Last updated: June 2024
The ReLambro project is based on a metropolitan view where nature becomes an occasion for regeneration of the city: the river is no longer an empty and abandoned space but draws a great ecological and environmental system. The interventions, during the design phase, provide for the restoration of the naturalness of large sprawling areas, the reinforcement of the hedges and rows and channels system, the reorganisation of public and fruiting functions in areas at risk of flooding. The project strengthens ecological function by integrating it with urban functions (2).
KingLambro (2015)
Daniela Masotti, retrieved 08/15/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Other
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Promotion of cultural diversity
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems, Other
Project objectives
The main message is that the Urban areas have to offer better efficiency of the ecosystems they rely on and that cities can reconcile society and biodiversity by creating environmentally sustainable, politically participative and culturally vibrant environments. The project strengthens ecological function by integrating it with urban functions. Through the natural reconversion of degraded areas, it will be possible to trigger a process of overall reorganisation and improvement of habitat quality, with a view to general environmental regeneration. The measures envisaged concern the ecosystem quality of the river rod, the containment of invasive species, the redevelopment of the windmill of the San Gregorio mill, the upgrading of the wetland in via Feltre, the expansion of the natural spaces of the ecological corridor on the right bank, Also through the essential involvement of the farmers and the various societies operating within the Lambro Park (1).
Implementation activities
The project started with a research phase that lasted 3 years. During this phase different activities were carried out with 3 major goals: understanding the environment involved in the intervention, assessing the feasibility of the project, and involving both private and public communities. Several activities were launched to favour participation and dialogue with institutions. At the same time educational activities were launched to reach local residents and understand the reality of the territory and the whole community. A detailed calendar of all the study phases and community involvement activities can be find in the ReLambro Final Publication document. A masterplan showing the feasibility of the project and the several steps that need to be implemented to reach set goals is also available in the document. In 2012, the project started, in 2015 the feasibility study was closed and many actions were started: at Ponte Lambro and in the Forlanini Grand Park new yards are open (1).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Clear and control invasive alien species
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
- Young people and children
- Marginalized groups: Other
- Other
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
- Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
- Citizen science
- Citizen monitoring and review
- Other
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Fondazione Cariplo took part in financing the feasibility study phase. The project was coordinated by ERSAF (Regional Body for Services to Agriculture and Forestry of the Lombardy Region), the leading body, developed over the next two years by the partnership established by ERSAF itself, by DASTU (Department of Architecture and Urban Studies) of the Politecnico di Milano, which made use of the support of IRS (Institute of Social Research), from the Municipality of Milan, from Local Park of Supracommunal Interest Media Valle Lambro and from Legambiente Lombardia. Partners in addition to supporting institutionally and economically the project participated through their own experts and consultants in an active and integrated way at each stage, giving the work path a highly experimental and interdisciplinary approach. The project was also constantly fed by a path-structured sharing with associations and citizens as well as with different sectors of the numerous administrations involved (1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The ReLambro project fits in the context designed since 1998, with the "Action Plan for Sustainable Urban Development
In the European Union ", in which the European Commission described urban renewal as an integrated territorial strategy based on some key requirements:
- existence of a solid partnership structure for developing tasks, strategy, priorities and resource distribution, but also to implement the strategy and ensure its control and evaluation. This structure should include economic and social actors, NGOs and affected populations.
- Linking the strategic plan to the area concerned with the economic, social and political value of the wider urban area in which it fits.
- Integration of economic, social and environmental aspects.
- Raising local capacities and empowering marginalised groups
- Multi-annual and contractual approach with agreed results and measures of performance (1).)
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(Directive 2000/60, has postponed its deadline on water quality compatible with the return of species of fish and crustaceans in the river to 2027. It was previously set in 2015, but most Italian rivers (especially the Lambro) could not even remotely make it to fulfill the required standards (1). )
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The Region of Lombardia designed law 12/2005, in which the ecological network is considered territorial "infrastructure" that must be included in provincial and communal urban planning. Communal ecological corridors are included in the Services Plan as service equipment for general public interest (1).)
Financing
Total cost
€2,000,000 - €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Private Foundation/Trust
- Other
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Tax exemption
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Unknown
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Unknown
Type of reported impacts
No impacts reported
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
References
1. Longo, A., Masotti, D. and Giacomel, A. (2016). RE LAMBRO. Il fiume nuova infrastruttura ecologica della metropoli milanese. Studio di fattibilità per la rete ecologica del Lambro milanese. Milano: Fondazione Cariplo 2012, piano di azione “realizzare la connessione ecologica” ERSAF (capo!la), Comune di Milano, PLIS Media Valle del Lambro, DAStU Politecnico di Milano, Legambiente Lombardia, 1-228, Available at Source link, (Accessed 6-9-2020)
2. ADNKronos (2017), Article on the project, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
3. Source link (2017), Stamattina è stato presentato a Palazzo Marino ReLambro, un progetto finanziato dalla fondazione Cariplo per la riqualifica del bistrattato fiume milanese, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
4. Commune di Milano (2019), Verde. Il progetto ReLambro entra nella terza fase e rigenera il territorio a Sud Est di Milano, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
5. Project Updates: Source link (Website not available in 2020)
6. UBIGreen (no date), Presentation of the project, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
7. 7Giorni (2019), Progetto ReLambro: quando l’ecologia del fiume rigenera il territorio del Sud-Est Milano, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
8. News and events on the project: Source link (Website not available in 2020)
2. ADNKronos (2017), Article on the project, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
3. Source link (2017), Stamattina è stato presentato a Palazzo Marino ReLambro, un progetto finanziato dalla fondazione Cariplo per la riqualifica del bistrattato fiume milanese, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
4. Commune di Milano (2019), Verde. Il progetto ReLambro entra nella terza fase e rigenera il territorio a Sud Est di Milano, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
5. Project Updates: Source link (Website not available in 2020)
6. UBIGreen (no date), Presentation of the project, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
7. 7Giorni (2019), Progetto ReLambro: quando l’ecologia del fiume rigenera il territorio del Sud-Est Milano, Available at Source link (Accessed 6-9-2020)
8. News and events on the project: Source link (Website not available in 2020)
KingLambro (2017)
Daniela Masotti, retrieved 08/15/2018
KingLambro (2017)
Daniela Masotti, retrieved 08/15/2018
http://ubigreen.fondazionecariplo.it/connessione-ecologica/2012/1369/
http://ubigreen.fondazionecariplo.it/connessione-ecologica/2012/1369/
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-ReLambro-Project_fig23_319272778