On 7 July, the University of Padua hosted Italy's National Sponge Day, bringing together researchers, urban planners and local authorities to exchange experiences on implementing sponge measures across urban, agricultural and peri-urban landscapes.
Organised by the University of Padua (Department of Territory and Agro-Forestry Systems, TESAF) as part of the Horizon Europe SpongeScapes project, the event explored the role of sponge measures in spatial planning. Participants exchanged experiences from urban, agricultural and peri-urban contexts, highlighting practical approaches to climate adaptation, groundwater recharge and ecosystem services.
Presentations combined the latest research with practical experiences from the City of Padua, the Municipality of Santorso, the Bacchiglione and Brenta Land Reclamation Consortia, and the Bosco Limite pilot project, illustrating how sponge measures are being implemented in different territorial contexts.
By fostering dialogue between academia and practitioners, National Sponge Day reinforced the importance of integrated approaches to building more resilient landscapes across Italy.