The project brings together different components of the Vicenza area to maximise the effort and generate an incisive local project. Institutions: The Municipality of Vicenza has several green areas owned that are currently not valorised or made available to citizens. Volunteer network: The Volunteer Service Centre (CSV) is the main service centre for volunteers in the Province of Vicenza.
It counts 1,200 associations with between 10,000 and 50,000 volunteers throughout the province. Club Service: Round Table 34 Vicenza has been carrying out projects in the Vicenza area for 40 years that are of concrete help to civil society. Private companies: AFV Beltrame Group financially supported part of the project.
The aim and strength of the initiative is to help the community both socially and environmentally.
On the environmental side, there is nothing better to improve the air and climate in the city than an urban forest, an oasis where citizens can recharge their batteries. The union of the social and environmental parts is expressed by the name itself: “Associations park”. In fact, the idea is to plant a number of trees equal to the number of associations present in the Vicenza area, namely 1,200. The planting project will provide for a planting size such that the area will be usable as a public park, and at the same time the area can be certified for CO2 absorption. The area with suitable dimensions for such a location is the area adjacent to the rugby fields along the Retrone river.
The Park project, in its latest conformation, has a threefold objective:
1) To favour the life of pollinators;
2) Repropose the ancient landscape by restoring the delicate agro-ecosystem;
3) To make the area usable to citizens without compromising biodiversity.
Thanks to the indications shared with Veneto Agricoltura, the following design choices were made
in order to favour life for pollinators, shrub, medium and tall-trunked species useful to pollinators were selected. In the project table, the species present and their alternation are listed. In principle, in 10 metres there will be an alternation with 1 metre spacing of 1 tall tree, 4 shrubs, a medium-sized tree, another 4 shrubs and then another tall tree.
To recreate the old landscape, the area will be subdivided into plots/fields varying in size from 20 to 30 metres wide. The subdivision from one field to the next will be made by means of field hedges and tree rows just as it was in the past.
In order to make the area usable but ‘bee-friendly’, it has been decided to divide the meadow area between the flowered and the fruited area. The fruited area will be the one in which the grass will be cut approximately every 15-20 days and will allow citizens to access it and organise adventures; in the flowered area, on the other hand, the grass and flowers will be left to grow, with a maximum of 2-3 cuts per year to encourage bee life. In both areas, however, native flowers will be sown to encourage their development.
Here the table with the design scheme on a standard basis and one on an orthophoto basis plus a link in google maps with the geolocation of the trees: link in google maps.
Timelines
The project has the following timetable
– Flower sowing: Monday 11 November
– Ground preparation: 14-15 November
– Planting of trees and shrubs: 20-21-22 November
– Press conference: 21 November, on National Trees Day
– Inauguration of the area and display of a thank-you plaque: April 2025, when the area will be in bloom