For the 2022–2023 period, with regard to the maintenance of horizontal and vertical green areas, the University of Bologna joined the framework agreement of the Metropolitan City of Bologna.
To enhance and expand knowledge of the University’s tree heritage and to constantly monitor its health, a new software system (R3GIS) has been adopted, offering better performance than the previous one, AlmaAlberi.
In 2022, as many as 2,810 trees were surveyed and georeferenced across the university area and the Bologna campuses.
Through visual and instrumental surveys, comprehensive information has been collected for each individual tree: name, biometric data, location, past maintenance, risk class for failure, recommended treatments, and more. This information can be viewed and consulted through the R3GIS software, which provides both an overview and a detailed picture of all the areas included in the census.
Visual inspections are carried out annually, while instrumental analyses are performed as needed. By consulting the software, it is possible to check the total number and species of trees requiring further analysis and the frequency of their monitoring.
This level of detail makes it possible to plan targeted interventions according to the health of the trees, determining whether felling is required for safety reasons or poor life expectancy, or whether specific cultivation treatments should be carried out.
Of the trees surveyed in 2022:
- 2,566 fall within classes A, B, or C (negligible, low, and moderate hazard) for risk of failure
- 91 were felled due to phytosanitary or stability issues, or because they had dried out
- 153, classified as CD (high hazard), underwent pruning and cultivation treatments and will be subject to regular monitoring through both visual and instrumental inspections.