How the MSC Foundation Is Helping Restore Milan’s Green Heritage
In July 2023, Milan was hit by a violent, unpredictable type of storm known as a downburst. The storm included 100 km/h winds and heavy rain that caused damage across the city. This included power outages, damage to buildings and devastating destruction to over 4,770 trees. One location in particular, the historic 18th-century Indro Montanelli Gardens, suffered a loss of 187 trees, including catastrophic damage to four veteran specimens.
In response to this devastation, the City Council launched a restorative initiative, “Milan for Trees.” This endeavor set out to plant more than 730 new trees and was supported by hundreds of citizens as well as dozens of local businesses and organizations, including one major partner MSC Foundation.
MSC Foundation’s Partnership with City Council to Help Reforest Milan
As the philanthropic arm of the MSC Group, with key focus areas in environmental conservation, community support, education and emergency relief, the MSC Foundation was quick to respond to the Milan City Council’s call for help to restore its green areas.
On the first anniversary of the storm, the MSC Foundation announced a partnership with the Municipality of Milan that included a donation of over 200 new trees to be planted within the historic and beloved Indro Montanelli Gardens. The tree species were carefully selected to ensure a diverse mix of resilient greenery, resulting in the landscape being both restored and ecologically strengthened against future climate impacts.
Celebrating Healing, Resilience and Community Pride
In May of this year, a celebratory event was held in the 16th-century palace — the Palazzo Marino — to mark the successful planting of the trees with the City Council, MSC Foundation and WeBuild, another city reforestation partner, in attendance.
Commenting at the event, Mayor Giuseppe Sala said:
“The images of the trees felled by the violent storm that struck the city in July 2023 are still a vivid memory for all of us. So I thank the MSC Foundation and WeBuild for promptly joining the ‘Milan for Trees’ initiative we launched immediately afterwards, while taking swift action to make our parks safe again. Thanks to their donations, the wounds inflicted by the 2023 winds and flooding on two iconic parks of our city can finally be considered healed.”
The MSC Foundation’s Ongoing Commitment to the Environment and Global Community
Guided by its own mission and values, and building on the MSC Group’s commitment to protect our blue planet and assist communities in need, the MSC Foundation works with trusted partners to develop programmes that make a lasting difference.
The MSC Foundation has been active in Italy since 2019, advancing conservation projects and strengthening ties with its people, participating in over 27 initiatives nationwide. That commitment was recognized by Elena Grandi, Councillor for Green Spaces, who noted in the MSC Foundation and WeBuild, “a shining example of active citizenship which creates value for the entire community and fosters the sharing of the common good.”
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the MSC Group Cruise Division and Chairman of the MSC Foundation Executive Committee, said:
“Regenerating public green spaces is about more than planting trees. It promotes health, climate resilience, beauty and a sense of belonging, strengthening collective identity and community spirit.”
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