We’ll be at the Pavia Botanical Garden on Saturday, May 24th, to share the biodiversity of arid habitats.
Here’s the press release for the initiative:
🌱 On the occasion of World Biodiversity Day, which is celebrated on May 22nd, on Saturday, May 24th, starting at 2:00 PM, the University of Pavia’s Botanical Garden will open its doors for the event “BIODIVERSITY to discover, understand and spread”. This special day is dedicated to the variety of life on Earth, organized in collaboration with the University of Pavia, WWF YOUng Lombardia, the Association “Amici dell’Orto Botanico” and the Network of Botanical Gardens of Lombardy.
The event offers a journey into biodiversity through interactive guided tours, activities and information stands, with the aim of raising public awareness of the importance of protecting ecosystems and living species.
Starting at 2:00 PM, visitors can visit:
- The exhibition “Local, Precious, and Forbidden Woods. Biodiversity Through Wood”, presso il Centro Didattico Divulgativo della Riserva Naturale Integrale Statale Bosco Siro Negri (in prossimità della Serra tropicale) is held at the Bosco Siro Negri State Natural Reserve’s Educational and Outreach Center (near the Tropical Greenhouse). The exhibition is curated by Paola Nola, head of Lab Dendro, the Dendrochronology and Dendroecology Laboratory at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Pavia.
The following will also be open from 3:00 PM:
- The WWF YOUng Lombardia stand, where you can learn more about the activities of the WWF youth group and environmental volunteer opportunities.
- The University of Pavia Germplasm Bank stand, with the theme “Can Sustainable Agriculture Be Done?“: an exhibition dedicated to agrobiodiversity, which includes ancient cultivated varieties and wild species essential for the health of agroecosystems.
The afternoon program includes:
- 3:00 pm – SedRep – The Secret Language of Plants: an interactive visit to discover the surprising mechanisms by which plants spread and communicate. Reservations required: https://ortobotanico.unipv.eu/family/
- 3:30 pm – Guided tour of the Botanical Garden. Reservations required: https://ortobotanico.unipv.eu/family/
- 4:00 pm – I live, you live, he lives. HABITAT: an activity for young people and adults to explore the concept of habitat and understand the value of their conservation. Reservations required: https://ortobotanico.unipv.eu/family/
- 5:00 pm – Meet under the monumental Scopoli Plane Tree for the presentation of the book “Erba verde è il nostro letto” by Marina Milani, published in late 2024. This family novel spans the five generations of the adventurous Lyrer family, in which nature in all its forms is the true protagonist, but also portrays a generation reflecting on the climate crisis and fighting to protect the planet. The author will be joined by Cristina Religioso, who will interview her, and actor Francesco Colucci, who will read excerpts from the book.
All activities are free. Admission to the Botanical Garden is subject to a fee (https://ortobotanico.unipv.eu/biglietti/)
This initiative is part of the scientific dissemination and environmental awareness initiatives promoted by the participating institutions, with the aim of raising awareness and protecting biodiversity among the public.