Soil assessment at Parco Baden Powell (Milan) to support urban Nature-based Solutions

Within Lombardini22’s Impact–Sottocasa project, Terrapreta carried out a soil assessment—together with the Pedology group of DISAT at the University of Milan–Bicocca—on the plot between Via Lombardini and Via Autari, inside Parco Baden Powell (Milan).

The site previously hosted a plant nursery and a paint business and was remediated via excavation and backfilling around ten years ago. Today, the soil is predominantly sandy and shows signs of compaction linked to past machinery traffic, with ash (Fraxinus) and sweetgum (Liquidambar) bordering the area.

We selected six sampling points and combined laboratory and field observations to build a solid picture of current soil conditions. The workflow included circular paper chromatography (Pfeiffer Circular Chromatography), a qualitative method that produces characteristic ring patterns on treated filter paper from soil extracts to support an integrated reading of soil features. We also measured soil penetration resistance with a penetrometer, a standard approach used to gauge how strongly soil resists penetration and to flag potential compaction-related constraints for roots and water movement.

On three points, we described soil colour using the Munsell Soil Color Charts, a widely used reference to standardise soil colour description and support interpretation of moisture-related conditions (including very wet/gleyed soils). All results were consolidated into a technical report with a dual purpose: supporting the urban forestry / Nature-based Solutions design within the Impact project and establishing a baseline for future impact monitoring.​

The collaboration was enriched by the involvement of Open Fabric and forestry expert Dr Roberto Musmeci, and helped refine a preventive soil-diagnosis approach designed to make urban NbS interventions more robust—especially on post-remediation sites where physical soil constraints can strongly shape outcomes.