Plants for a Resilient City: The “Climate-Friendly Parks” Experiment in Reggio Emilia

Overurbanization poses environmental challenges that threaten human health and biodiversity. NatureBased Solutions (NBS) enhance urban livability, restore biodiversity, and provide vital Ecosystem Services (ES), such as mitigating the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. This study evaluates environmental monitoring at Marco Biagi Park (Reggio Emilia, Italy) as part of the Life City AdapT3 project. Following the introduction of microforests, rural edges, tree rows, and a wetland, data were collected to assess local climate mitigation and carbon storage. Microclimatic effects were analyzed using satellite images (Landsat 8) and on-site measurements. Between 2021-2024, summer Land Surface Temperature (LST) decreased in post-intervention period by 2.1 degrees C. Air temperature in urban forest areas averaged 1.2 degrees C lower, while humidity increased by 10% compared to builtup areas. Using the i-Tree model, it was estimated that Marco Biagi Park stored 332.20 kg of carbon in 2024 and 825.20 kg in 2025-representing a 148.4% increase in just one year. Species of the Quercus genus, Prunus avium and Tilia platyphyllos contributed 58.26% to this carbon storage in 2025. AFindings highlight NBS effectiveness in improving urban microclimates and carbon sequestration, reinforcing their role in sustainable city planning.