Last updated: June 2024
The Gorla Maggiore water park, inaugurated in March 2013, is situated within the municipality of Gorla Maggiore, in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 kilometers northwest of Milan. The water park is a constructed wetlands (CW) built on the banks of the Olona river that includes (a) a pollutant removal area composed of a grid, a sedimentation tank and four vertical sub-surface flow constructed wetlands; (b) a multipurpose area with a surface flow constructed wetland or pond with multiple roles; and (c) a recreational park with restored riparian trees, green open space, walking and cycling paths. [1]
Gorla Maggiore Water Park
Photographer: Fabio Masi (IRIDRA), retrieved 09/11/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Other
Key challenges
- Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
- Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
- Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
- Marine and coastal research and/or education
- Environmental quality
- Waste management
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems
Project objectives
The primary aim is to protect against flooding but also to keep pollution in check. The green infrastructure therefore addresses the issue of pollution and flood control. [2]
Implementation activities
The whole area of the Gorla Water Park is about 3 ha. It includes a flood prevention area (1 ha), a pollutant removal area (0.4 ha of a phragmites reed bed and 0.3 ha of natural-like multispecies wetland) and a leisure and recreational area (1.3 ha of park). There are four sand filter vertical beds to treat the first flush from the combined sewer overflow mechanism and an extended retention basin for the accumulation and slow release in the river of the second flush. It is a multi-purpose infrastructure with a leisure and recreational area dedicated to a wide range of activities (educational activities, biking, running, picnicking for which appropriate facilities are provided, animal watching). A wide range of educational services on the local fauna (water birds and small amphibians) are available on the site and advertised on informational panels. The flora is also highlighted, especially the plants involved in water purification processes. [2]
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Other
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
- Restore ecological connectivity
- Public engagement
- Other
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Other
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Gorla water park was developed, under the sponsorship of the Lombardia Regional Authority and the co-funding by Fondazione Cariplo through a participatory process. The Lombardy Region, through Regulation D.d.u.o. 22 Dicembre 2016 - n. 13767, manages a funding scheme for ‘Infrastrutture verdi a rilevanza ecologica e di incremento della naturalità’ (Green infrastructures for ecological connection and ecosystem creation) while Fondazione Cariplo, funded a call for proposal in 2016 to develop large-scale green corridors. The water park was created by IRIDRA, an engineering firm specializing in wetland construction. The Olona river basin, where the water park is located, falls under the joint authority of the Lombardy regional government while ordinary administrative procedures are carried out by the Po River Basin Authority. [4][5][6]
The city of Milan supports partnership with private or semi-private companies for the maintenance of its green areas. ‘Adotta il verde pubblico’ (Adopt a green area) is a city initiative to encourage local residents to become involved in the administration of green areas and to seek sponsorship to help the city’s finances. Milan already started 396 partnerships (up to April 2016) for a total of 116 127 square meters of surface. In Milan there are several initiatives in which local stakeholders have participated according to the objectives of the public authorities, such as BoscoinCittà Park and Cesano Maderno Oasis. [2]
The EU research project OpenNESS (http://www.opennessproject.eu/) selected the Gorla Maggiore water park as a case study due to its innovative characteristics. The objectives of the case study were to assess and valuate the ecosystem services provided by the park, compare its environmental performance with other options, i.e. business as usual approach and grey infrastructure approach, and evaluate the park's usefulness for water resource management. [1]
The construction of the Gorla Maggiore water park has been funded by the regional government and a private foundation (Regione Lombardia and Fondazione Cariplo). [4]
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(EU Water Framework Directive [1])
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The the Regional Regulation no.3 of 24 March 2006 from the Lombardy Region is compliant with the EU Water Framework Directive. Additionally, the Lombardy Region manages the green infrastructure actions for ecological connections and the creation of ecosystems, ensuring continuity between the Alps and the Po Valley (Pianura Padana) and the urban environments within that area, ensured by the Rete Ecologica Regionale Plan. The plan provides guidelines to the different municipalities for the management and creation of ecosystems and outlines the funding mechanisms. Gorla Maggiore, about 30 kilometres northwest of Milan, lies in a delicate transition zone. The town and its waterpark help to improve the quality of the area's water and to better regulate the flow of water. [2])
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(In order to implement their environmental quality objectives, the Lombardy region has adopted River Contracts as local strategic planning instruments in different sub-basins, involving the local authorities and institutional stakeholders (such as the Regional Environmental Protection Agency, ARPA Lombardia, and the Po River Basin Authority). The River Contract of the Olona-Bozzente-Lura was established in 2003. The strategic objectives of the River Contract are: 1) reduction of water pollution; 2) reduction of flood risk; 3) restoration of landscape, environmental and urban systems relative to river corridors; and 4) sharing of information and knowledge on water. The overall objective of the programmatic instrument is to implement the requirements of the WFD, involving the local institutional actors and better integrating the sectoral planning strategies. The most recent program of actions was adopted in 2014. [5] )
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public regional budget
- Private Foundation/Trust
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Environmental quality
- Improved waste management
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
Socio-cultural impacts
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
[1] Liquete C. et al. (2016). Integrated valuation of a nature-based solution for water pollution control. Highlighting hidden benefits. Ecosystem Services 22 (2016) 392-401. FP7 project OpenNESS, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[2] Oppla (2018), Milan - NBS for urban regeneration, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[3] Oppla (2018), Constructed wetlands as a multipurpose green infrastructure in Gorla Maggiore, Italy, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[4] Reynaud A., Lanzanova D., Grizzetti B. and Liquete C. (2016) Going Green? Economic Valuation of a Multipurpose Water Infrastructure in Northern Italy. FP7 project OpenNESS, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[5] Grizzetti B. et al. (2016) Ecosystem services for water policy: Insights across Europe. Environmental Science & Policy 66 (2016) 179-190. FP7 project OpenNESS, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[6] CASE 15 - Multipurpose Wetland Construction and Landscape Restoration in a Peri-Urban Area: Case Gorla Maggiore in Northern Italy (2017). OpenNESS Project, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[2] Oppla (2018), Milan - NBS for urban regeneration, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[3] Oppla (2018), Constructed wetlands as a multipurpose green infrastructure in Gorla Maggiore, Italy, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[4] Reynaud A., Lanzanova D., Grizzetti B. and Liquete C. (2016) Going Green? Economic Valuation of a Multipurpose Water Infrastructure in Northern Italy. FP7 project OpenNESS, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[5] Grizzetti B. et al. (2016) Ecosystem services for water policy: Insights across Europe. Environmental Science & Policy 66 (2016) 179-190. FP7 project OpenNESS, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
[6] CASE 15 - Multipurpose Wetland Construction and Landscape Restoration in a Peri-Urban Area: Case Gorla Maggiore in Northern Italy (2017). OpenNESS Project, Available at Source link (Accessed 12-9-2020)
Gorla Maggiore Water Park
Photographer: Fabio Masi (IRIDRA), retrieved 09/11/2018