Tree Planting Associations

In Italy, there's a huge hidden resource within the world of environmental volunteering: hundreds of associations dedicated to planting and caring for trees in cities. They're found in every region, some operate on a national level, others are focused on a local level. And they're all easy to contact.

Index of topics

Valle d'Aosta

Societe de la Flore Valdotaine — Photo Credit via Facebook Société de la Flore Valdôtaine

Il Volunteer Service Center (CSV) of the Aosta Valley lists various organizations operating in the environmental and social fields, some of which may have greenery projects or collaborations with local authorities on tree planting and land management initiatives. A true institution in the region is The Société de la Flore Valdôtaine, founded in 1858, which deals with study of alpine flora and scientific dissemination of Aosta Valley nature, and educational activities on biodiversity, including courses specifically dedicated to tree planting.

Piedmont

La Paulownia Piedmont National is a non-profit association based mainly in Piedmont, focused on promotion and planting of the Paulownia tree, a plant with high CO₂ absorption potential. It supports private individuals, public bodies, and companies in planting and implementing greenery and reforestation projects in the region. The Shared Forest of the Piedmontese Po, instead, is participatory project that involves citizens, associations, local groups and institutions for the planting and management of trees along the Piedmontese Po River natural corridor.

Lombardia

WOWnature is very active in the region and focuses on tree planting on adoption: you can choose where and how to contribute, receive a personalized certificate and often participate directly in the tree planting.

Forest me It is an urban forestry project promoted by local institutions (Municipality of Milan, Lombardy Region and ERSAF) with the aim of planting millions of trees by 2030 involving citizens, organizations, and businesses in Milan and its hinterland.

Trentino Alto Adige

Trentino Tree Agreement — Photo Credit via www.trentinotreeagreement.it

La South Tyrolean Environmental Federation It is one of the most important environmental organizations in the autonomous province of Bolzano, formed by a network of groups and volunteers committed to protection of nature, landscape and climate. Trentino Tree Agreement it is instead an initiative dedicated to reforestation and protection of Trentino's forest heritage, which involves citizens and local groups especially to provide for the planting of new trees in areas hit by natural events such as storms.

Veneto

Trees for the Veneto plain is a regional initiative that distributes thousands of native trees to the citizens and municipalities of Veneto to plant them in city, parks and in the countryside. Here individual citizens can collect the plants and actively participate in the planting in its own municipality with the support of technicians from Veneto Agricoltura. Pianeta Rurale is a local association (in the Mirano area, in the metropolitan city of Venice) that works on issues of environmental regeneration, sustainability and territoryAnd in the province of Venice, the Legambiente Veneto Orientale and Miranese clubs are very active.

Friuli Venezia Giulia

The Italian Association for Organic Agriculture – Friuli-Venezia Giulia Section – has a project called "Trees for Bio", which encourages the widespread planting of trees and hedges with volunteers, organic farms, and citizens to create ecological corridors, improve biodiversity, and contribute to climate action. This project has already led to the planting of thousands of trees in the region. Planting Wave 3 is a regional project of widespread planting which involved administrations, private individuals, and companies to plant thousands of trees and shrubs in various areas of the territory, with the participation of volunteers and local communities.

Liguria

A Thousand Trees Project è volunteer project born in Genoa where citizens meet to plant trees and shrubs (holm oaks, strawberry trees, downy oaks, etc.) on the heights of Monte Moro and in other urban or peri-urban areas in response to fires or environmental degradation; the group has already planted around a thousand trees thanks to the participation of local volunteers and related associations.

TrashTeam it is a social promotion association of Genoa active in environmental cleaning and land care projects, which has also carried out tree planting initiatives fruit trees of local varieties, symbolically dedicating them to newborns to promote green culture and citizen participation. Intelemelia Alternative is a civic group from Ventimiglia that has promoted campaigns and fundraisers to plant trees in the western Ligurian territory.

Emilia Romagna and Lombardy

Forests Forever — Photo Credit Facebook via Foreste per Sempre ODV

"Let's put down roots for the future" instead it's a program promoted by the Emilia-Romagna Region which distributes for free native trees and shrubs a citizens, associations, schools and local authorities for planting throughout the territory (from Piacenza to Rimini).

Toscana

The Racket It is a Tuscan association of volunteers for forest fire prevention and civil protection based in various provinces of Tuscany which has promoted projects such as “Let's save one more forest” , with crowdfunding initiatives to plant trees and support forest recovery in the region's hilly areas.

La Tuscany Environment Foundation (TEF) is an environmental foundation that raises funds and supports local nature conservation and regeneration projects in Tuscany, channeling resources towards effective initiatives to protect biodiversity, ecosystems and natural landscapes. Its action is more than support, grantmaking and strategic coordination of environmental projects.

Umbria

La weTree Association supported recovery and planting activities in the urban areas of Perugia, such as the placement of cypresses in front of the Temple of Sant'Angelo and the donation of trees fruit trees for the urban garden of the San Matteo degli Armeni complex, involving groups of citizens and local associations.

Wood 4 Green It is instead a sustainable forestry planning project that involves the planting of trees and the management of public and private green spaces with a broader territorial perspective, including peri-urban areas and promoting biodiversity on a large scale.

Brands

Numerous territorial groups operate in the Marche region Legambiente Marche, very active in reforestation, coastal plantings and the protection of urban greenery.

Also worth mentioning Urban Forest APS, an association from the Marche region that works specifically on urban and peri-urban forestry, involving citizens and administrations in the planting and care of trees, with particular attention to the climate resilience of cities.

