The city of Merano was awarded the prestigious “La Città per il Verde” prize in Milan, organized by the publishing house Verde Editoriale and now in its 26th edition. The initiative pays tribute to cities and municipalities that are particularly committed to the care and sustainable development of public green spaces.
The award ceremony took place at the professional trade fair for horticulture, gardening, and landscape design, Myplant & Garden, held in February 2026 Milan. The recognition was accepted by landscape architect Andrea Balestrini, who together with engineer Ruth Lochmann provides technical consultancy to the municipal administration as part of the European project JUSTNature. The jury was positively impressed by the two projects presented by the municipality: “Garden for All” and “Riverside park at the confluence.” Both initiatives “make a significant contribution to improving the quality of life in Merano and set new standards in the fields of climate adaptation, biodiversity, soil de-sealing, water resource management, and the creation of usable green spaces.” The award ceremony was also a success thanks to the high visibility gained by Merano through the video on the JUSTNature project presented during the event.
JUSTNature at the center of experts’ attention
In issue 1/2026 of the specialized magazine ACER, distributed to attendees during the award ceremony, a detailed article was published on the measures of the JUSTNature project implemented in Merano. This highlights the national importance of the nature-based solutions developed along the banks of the Passirio.
Merano among the leading cities in Italy
In addition to Merano, the 26th edition of the prize also honored the cities of Grosseto, Chivasso, Carpi, Ferrara, and Reggio Calabria, as well as organizations such as the Consorzio KilometroVerdeParma. Once again, the event drew attention to public green space as an essential “infrastructure for well-being” and referred to the “Wellness City” model, which aims to transform cities into healthy, resilient, and livable places.
