Case Study
“Apistrada”: the creation of 3 km long pollinators highway within Parco Nord Milano
Contact name
Fabio Campana
Institution name
Parco Nord Milano
Region & country
Lombardy, Italy
Summary
In order to preserve and increase the pollinators biodiversity in urban areas, Parco Nord Milano has designed and built a three kilometers long path planted with specific plants for the attraction of pollinators. The project has been realized thanks to the citizens’ involvement, from the fundraising activities to the planting actions.
Soil preparation for planting
Collective plantation of plants attractive for pollinators with citizens
"Apistrada" first blooming
Park visitors attracted by the "Apistrada"
Background of the project
The Park has high pollinator biodiversity and several projects for their conservation, in addition to two shared beehives.
However, the management of the meadows inside the Park was focused on the urbanistic and aesthetic aspects and didn’t involve pollinators’ needs. Infact, the meadows were cut too frequently.
The main necessity was the pollinators safeguard with specific and concrete actions. Consequently, there were also the needs to sensitize people about the existent threat of pollinators and to connect the two hives of the Park.
Solution and actions taken
Parco Nord Milano decided to realize a concrete project for the safeguard of pollinators that could also involve citizens and increase the Park’s attractiveness. This project consisted in the creation of a 3km long path planted with specific plants for the attraction of pollinators (like Centaurea cyanus, Papaver spp, Carduus spp and many Liliaceae), that connected the two shared hives of the Park.
The main actions taken were the design of a path between the two apiaries, the study and the choice of attractive species for pollinators and the plantation. Since the beginning of the project, Parco Nord Milano also wanted to involve citizens, with fundraising campaigns and collective plantations.
The project started in winter 2019 with a fundraising Christmas campaign and continued with the collective plantation in spring and autumn 2020. Finally, in spring 2021 there was the first blooming.
Other institutions or parties involved
Results
Now there is a 3km long pollinators highway within Parco Nord Milano, connecting the two hives, which is attractive not only for pollinators but also for Park’s users (many pictures posted on socials), since it has many flowers and colours for several months a year.
The involvement of citizens in the project has been remarkable, with 2200 euros collected by the fundraising campaigns.
Challenges
The main difficulty the Park faced was the Covid pandemic period that obstructed the actions planned, especially the concrete citizen’s involvement.
Lessons learned
Even during a difficult period such as the Covid pandemic, it’s possible to involve citizens successfully with well promoted structured projects.
Contact name
Fabio Campana
Institution name
Parco Nord Milano
Website(s)
