Attached to a tree, in via Lanciani, Nomentano district of Rome, there is a plaque. “inhale me!” he says and underneath there is a motto “Share and Tree”. I turn around and find another one, still on a tree. Then yet another. And you can find the same ones in the neighborhood Appius, al New Salary, Between Milvian Bridge e Labarumal Tiburtino. Where the hands reach but above all the watering cans Come on De Alberithe Roman non-profit association that takes care of the capital’s trees.
Come on Trees. Photo Source: Facebook
“It all started in an amateur way in 2019 to plant trees under the house, because the square where I lived in the Nomentano neighborhood of Rome was bare – tells Lorenzo Ciocefounder of the association – I am of the opinion that public and private sectors must collaborate and must learn to do so more and more in the midst of climate change as our Constitution indicates to us”. Thus began the project reforestation e regeneration urban which, as its objective, is to defend existing trees but also to plant new ones, grow flowers and shrubs, and take care of the existing greenery in the city streets. “Our mission is to increase heritage and defend it. Shares Et Albera – continues Cioce – We try to be proactive and act to create something that will remain for the city and communities over time. The sense of community we are creating between people and trees is crucial”. Everyone takes to the streets: pensioners, students, workers, there are those who look out and bring a bottle of water with them, those who instead decide to donate via the site or those who bring seeds and small plants.
An association born to be together, yes, but not only. Because Daje De Alberi’s goal is to improve the place where we live and the quality of life of those who live there. “Your health and wallet are also taken care of in the long term – explained the founder in an interview with La Repubblica – A tree-lined avenue is about 8°C warmer than a bare one and in summer saves a few hours of air conditioning or fan use. And while greenery increases the beauty and livability of a neighborhood, it also increases its economic value. Then where there are trees you are inclined to walk more, thus preventing cardiovascular diseases”.
Come on Trees. Photo Source: Facebook
A 2002 research conducted in Japanhighlighted the association between the presence of green areas near residents’ homes and the standard of living of over 3 thousand elderly people in the city of Tokyo. Survival, over 5 years, was directly proportional to the space available for walking, the number of parks and tree-lined streets near the home. Another study, from 2009, conducted in Netherlands on 350,000 patients showed that for 15 of the 24 pathologies examined the frequency of chronic diseases (heart attacks, skeletal disorders, anxiety, depression, respiratory infections, headache, dizziness, urinary tract infections, diabetes) was lower in those who lived less than 1 km away from parks or green areas.
Protecting public green spaces, in short, is good. And it is first and foremost good for ourselves. A statement that applies to a big city like Roma but which is also current for our territory. Immersed in greenery, yes, but continually threatened by fires or endangered by agricultural monocultures. To change something, then, just start small. Planting a tree, or watering it. Taking care of a piece of the city, of the town, of the street, of the neighborhood. A piece that belongs to everyone and is also ours.
Alberi Daje. Source Photo: Facebook Sponsor
