality of life of citizens, and initiatives like this bring us ever closer to a sustainable and liveable city. We thank the Consorzio Forestale KilometroVerdeParma and Ghirardi Srl for their collaboration and dedication in this project. The intervention represents a model of sustainability that we hope to replicate in other areas of the city”.
«Ghirardi Srl, having operated for many years in the waste recovery and recycling sector, has always had environmental protection at heart. – comments Tiziano Ghirardi, administrator of Ghirardi srl – For some years now our company had set itself the objective of greening this roundabout, located in an area with high traffic intensity, therefore, for us it was a pleasure join the initiative of KilometroVerdeParma and the Municipality of Parma in order to make an effective contribution to environmental sustainability. A roundabout of this size, enriched with 360 plants, in addition to beautifying the urban landscape, will certainly play an important role in many aspects, first of all the improvement of air quality”.
