Educational and research amenities (nature protection centre, monitoring stations)

As part of the Fifth Dimension research program of the University of Helsinki that examines green roofs from the perspectives of biodiversity and the three dimensions of sustainable development (ecological, social and economical sustainability), 8 green roofs were installed in Helsinki. The aim was to find economically viable solutions that are applicable to Helsinki’s and Finland’s conditions. The project experimented with green roofs in different parts of the country, over half of which are in Helsinki (ref. 1, 2, 3).

After relevant local regulations had been adapted and allowed for keeping apiaries in the city of Białystok, in 2016, the Institute of Biology at the University of Bialystok put six beehives on its rooftop. The initiative aims at increasing biodiversity and pollination in the city. It promotes beekeeping and sustainable production and consumption patterns, and the honey is a brand product of the University [1,3,4].

The city of Wuppertal participates as a model region in the joint research project SAMUWA which aims at developing planning instruments which combine urban drainage with urban and open space development measures. With regards to the work package C.1: open space design strategies for a water sensitive city, one focus area and proposed measure, namely the "Varresbecker" flood channel is of special interest since it has been subject to comprehensive implementation plans in Wuppertal so that its implementation can be expected in the next years (Ref. 1, 2, 4 and 5). Alongside the water channel, a recreational area will be created with information to raise awareness about water management issues and climate change. (Ref. 2)

The government of Mallorca promotes orchards, as part of an ecological movement in Spain. As a result, five orchards were constructed, reclaiming abandoned urban spaces by the Mallorca city government in 2010.
The project has three pillars: strengthening social cohesion and inclusion, creating opportunities for education and for recreation. They were also constructed with pensioners in mind (Ref 2).
There would be an annual draw to give to distribute the orchards. However, this got delayed since 2013. In 2019, the municipality took back the property from the previous owners, and one of the orchards was taken from the list of orchards due to its bad conditions (Ref 5). In 2020, there was going to be a new draw for the distribution of orchards with new focus groups requirements but due to Covid19, this project has been paused (Ref 5).

The Urban Forest project represents an increase of urban trees in the city. There will be two phases of this project. In the first, it consists of a transformation of an eye-sore and abandoned space, around previous Canodrome, into a large urban forest (Ref 1, 9). The second one will be located in the land of the velodrome of Es Tirador. This projec has been delaid due to unforeseen costs (Ref 10).

Intercultural Garden Nuremberg Langwasser e.V. is a community garden project aimed at sustainable urban development and tolerance between different social and cultural groups. People of different origins work together on their own plots (about 25 m² each), without a fences between neighbouring plots and consciously in interaction through horticulture and other activities. All the grounds are used as vegetable and flower gardens. Environmentally friendly production is desired and promoted (1). Other opportunities offered in the garden are intercultural activities and self-designed educational work. (10) The association actively promotes integration through social activities, which, as stated by the association “can include things like providing German lessons, organizing small festivals and even settling of a dispute happened once”. (7)

The city garden was a 2000 square meter large communal garden in Nuremberg Eberhardshof district that invites all citizens to take part in gardening and co-operating activities without any costs attached. The project was aimed at promoting sustainability for Nuremberg and the Bavarian region (1). The gardeners try to rely on a variety of different plants, even in their last season, they planted 35 tomatoes, 14 chili, ten potato, and twelve bean varieties alone. In 2013, a bee colony was also established. (7) The project had its last season in 2018, after which it had to be closed because of plans to create a district park in its area. (5) The city garden has established itself as an important leisure facility in Eberhardshof by offering, for example, cooking courses and training courses on tree pruning as well as numerous other topics. (6)

There have been different activities throughout the time to recover and improve the Malecon Botanical Garden. In 2012, the main activity was to recover the Malecon Botanical Garden by introducing a collection of Mediterranean species and of other ethnobotanicals plants and delivering some other environmental services to the location (Ref 1). In 2019, there were different works to rehabilitate the Garden for the September Fair, and also some other plans to create a cultural and artistic space within the Garden (Ref 10 and 11).
The project has completed its first stage, but there is an ongoing number of initiatives to rehabilitate and improve the garden (Ref 9 and 10).
Regarding the status of the project, the first stage has been completed, but an ongoing initiative to rehabilitate and improve the garden is taking place (Ref 9 and 10).

Portsmouth and its surrounding areas are under ‘serious water stress’ and water companies are being asked to take less water from some of their sources. This includes reductions to the amount of water that Southern Water can take from the rivers Test and Itchen in Hampshire. To address this, Portsmouth Water started the planning of a new Havant Thicket Reservoir.
The water to be stored in the reservoir will be supplied from surplus winter yield from the Havant & Bedhampton Springs. In winter, higher rainfall leads to a higher springs yield which flows into the sea, but a portion would now be pumped to the new reservoir. Long-term benefits of the proposed reservoir include enhancing the local environment and providing a new wetland habitat. (1,5)
In November 2020, the Havant Thicket Reservoir planning applications have been submitted to Havant Borough Council and East Hampshire District Council for validation. (7)

Wetlands provide a varying degree of treatment of discharged water and are ideally suited for the containment and treatment of polluted water runoff, being a holistic example of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). The Dublin Local Authority installed an Integrated Constructed Wetland to treat polluted water discharged from the urban area, with the aim of cleaning urban runoff and drainage water. It was meant to purify water that discharges into a pond, and later on into the Tolka river. The project has been very successful in treating polluted water effectively, according to studies. (Ref. 1; Ref. 3)