Protected areas
A pioneer in the country, Lombardy has set up a regional ecological network. These are ecological corridors that promote the mobility of species and maintain the evolutionary dynamics of living organisms. The region also boasts a number of European protected areas and nature reserves. These include the Sebina peat bog nature reserve. Located on the southern shore of Lake Iseo, it protects a wetland area rich in biodiversity and home to numerous birds. Lined with observation stations, the reserve is a great place to discover the avifauna.
For those in search of a nature walk, there's theIsola Madre botanical garden and the Alpinia garden in Stresa.
Multiple pollutions
The region is particularly affected by pollution from industrial activity, transport and intensive farming. Lombardy, home to industry and intensive livestock farming on the Po plain, is one of Italy's most polluted regions. The geographical location of cities and road traffic exacerbate pollution. A study published in 2021 in The Lancet Planetary Health highlighted the high concentration of fine particles in Breschia and Bergamo. Milan also ranks among Europe's most polluted cities, for its levels of nitrogen dioxide. In February 2024, to combat this pollution - exacerbated by the lack of rain and wind - the Lombardy authorities decided to introduce stringent anti-smog measures (including a ban on heavy vehicle traffic during the day and limits on heating and industrial farming activities).
On the lakeside, human activities threaten aquatic ecosystems and the entire food chain. In the 1970s, Lake Lugano was forbidden to swim and suffered from the discharge of industrial effluents, in the absence of sewage treatment facilities. The gradual installation of wastewater treatment facilities - including phosphorus filtration - has significantly improved water quality. Lake Orta, in the Piedmont region of Italy, suffered from the discharge of effluent from the textile and electro-galvanic industries, aggravating its acidification and generating heavy metal contamination. Here too, the installation of water collection and treatment infrastructures has contributed to the ecological restoration of the environment. Plastic pollution is another matter of concern, as demonstrated by the high levels of microplastics measured in Lake Garda in a study published in the journal Current Biology in 2013. Sewage treatment plants, where they exist, are not designed to filter microparticles and plastic nanoparticles from wastewater. Preventive measures do exist, such as reducing plastic at source (European regulations, "zero waste" approach) or installing microplastic filters in washing machines.
For a slowlife trip
For a slow, authentic journey, the region is accessible by train and bike. Cycle routes criss-cross the region. In Milan, more than half of all urban journeys are carbon-free, and car traffic has fallen significantly even as the number of inhabitants has increased. This is the result of a proactive policy aimed at facilitating the use of soft mobility (walking, cycling, public transport) and discouraging car use (limited traffic zones, congestion charging). The city also aims to plant 3 million trees by 2030. The Slowfood movement promotes "clean, fair and good" food. Don't hesitate to meet its members, to reconcile the pleasure of taste buds with respect for the living. The agriturismo network brings together organic farms that welcome visitors.
