A multi-level participatory approach for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban planning practice: Trento, Italy

Integrating biodiversity into urban areas is a growing policy priority, as EU strategies call for restoring nature and greening cities. There is still limited empirical evidence on how collaborative processes can effectively reshape governance and planning to this end. We present a collaborative planning process co-developed with the Comune di Trento to enhance biodiversity along the Fersina River. Through participatory workshops and co-design processes, stakeholders identified priorities and solutions, leading to (i) a redesigned governance model for planning and managing measures and (ii) an ad-hoc master plan that integrates natural areas – offering a replicable framework for embedding nature in urban planning.