“The right place for the right tree.”

The central theme of the meeting will be an analysis of the challenges previously posed by EU regulations on arboriculture and, more recently, by the Climate Decree and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Even more importantly, it will address the challenges that will soon arise from the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law, the increasing occurrence of natural disturbances, and the growing awareness of the importance of trees and woodlands in Urban and Peri-urban Forests (as defined by the National Public Green Strategy, 2018).

These are proposals and activities already anticipated and clearly outlined in the National Forest Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy, which the national nursery sector—both public and private—must take on in order to be prepared, in an innovative and sustainable way, for the massive future demand for young plants belonging to woody flora (particularly tree and shrub species, but also herbaceous species), both native and non-native. This is especially relevant given the past dismantling of public nurseries which, however, have survived locally through excellent initiatives that can serve as a starting point, as demonstrated by the recent success of the FOR.TREE NURSERY project, carried out by Fondazione Alberitaia ETS at the proposal of the CNR within the framework of the National Future Biodiversity Centre.