Bosco Fontaniva

Brenta River has always had a very strong bond with the territory of Fontaniva: the waters of the river, in fact, serve the fundamental function of an ecological corridor, offering shelter to a variety of animal species thanks to its diverse environments and landscapes such as riverbanks, floodplain areas, riparian forests and wetlands. People visiting these areas love to spend their days splashing in the cool waters of the Brenta River, organizing barbecues with family and friends, walking or cycling, and finding shelter and fresh air under the shade of trees. But Fontaniva’s development is also closely tied to the waters of the river: founded as a fortification on the banks of the Brenta River in 899, from then on it served as a garrison for the river where the ferry had been crossing it since the time of the Via Postumia. A new forest has been born in Fontaniva for residents, tourists, nature lovers and sports enthusiasts: Bosco Fontaniva. The project plans on planting only native species such as field maple, poplar, oak, linden, and elm, but also shrubs such as frangula, blackthorn, dogwood, privet, and many others that will form an actual food forest. The goal is to achieve the highest possible rate of biodiversity, a fundamental condition for having a healthy, beautiful but above all functional forest for the community and for wildlife.

The forest, just a short walk from historic “Ceo Pajaro” and close to the small Camazzole Lake, will reinforce the existing trailways and the slow mobility network, providing an important recreational service for people using the Middle Brenta Cycleway that connects Munich to Venice, which will pass through the forest. It will also help mitigate PM10 air pollution caused by traffic on the busy state road, absorbing CO2 and returning clean, healthier air to citizens. The project included the planting of about 8,400 forest seedlings – both trees and shrubs – covering approximately 7 hectares, the maintenance of the area for the next 5 years, and the installation of information panels. Bosco Fontaniva was created thanks to the Municipality of Fontaniva, the Veneto Region (planting expenses were co-financed by the public call for contributions towards the creation of forests in the Veneto plain. L.R. 2 maggio2003, n.13 – Deliberation/CR n. 72 of July 9, 2020), the Cariparo Foundation, partner companies, and citizens whose adoptions allowed to cover the remaining part of the expenses for planting and especially maintenance.

The new forest was created as part of the Parco Fiume Brenta initiative, which, thanks to the LIFE Brenta 2030 project, facilitated the creation of this new green area.