SITES v2 in Italy: Restoring Historic Landscapes Under EU Law

This session explores the intersection of the SITES v2 rating system and the European Union’s Nature Restoration Law, demonstrating how Italy is operationalizing restoration mandates through high-performance landscapes. We address a critical gap in current practices: the integration of environmental rating systems with the conservation of historic and testimonial values in monumental gardens. The narrative follows a "Vision to Performance" model, beginning with a pilot guideline developed for the historic Villa Ada in Rome. This methodology introduces a structured "Knowledge Project" and dedicated Alternative Compliance Paths (ACP) that allow heritage sites to meet SITES v2 requirements while respecting strict conservation constraints. The narrative then provides technical validation through the "Central Bosc" project in Ferrara. This 5.5-hectare urban forest is currently undergoing the SITES v2 certification process, implementing a suite of innovative solutions specifically designed to satisfy SITES v2 Credit 9.3 (Plan to Monitor and Report Site Performance). Attendees will discover how the integration of IoT-driven monitoring and bio-modeling provides the rigorous accountability required by public stakeholders and green finance, delivering measurable results such as a 5°C cooling effect and a sequestration of 166 t/year of $CO_2$ eq. By bridging academic research with institutional implementation, the session offers a scalable roadmap for using SITES v2 to transform public funding into verified environmental dividends, supporting the achievement of mandatory nature recovery targets.