Forestami was born from the idea of bringing nature back into the city. Achieving this requires a territorial approach, in which trees and vegetation become an integral part of urban infrastructure, helping to reshape streets, public spaces and neighbourhoods. Yet a transformation on this scale can only happen through a shared vision and the collaboration of many different actors. Forestami brings together institutions, municipalities, local communities, businesses and multidisciplinary teams, each working in their own field of expertise towards a common goal. The UN’s recognition of Forestami as a World Restoration Flagship is a testament to the collective commitment to rethinking the relationship between cities and nature and to making ecosystem restoration an integral part of how we plan and transform the metropolitan area.
Forestami, a model for the world recognised by the the United Nations
On 29 October 2026, at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) held in Yerevan, Armenia, Forestami received the World Restoration Flagship Award for its ambitious commitment to bringing nature back to one of the most densely populated and polluted metropolitan areas in Europe. The prestigious award is granted as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Forestami is the first Italian project to receive this award and the only European one among the eight recognised in 2026. It is also the first time the award has gone to ecosystem restoration initiatives on a metropolitan scale, that of the Metropolitan City of Milan, recognised alongside projects from China, Colombia, Ethiopia and the United States.
Behind this achievement lies Forestami’s commitment to transforming the metropolitan area through urban forestry and the recovery of degraded land. The project aims to increase Tree Canopy Cover by 5% by planting 3 million new trees by 2030 and to restore 255 hectares of degraded urban areas, helping to improve air quality, counter the effects of climate change and support people’s wellbeing. A journey shared by institutions, the research community and local communities.
From the Metropolitan City of Milan to the world: what Forestami means for cities
In a highly urbanised area such as Milan’s, giving space back to nature means improving people’s quality of life and helping to make urban environments healthier and more liveable. This commitment is becoming ever more important in the face of air pollution and the effects of climate change, which increase cities’ exposure to extreme heat.
To meet these challenges, Forestami aims to plant 3 million trees by 2030, with the goal of increasing Tree Canopy Cover by 5%, and to restore 255 hectares of degraded urban land. The work also involves former industrial sites, car parks and other spaces heavily altered by human activity, with the aim of widening access to green space, countering urban heat islands and creating new habitats for pollinators and other animal species, while also contributing to carbon absorption and storage.
Forestami’s commitment goes beyond planting trees, extending to the care and monitoring of plantations and to environmental education activities for children, young people and adults. It is a shared effort with institutions, universities, social cooperatives, businesses and citizens to promote biodiversity and strengthen the bond between people and the land they live in.
The importance of rethinking the relationship between cities and nature also comes through in the words of Stefano Boeri, creator and founder of Forestami, commenting on the United Nations award:
With the World Restoration Flagship Award, Forestami gains new international relevance, offering an example of how even large metropolitan areas can embark on paths of environmental regeneration through collaboration and care for the land.
An important milestone that is also a new starting point. Every tree planted, every space given back to nature and every person involved contributes to a change that grows over time. A collective commitment that continues, day after day, to build greener, more liveable cities that embrace nature as an essential part of their future.
To find out more about the project and the award:
From 3 November, the documentary telling the story of Forestami will be available. Watch the trailer below: