A space dedicated to biodiversity, its conservation and the functional improvement of local ecosystems. The second Biodiversity Lab® in the province of Monza and Brianza is born in Brugherio, within Parco Increa. The initiative – the result of an agreement between E.ON, one of Italy's leading energy operators, and Rete Clima, a social enterprise that since 2011 has been guiding companies along ESG and decarbonisation pathways – is part of the Boschi E.ON project and the national forestry campaign Foresta Italia.

How Parco Increa will return ecological and environmental benefits

Used in the past for agricultural purposes and once home to extractive activities, today Parco Increa is an important green lung stretching across the area between Brugherio and Cernusco sul Naviglio: it is home to an artificial lake, monumental plane trees and the longest recycled-plastic bench in Italy. Here E.ON and Rete Clima, following the path they have taken towards the conservation of biodiversity in ecosystems, have joined forces to create an urban woodland capable of returning ecological and environmental benefits to the area, including hydrogeological, microclimatic, faunal and landscape improvements. The Biodiversity Lab® in Brugherio follows on from the first Lab in Giussano, inaugurated last year.

Several interconnected interventions have been carried out. BioForest® forests have been planted – woodlands created using innovative high-density planting techniques to protect and promote plant and animal biodiversity. A bugs hotel has been installed, a wooden structure that provides shelter for insects performing important functions for biodiversity, such as plant pollination and pest management, along with a cariceto (sedge bed), a plant formation made up of herbaceous species typical of wetland areas that, once established, are also capable of withstanding dry spells. Furthermore, floating bio-mats have been positioned – structures made from natural materials that encourage the growth of aquatic plants to re-naturalise degraded or artificial environments. Finally, as in Giussano, a flower strip has been created, consisting of strips of rectangular plots of land sown with various species of wildflowers.

Biodiversity gives value back to local areas

The Biodiversity Lab® in Brugherio can be explored via a signposted trail through the various measures implemented, which will introduce visitors to innovative solutions for the protection of natural capital and of arboreal, shrub and animal biodiversity. As Daniela Leotta, Chief Strategy, Sustainability & Communication Director of E.ON Italia, explains: "our commitment goes beyond reducing emissions: we want to give value back to the communities in which we operate, making a concrete contribution to the protection and restoration of the environment. The Biodiversity Lab® represents a tangible example of this vision, not only because it helps recreate healthier and more resilient ecosystems, but also because it promotes knowledge and awareness on a crucial issue such as biodiversity. A healthier environment benefits all of us, and through projects like this we want to involve citizens and stakeholders in a journey that values nature and strengthens the link between sustainability, innovation and collective wellbeing."

How to calculate the social value generated by tree-planting activities

Initiatives like these are fundamental to the wellbeing of the areas in which they are carried out: the environmental benefits of reforestation are accompanied by positive impacts on the local economy, on the social fabric and on sustainability. To understand their actual value, E.ON has launched an in-depth study based on the SROI methodology (Social Return on Investment), which makes it possible to measure the social value generated by tree-planting activities: in addition to direct benefits such as CO2 absorption, social value includes broader aspects ranging from community engagement to the creation of job opportunities in the forestry sector. In the specific case of the planting of 17,200 trees carried out in 2024 through the Boschi E.ON project, the analysis estimated the overall effects of the activity over a thirty-year lifecycle. For every euro invested in tree planting, approximately 3 euros of value are generated, distributed across tangible and intangible benefits relating to improvements in air quality, biodiversity, the development of sustainable tourism and collective wellbeing.

"We are proud," highlights Paolo Viganò, founder and president of Rete Clima, "to accompany organisations like E.ON along concrete, integrated and traceable pathways for the protection of biodiversity. This second Biodiversity Lab® is a prime example – a new and important milestone within a broader journey built together, starting from joining our national campaign Foresta Italia. Through Boschi E.ON we continue to promote afforestation initiatives in areas that need them most, such as urban and peri-urban areas and zones affected by extreme weather events, with a measurable approach of strong value."

E.ON's contribution to this project is part of the wider Boschi E.ON initiative which, from 2011 to the present day, has contributed to the reforestation of natural areas, national and regional parks across the whole of Italy: 135,000 trees have been planted, absorbing approximately 85,000 tonnes of CO2. The project sits within the Group's "Nature.ON" strategy, which envisages the adoption of specific measures and commitments to contribute to a net positive impact on nature, with an approach focused on three key areas: climate change, ecosystems and biodiversity, and resources and waste.