GOCCIA
GOCCIA- Green Opportunities to Clean-up Contaminants through an Interspecies Alliance
The GOCCIA project aims to enhance an 18-hectare urban ecosystem through innovative biodiversity and microclimate monitoring while designing NBS to strengthen ecosystem services. The ‘La Goccia’ forest acts as a living lab for research and design of nature-based solutions (NBS). This project’s primary goal is to co-design and validate a multi-species, regenerative model for remediating contaminated urban sites, boosting biodiversity, and promoting social innovation.
The 33 ha ‘La Goccia’ urban woodland in Milan is an under-utilised green area that is still affected by soil contamination from its previous history as the site of a major gas works. Whilst re-naturalisation of the area has occurred, there is still insufficient understanding of how multi-species processes can most effectively remediate contaminated land in urban areas to restore soil quality. The GOCCIA project seeks to revitalise the ‘La Goccia’ green space through customised remediation strategies using nature-based solutions. It involves an interspecies alliance where non-human entities are considered active stakeholders within a 5-helix governance model that includes the environment as a key stakeholder – a novelty in urban decision-making. The project focuses on restoring soil structure and functions in a neglected forest, promoting social and environmental development, engaging citizens, and monitoring green heritage in Milan.
This project engages local stakeholders in co-designing the forest’s vision and maintenance through participatory governance. It also enhances environmental awareness and empowers residents by equipping them with tools for effective area usage, promoting community development and social inclusion. The expected results include:
- Economic Growth: increasing employment opportunities through projected job creation in construction, conservation, and tourism.
- Community Empowerment: engaging approximately 350 stakeholders in local decision-making.
- Improved Quality of Life: improving access to green spaces with demonstrably enhanced soil, air, and water quality.
The project is coordinated by the Municipality of Milan and involves numerous partners, including Ambiente Italia Srl, Climateflux GmbH, Eutropian Association, FROM srl, Open Impact Srl, Osservatorio La Goccia, and Politecnico di Milano. In addition to technical and research partners, the project involves three European “transfer” cities that will participate in the exchange of practices and the replicability of the model: Est Ensemble Grand Paris, City of Rijeka, and City of Málaga.
IRIDRA, as a partner of the La Goccia Observatory within the GOCCIA project, contributes specialist expertise in environmental engineering and sustainable water resource management, contributing to the technical design of ecological regeneration solutions for the ‘La Goccia’ area.
The GOCCIA project began in December 2024 and will end in May 2028, with a total duration of 42 months. It is part of the Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) within the European Urban Initiative (EUI) and is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FESR) and is part of the Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) within the European Urban Initiative (EUI). It began in December 2024 and will end in May 2028, for a total duration of 42 months, with a total budget of €4,999,840.64.
For further information: eui-goccia.eu
