In a few sentences, how would you describe your IAP? What is its main focus or goal?
Our Integrated Action Plan (IAP) aims to enhance urban biodiversity in Siena by implementing nature-based solutions and fostering a participatory approach to green space governance. The main goal is to develop ecological corridors and strengthen community involvement in the care and management of urban nature. The IAP has been co-designed by a diverse and multidisciplinary local group, including experts from universities and environmental associations, making it a rich and heterogeneous plan.
What local challenges or needs does your IAP address?
Our IAP addresses several local challenges, including the need to reconnect fragmented green spaces, promote sustainable management of urban biodiversity, and respond to the impacts of climate change. It also tackles social challenges, such as over-tourism in the historic center and the underuse of green areas, by encouraging community-driven stewardship and inclusive access to nature. Additionally, it responds to the need for a shared long-term vision for green infrastructure, rooted in local identity and supported by active citizen participation.
What are the most innovative or inspiring elements of your plan?
One of the most innovative elements of our plan is the idea of connecting green areas within Siena’s UNESCO-listed city center through a network of “healthy corridors” that preserve and enhance urban biodiversity. This approach not only protects ecological value in a historically dense urban environment, but also promotes well-being, accessibility, and sustainable mobility—transforming underused spaces into community-driven green infrastructure.
What are the most valuable lessons your city learned during the BiodiverCity project?
A lot of lessons! :-) Perhaps the most valuable lesson Siena has learned during the BiodiverCity project is the importance of viewing urban biodiversity not as a standalone or sectoral initiative, but as a cross-cutting element that should be integrated into all municipal strategies. We also realized that long-term success depends on actively involving the local community—not only in co-designing solutions, but in taking shared responsibility for the care and regeneration of urban nature.
Can you describe one good practice from your city that others could learn from?
One good practice from Siena is the long-standing collaboration between the municipality, local associations, and citizens through formal “Collaboration Pacts” for the care and regeneration of common goods, including green areas. This model, rooted in a strong civic tradition and supported by the Regulation for the Shared Administration of Common Goods, enables communities to take responsibility for urban nature. https://www.labsus.org/cose-un-patto-di-collaborazione/
What was your favourite moment or memory from the BiodiverCity project?
My favourite moments from the BiodiverCity project were definitely the times when the group worked together—during workshops or informal gatherings. These occasions created space for genuine collaboration, where everyone contributed actively and meaningfully. It was in these shared moments that the group truly grew as a community, strengthening both the project and the wider BiodiverCity network.
If you could describe the project in three words, what would they be?
Network - Care - regeneration
Any final thoughts or messages for the URBACT and BiodiverCity community?
Our hope is that the BiodiverCity network continues to thrive beyond the project’s formal end. The relationships built, the knowledge shared, and the collective energy we’ve generated are too valuable to disperse. We believe that the work started here can grow further—not only with local impact, but as a meaningful contribution to urban biodiversity strategies at the European level. Let’s keep this community alive and active.
