Adopt a tree and protect Valle del Ticino Park
Why support this forest?
The woodlands of the Ticino Park represent the largest and most significant forested area of the plains, a heritage recognized by UNESCO as a MAB Biosphere Reserve. This extraordinary ecological corridor connects the Alps to the Apennines, offering refuge to unparalleled biodiversity where centuries-old oaks, purple herons, and—more recently—wolves coexist. This heritage, however, has been degraded in certain areas by the presence of invasive exotic plants, which have spread due to land transformations.
Make it grow Valle del Ticino Park
Adopt your favorite trees or gift them: select the gift option during checkout and then personalize it in your reserved area.
Protect Valle del Ticino Park
It's not enough to plant new trees; we must protect forests from abandonment, fires, illegal logging, biodiversity loss, wind, and disasters.
Come to the event in the forest
Italia
Abbiategrasso
(MI)
If you adopt a tree in this forest, you can plant it in person during WOW events.
You’ll receive an email with the details one month before the event (even if you’ve chosen the Protect this Forest option).
Participate with whoever you like and share your passion for nature! We respect nature’s rhythms, which is why we plant trees in spring and fall, taking environmental conditions into account. If you can’t attend, we’ll take care of planting your tree.
How we are improving the forest
The Ticino Valley Lombard Park covers 91,800 hectares, forming part of an area recognized by UNESCO as a MAB (Man and Biosphere) Biosphere Reserve. This program promotes a balanced relationship between people and the environment through biodiversity protection and sustainable development.
The Park hosts a vast variety of ecosystems, making it a biodiversity heritage site without equal in the entire Po Valley. It constitutes the most important ecological corridor connecting the Alps and the Apennines. Among the characteristic broad-leaved forests—composed of oak, hornbeam, poplar, willow, and other species—numerous animals can be observed. These include foxes, weasels, badgers, polecats, and stone martens, as well as 327 bird species, with aquatic birds like the purple heron, kingfisher, and ferruginous duck standing out. Recently, the wolf has also reappeared, using the Ticino Valley to traverse the plains.
In this unique ecosystem, the main challenge is the fight against invasive exotic species that threaten to suffocate the native woodland. After strengthening ecological connectivity between 2022 and 2025 with new hedgerows and rows of trees, we successfully contained the spread of the tree of heaven (Ailanthus). This project was co-financed by the “Biodiversity and Climate” (BioClima) Call from the Lombardy Region and supported by Fondazione Cariplo. BioClima is an initiative born within the framework of the Lombardy Plan and the LIFE GESTIRE 2020 project, which aims to create public-private financing models to catalyze investment in biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation projects in Lombardy’s forests and protected areas.
Starting in 2026, our efforts are focused on the historic “La Fagiana” Managed Nature Reserve, a 12-hectare area fundamental to the conservation of lowland forests. Currently, the woodland suffers from the dominant presence of invasive species such as black cherry and tree of heaven, which block the growth of native trees. Our intervention aims to restore the natural balance through a deep redevelopment plan: we are planting 3,000 new native trees and shrubs, utilizing the underplanting technique to reinforce the heart of the forest.
Where is the forest located?
News from the forest
Partner of the forest
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A couple of times a month you will receive news, scientific insights without catastrophizing, offers to adopt our trees, and news from our projects. With WOWnature, helping the planet becomes a positive experience. Every tree is a step toward a better future.