With the establishment of the Steering Committee, the Metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria start the project BiodiverCity, inserted in the context of the Integrated Urban Plan 'Aspromonte in città', and created within the framework of the agreement between Palazzo Alvaro and the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria. Specifically, those involved are the PAU department, with the LAStre laboratory – Integrated Laboratory of the Strait Area for Territorial Development, and the Agriculture department, with the Mecc Agr Laboratory. Among the guests also representatives of the order of architects, engineers, a delegate of the order of agronomists, order of geologists, a delegate of the socio-economic partnership and a delegate of the national institute of urban planning.
The first meeting, coordinated by metropolitan councilor Salvatore Fuda, delegate for the Environment, recorded the presence of all interested operators at Palazzo Alvaro, and served to illustrate the contents and objectives of the programming. Technical support was offered by the metropolitan manager Pietro Foti.
“The BiodiverCity project – stated Fuda – fits into the context of the Integrated Urban Plan 'Aspromonte in città', financed, with 300 thousand euros, by the investment 2.2 Mission 5, Component 2 (M5C2) of the Pnrr with which the metropolitan city has started a transition process aimed at the creation of green, sustainable, inclusive and smart cities, characterized by a strong component of planned greenery, introducing widespread naturalness and promoting the recovery and protection of biodiversity even in urban areas. intangible asset compared to the other interventions planned in the metropolitan territorial area”.
Among the aims of BiodiverCity, the metropolitan body wants to guarantee recognition, including regulatory recognition, to the green areas and plant formations of the urban ecosystem which play a fundamental role in the implementation of ecosystem services and in improving the quality of life and well-being of people inhabitants. The application of Regional Law 7/2024 is therefore recorded, regarding the valorisation of green areas. “The project – added councilor Fuda – intends to strengthen and guide this process also towards an objective of social and cultural re-activation, with the creation of a permanent laboratory, the UrbanLab BiodiverCity, for the coordination and direction of the activities planning, the experimentation of transformative and regenerative actions of cities, with training meetings for designers and public green workers, communication and participation events”.
Furthermore, the BiodiverCity research project was launched with a framework agreement for collaboration with the University of Reggio Emilia for the priority carrying out of three activities: coordination and direction of the implementation phases of the projects linked both to the projects already started (Aspromonte in the city) , and future opportunities; experiments and research into measurable indicators for DNSH (Do No Significant Harm) certification; preparation of projects and proposals and guidelines, training activities for figures of excellence.
The following are part of the steering committee: Giuseppe Falcomatà, mayor of the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria; Salvatore Fuda, metropolitan councilor delegate for the Environment; Pietro Foti, manager of the competent sector 10 of the metropolitan city; Giandomenico Gangemi, head of the BiodiverCity intervention; Tommaso Manfredi, director of the PAU department; Bruno Bernardi, head of the agricultural and food mechanization laboratory; Antonio Taccone, head of the LAStre Laboratory (Integrated Laboratory for the Strait Area for territorial development); Concetta Fallanca, responsible for the University Agreement.
The multidisciplinary skills of the working group, the university representatives specified, will contribute to the effective development of an innovative ecosystem approach that leads to the conception of the environmental naturalistic system as indispensable to the life of metropolitan territories and consequently directs the ongoing projects and future for the territory of the metropolitan city and guide its eco-sustainable behavior.