FSC® certified wooded area (FSC-C214976)

The Marconi Airport is the first airport in the world to obtain FSC® (FSC-C214976) certification for the responsible forest management of a green area.
Fourty hectares of land located north of the runway.

The newly created woodland belt was developed within the municipalities of Calderara di Reno and Bologna for conservation and naturalistic purposes. It is a green lung of approximately 40 hectares—equivalent to 56 football fields—designed to absorb carbon dioxide and preserve the landscape. Of this area, about 36 hectares are dedicated to woodland and another 4 hectares consist of grassland clearings sown with a mix of plant species to support pollinating insects. A total of 28,670 plants have been planted, an intervention that will increase carbon stock by approximately sixfold after five years.

Among the more than 50 species planted—30 tree species and 21 shrub species—are oak, willow, elm, poplar and ash. These species were selected to preserve biodiversity while minimizing the impact of wildlife, particularly birdlife, on airport operations. The project required a total investment of €6.6 million.

Completing the project is the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certification, the world’s most rigorous international standard for responsible forest management. It ensures that forests are managed in a way that respects biodiversity, workers’ rights and local communities. As part of the certification process, the project also included an in depth assessment of the ecosystem services provided by the forest—defined as the multiple benefits that ecosystems offer to humankind (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment): carbon sequestration and storage, biodiversity conservation, water regulation, soil conservation and recreational services. Furthermore, the area will no longer be eligible for development.

The FSC® audit and certification process was carried out by CSI S.p.A., a company of the IMQ Group, an accredited certification body and one of the leading third party entities operating in Italy’s forestry sector.

REPORTING
Help us take care of the wooded area: write now to ambiente@bologna-airport.it.