Lazio

tree planting associations initiatives

It takes a tree It is a volunteer association active primarily in the city of Rome, planting trees and contributing to the "urban forest" by involving citizens and schools. Come on, trees Instead, it is made up of a group of volunteers who dedicate themselves to the care and planting of trees in Rome's neighborhoods (including Nomentano, Pietralata, Piazza Bologna, etc.) and the maintenance of existing trees.

In Rome, faced with the deterioration of trees neglected by municipal administrations for decades, volunteer associations are actively engaged, and virtually every neighborhood in the capital has its own organization dedicated to tree planting.

And in Rome, Mauro Silenzi has become the newsagent more green of ItalyIn his historic newsstand in the heart of Porta Portese, they don't just sell newspapers, postcards, and subway tickets: they are adopted treesAnd with a donation of 100 euros, every resident of the neighborhood can place a plaque, complete with a dedication, to commemorate their generosity. In just a few months, Silenzi, with the association "La voce di Porta Portese," which has signed a protocol with the Rome Gardens Department, has managed to plant 110 trees, from flowering pear trees to maples to plane trees, and according to the agreement he will have to ensure, for at least two years, that they are regularly watered.

Abruzzo

In Abruzzo the project is worth mentioning LIFE+ A_GreeNet, A European initiative that promotes urban forestry and microforestry along the central Adriatic coast, including Abruzzo. Among the interventions aimed at combating climate change, heat islands, and urban degradation, planting of new trees, green corridors and redevelopment of existing greenery. It is also very present in the region Rewilding Apennines, which works primarily on the restoration of the natural ecosystems of the central Apennines, including reforestation and renaturalization interventions.

Alongside this reality, local associations operate such as Let's save the bear, which while focusing on fauna they also promote the protection and recovery of forests, a key element for biodiversity. In the "Bear Lands" project, volunteers, in collaboration with Rewilding Apennines, have planted young fruit trees (apple, plum, and pear) within ecological corridors in the bear's range, to increase natural food resources for wildlife.

Molise

The Committee More Trees è a spontaneous group of citizens of Termoli committed to planting trees from the bottom up and in increasing the urban tree population: they organize planting days for native species (maples, holm oaks, ash trees, etc.) with the involvement of volunteers and local authorities, creating veritable "urban forests" for the benefit of neighborhoods. Although not a formally registered association, it is an example of civic activism for trees in the city.

Ambiente Basso Molise promotes thematic campaigns on greenery and the environment, such as “Good morning Mr. Tree”, with awareness days and planting of shrubs and saplings together with school children and citizens around the Fantine woods in Campomarino.

Campania

In Campania, dto report Greenopolis, a Neapolitan association that works on urban regeneration, environmental education, and tree planting in public spaces and schools.

We Can It is a volunteer association that, thanks to the #piantaunalbero project, promotes sustainable reforestation of cities and collaborates with the municipalities of the Nola area to donate trees for planting and involve citizens in environmental protection activities.

Puglia

La Sylva Foundation, one of the most effective and well-organized organizations for reforestation interventions wherever possible, it does not only operate in Puglia, but here it has implemented several projects for tree planting, including a specific one for the reforestation of Salento after the devastation caused by the Xylella fastidiosa.

The association works to contribute to the rebirth of the territory by planting new trees and restoring ecosystems severely affected by the olive disease. Olivami is also a Association of Apulian Volunteers and Citizens (RUNTS) born for counteract the destruction of olive trees due to Xylella through adoption of plants and planting of new disease-tolerant olive trees.

In Basilicata it works Rocciaviva Matera APS, a social promotion association founded in Matera which deals with environmental regeneration, reforestation and permacultureIts projects include tree planting, reclaiming degraded land, creating garden forests, and community education initiatives.

Also operating in the region are companies such as Legambiente Basilicata, engaged in forest protection and tree planting projects, often in collaboration with the Pollino and Lucanian Apennine regional parks. Local associations and cooperatives also work on reforestation and sustainable forest management, with the direct involvement of local communities.

Calabria

Legambiente Calabria, the most recognized Italian environmental association, is also present in Calabria with awareness-raising activities, environmental education and local campaigns, including initiatives on greenery and environmental care.

In particular, il “Serre Cosentine” Club has the “10.000 new trees” project was promoted, with the aim of planting thousands of trees in various Calabrian municipalities (including the involvement of schools).

Sicilia

It operates in Sicily Wooded, a project that aims to transform degraded or barren areas into regenerated green spaces by planting trees and restoring natural ecosystems through the collective action of individuals and volunteers. The idea is that every tree planted is not only an environmental contribution, but also a gesture that benefits people and local communities.

Then there is Metropolitree, a volunteer association founded in Palermo at the end of 2024, focused on participatory urban reforestationUnlike large institutional plans, it works "bottom-up": volunteers map empty flowerbeds and degraded areas to transform them into urban micro-forests.

Their strength lies in their commitment to care: they don't just plant, but involve residents in ongoing maintenance, ensuring the trees' survival against the Sicilian heat.

Sardinia

Alberea is a benefit company based in Sardinia which promotes projects of reforestation and afforestation on the island, also allowing for adopt or support trees which are planted and monitored. And remember that it comes from Sassari

A Sassari Giovanni Atzeni, awarded by Sergio Mattarella with the title of "Standard Bearer of the Republic", a young man who since he was a boy has committed himself to planting, under the banner of the international association Plant for the Planet, hundreds of trees donated by the Regional Forestry Agency.

The best associations for planting trees in the city