CITY OF TRENTO: WHY THE QUALITY OF LIFE IS SO HIGH IN TRENTINO

Whether you come to spend a few days in nature, play sports, work, learn, or even just try some good food, in Trentino you will have an amazing experience. Italians believe this. They choose the province of Trento not only for tourism, but for the standard of living. Europe confirms this, certifying the province’s commitment to sustainability.
What are the ingredients for this “elevated” quality of life? Without a doubt, services and infrastructure that work, a diverse and dynamic economy, excellent education and constant change of investments and commitment in innovation and development. Let’s not forget resources, a well-kept and actively managed environment and, of course, the beauty of the landscape.
These are all qualities Trento has proudly demonstrated that it possesses, placing first in the ranking for "generational" quality of life according to Il Sole24 ore in 2022 and presented at the Trento’s Festival dell’Economia last June. Trento is the only provincial capital in Italy to have a harmonious profile and offer services and opportunities at the same time for all three generations. Among the top indicators are life expectancy, fertility rate, sports activities for children, low consumption of drugs for chronic diseases, and the number of libraries.
The best place to live for children is Aosta, Piacenza for young people, and Cagliari for the elderly. But if you are looking for a place where all three generations can find services and opportunities, then move to Trento.
Among the 107 provincial capitals in Italy, Trento is the only one to enter the top ten of the rankings that Il Sole 24 ore dedicates to the three age groups. The first classified in each of the three categories (specifically Aosta, Piacenza, and Cagliari) performed poorly in at least one of the other two categories, demonstrating an uneven quality of life profile from the generational point of view. In Trento, on the other hand, there is a substantial balance, because the capital is third for the quality of life for the elderly and seventh for the quality of life of children and young people.
In particular, third place for the quality of life of the elderly is linked to partial indicators such as life expectancy (2nd place), the low consumption of drugs for chronic diseases (3rd place), the number of libraries (5th place), home care (6th place), and urban gardens (17th place).
The seventh place as regards the quality of life of young people is linked to the number of municipal administrators under 40 (6th place), to the reduced gap between rents in the centre and suburbs (7th place: but Trento is in 93rd for rent), the youth unemployment rate (10th place), and the number of university graduates (17th place).
Lastly, children also have a good quality of life in Trento, as shown by the partial indicators regarding the activeness index of very young children (2nd place), the fertility rate (3rd place), places in nursery schools (13th place), and the living space (26th place).
The capital was also reconfirmed in first place in 2021 for sustainability in the Urban Ecosystem report, research done by Legambiente, Ambiente Italia and Il Sole 24 Ore, and in 2020 it led the EY Smart City Index ranking, which analysed the Italian capital municipalities from the point of view of the sustainability of urban infrastructure.
In the Urban Ecosystem report, Trento was in first place, with 84.71 points out of 100 (79.98% in the 2020 edition and 81.2% two years ago). And it did so by further improving its already good overall performance, one of the few capitals to do so in the key areas of the study. The overall average values improve in regard to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and for PM10, but it worsens slightly in the days when ozone limits are exceeded. There were 40 days exceeding the limit last year. This year, there have been 44 so far. The percentage of separate waste collection is still growing. It exceeds 83% (83.1%) in this edition. It was just over 81% in 2018 and 82.6% in 2019. The waste produced by people in Trentino is still decreasing, but production is dropping almost everywhere, from 462 kilos per inhabitant/year last year, to the current 438. As a result of the effects of the pandemic, passengers transported by the TPL service have dropped from 185 trips per inhabitant per year in 2018 and 190 in 2019 to 101 trips per inhabitant for the year in 2020. At the same time, the space destined for infrastructure dedicated to cycling is once again experiencing strong growth, going from 6.46 meters equivalent for every 100 inhabitants of the previous edition to 8.67. Also in this edition, the Trentino capital has consistently improved in the index dedicated to land consumption, which stops at 8.50/10 (last year, it was 8.20/10, two years ago 7.40/10, three years ago 6.25), a sign that development towards sustainability has really been established in Trento.

UNITRENTO, SUSTAINABLE AND INTERNATIONAL
National and international rankings place the University of Trentino at the top of Italian universities. A dynamic, generalist, quality university with a good reputation in Italy and internationally, with over 16,000 students and more than 700 teachers and the same number of technical and administrative staff, it provides an ideal environment for study and research in numerous subject areas.

100% sustainability
A characteristic feature of the University of Trento by now is its attention to sustainability. All of the electricity that powers the University buildings comes from renewable sources with a certified guarantee of origin. A good practice for which the University of Trento has received the Dolomiti Energia certificate attesting to the consumption of clean energy, the generation of which does not cause the emission of greenhouse gases. The result is proof of the University's commitment to reducing its ecological footprint and encourages the university community to continue down this road, taking new actions. The sustainable UniTrento Green Office was created, a workspace and activator of initiatives aimed at sustainability, with a broad reach that embraces many areas and sectors. The delegate for environmental sustainability, student representatives and associations, and figures (managers and non-executives) involved in an increasingly green university take part in the discussion. The University of Trento has therefore relaunched its commitment to structured and efficient energy management by introducing a new figure: the Energy Manager. This figure, based within the Real Estate Department, has the task of identifying the measures and procedures that are necessary in order to promote a rational and efficient use of energy. Its creation goes far beyond the regulatory obligations and shows the University's concrete interest in giving a new impetus to the development of these issues. www.unitn.it

MUSE – SCIENCE MUSEUM
On 4 October 2021 at MUSE, the Science Museum designed by Renzo Piano, the new Sustainability Gallery was inaugurated, an exhibition space of 400 square meters with an entirely new exhibition. The exhibition addresses the main drivers of global change underway, from the climate issue to the loss of biodiversity, from population growth to the fight against social inequalities, exploring the multiple futures — possible, probable, and desirable — with the awareness that culture can help us understand that our challenges as citizens of a global community are deeply interconnected. To complete the exhibits, there are some intergenerational interviews and a selection of proven research and development, production, and entrepreneurial experiences that tell how the private sector is also moving towards more sustainable models.

The tropical greenhouse: Udzungwa, a rainforest in the African mountains
With an area covering 600 square meters, the tropical greenhouse recreates a strip of the Udzungwa Mountains rainforest in MUSE, a centre of diversity and endemism in Tropical East Africa, in Tanzania. Crossing the threshold of the greenhouse, the visitor is greeted by the warm, humid embrace of the tropics, entering the pristine forests of tropical Africa, waterfalls and vertical cliff walls, swirling waters, and a lush forest. The itinerary starts from the Kilombero valley to continue in the humid foothill forests, encountering a kaleidoscopic diversity of shapes and colours of the unique plants and animals.

Orto del MUSE, Italy, brimming with diversity
From the ‘square Asti pepper’ to the beret-shaped squash from Piacenza, from the ‘agretti’ (friar’s beard) found in Lazio to the Sicilian ‘serpentine courgette’. The new MUSE exhibit is an honest to goodness journey through Italy’s vegetable gardens, examining the species that are characteristic of local harvests, the aromas of herbs and local products that are the foundation of traditional cuisine.
In this outdoor space that is always open to visitors, the Grape Garden was recently created, the hardy vineyard dedicated to the theme of sustainability in the future of viticulture in Trentino. The vineyard, together with the Endrizzi winery in San Michele all'Adige, hosts the rows of the main hardy grapevines studied by the Mach Foundation.

Alpine Botanical Garden - Viote del Monte Bondone
The Viote Alpine Botanical Garden, managed by MUSE, is one of the oldest and largest in the Alps, with its 10 hectares and a collection that includes about 2,000 species of high-altitude plants, many of which are at risk of extinction, representing mountain ranges from all over the world.
 

TAKING NATURE WALKS AND EXPLORING BIODIVERSITY AROUND TRENTO

Bosco della città
It is the largest city park - about 17 hectares - and is located on the Dosso di S. Rocco immersed in a wooded area with oaks, ashes, and hornbeams. Recently created by the Forest Service of the Autonomous Province of Trento, which owns and maintains it. It has breathtaking vantage points over the entire Adige valley, a truly panoramic view, rest areas and an arboretum of exotic species that can be easily reached through the area's interior roads. In this green area on the outskirts of Trento, crossing the Pian dei Pini, the large meadows, the Pian dei Sorbi, and the Busa dei Castagnari, you can see the biodiversity for yourself in the shapes and colours of the leaves of the original forest and the different trees from the Americas, Asia, and the Mediterranean.
Access - The park entrance in San Rocco can be reached on foot from the San Rocco bus stop using the wooden walkway above the Fricca state road. From Bosco della città you can also access the area reserved for the Wildlife Recovery Centre managed by LIPU, whose access is adjacent to the park's entrance

Ponte Alto Gorge – Cognola, Trento
Since 1800, the gorge near Ponte Alto has fascinated Trento residents and visitors alike. The gorge is a deep canyon carved by the tumultuous waters of the Fersina stream over thousands of years. Here, in 1500, some of the oldest hydraulic works in the world were built to prevent floods in the city.
The two weirs give rise to spectacular waterfalls over 40 meters high that make their way between the layers of red rock, creating spectacular plays of light. In fact, the undeniable natural beauty of the places is paired with one of the oldest hydraulic works in Europe, the Serra di Ponte Alto, built at the behest of Prince Bishop Bernardo Clesio in 1537 and, after countless renovations and reinforcements, still present after the last reconstruction carried out in 1850. It consists of a barrier to catch solid material transported by the Fersina and gives rise to two spectacular falls: the first in correspondence with the historical work itself, the second "born" in 1882 following the construction of a second work to consolidate the first, the Controserra Madruzza.
The gorge can be reached by suburban buses from Trento and Pergine. It is also possible to reach Cognola with city buses number 9 and 10.
By car, park at Via Ponte Alto 79, next to the sports centre and the Cacio & Pepe Pizzeria Restaurant (opposite the Hotel Villa Madruzzo entrance). From the car park, walk down 3 minutes to Via Valsugana. Open every weekend from 10.00 to 18.00

Dos Trento
The route starts from the Piazzale delle Trouppe Alpine and follows the beautiful monumental road with hairpin bends that climbs along the southern slope of Dos Trento. You'll enter the round tunnel, which houses some stone works, and soon you will reach the top, where a building houses the National Historical Museum of the Alpini, which was completely renovated and reopened to the public a few months ago. Behind the museum, you can see the perimeter of an ancient paleochristian basilica. You can go around the entire circumference of the flat wooded peak and reach the colonnade of the Mausoleum dedicated to Cesare Battisti. The top of the hill can be visited using the numerous paths that cross it and which take you to various panoramic views of the city and the underlying Piedicastello district. As you descend, follow the paths and steps that are a shortcut, passing the tunnel, which will bring back to the starting point.