Enhanced carbon sequestration

"The main idea of the project is to join the two parks at the end of the intervention (Pedion Areos and Lofos Likavitou) with a green mass that will flow all along the intervention, bringing back the greenery to an area that used to be a green zone in the outside of the old Athens walls.That green corridor is formed by: (1) the existing trees preserved; (2) the new trees added; (3) a continuous floor all along the project with a pattern that is an abstraction from olive tree branches; (4) The artificial activity/bioclimatic trees they create" (Ref 1).

The lagoon has a great local significance for its biodiversity with the presence of certain species of rare birds regularly stationed in this area. Much of the biotope was degraded in the last decade by systematic embankments, constructions, as well as the inconvenience caused by various man-made pressures. A project was developed to reconstruct the area within the framework of a collaboration of the Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Inland Waters of HCMR, and Hellenic Ornology Company. The project offers directions for completing a protected region and proposes specific projects and actions of scientific monitoring, ecological rehabilitation, regeneration, and promotion. (Ref 3)

Athens' first vertical garden has been installed temporarily at the entrance to the City of Athens administrative building at 22 Liossion St during the city's first green cultural festival, the Green Design Festival in 2008. Such gardens have a positive impact on the environment as the plants trap carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, absorb harmful atmospheric pollution and reduce air temperature in summer, which assists in cooling the building's interior (Ref 1).

The botanical garden of Athens was reconstructed in 2004 to protect and maintain the biodiversity of the area. Covering a land of 1,860 sq.m., this Botanical Garden hosts over 2,500 different kinds of plants from all over the world and a rich variety of flora. All the plants and trees are protected in the park. The community also sends seeds all over the country to spread and maintain biodiversity throughout the region and hold agroecological events to increase the concern and educate the locals (Ref 1,3). The park also has a lake and a library inside it. (Ref 2)

A restructuring of the National Park of Athens is being done from the last few years to revitalize one of the tourists' attractions in the city. The restructuring is mainly focused on the conservation of animal species found in the park. The project also aims to transform the park into a meeting point for culture and sports as well as activities including workshops, yoga, pilates, music, theater, tours and educational games for kids (Ref 7). The park contains a duck pond and a small zoo. In addition to this, it opened a botanical museum and a library for children for educational purposes (Ref 1,2,3). The project was planned to carry out in two stages. In the first stage, Athens will tender a 2.9 million euros upgrade of the infrastructures, and a study that is budgeted at 370,000 euros for the restoration of the Garden’s zoological park, botanical museum, the famed Roman mosaic area, and restoration of the Herod Atticus wall. The second stage concerns restoration of the Garden’s flora and removal of damaged shrubbery (Ref 6).

The intervention included the renovation of lake Jarun and its surrounded park and recreational centre. Efforts were made to improve the amenities at the lake and park in order to bring it closer to the citizens, particularly to disadvantaged groups. It provides facilities for walking, bicycling, various outdoor sports, trim-track of 6500 meters of length, roller skating, etc. Sports facilities are related to an impressive 2250 meters long regatta path where international and world rowing, canoe and kayak contests are held. With daily training and performances, they give Jarun a special, sporting atmosphere (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4).

In 2009, the city of Montpellier launched a large census project to valorize its abandoned areas. The study gives guidance on the management of abandoned areas in Montpellier, particularly in connection with environmental education and awareness objectives (Ref. 2). The strategy aims to preserve and promote the natural heritage of Montpellier; promote wastelands as reservoirs of biodiversity, tools for connecting natural spaces; protect and enhance the great green flows accompanying watercourses (biological links and privileged sites for fauna and flora); and develop a network of soft transport throughout the city based on the green network (rivers, agricultural, natural and park areas) (Ref. 4). "The spaces have been classified according to their context, their origin, their potential. This sometimes subjective typology presents a classification of the wasteland and makes it possible to take a particular look on each land. Surfaces of all shapes and sizes fall within this operational classification." Four Experimental projects include: Zenith Friche, Promenade of the Lironde, Pastourelle, Combemale" (Source: uploaded document).

The planting of trees and shrubs in Dolnozemská Street is part of the Bratislava zelenaj project and Bratislava’s gradual implementation of NBS to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on its inhabitants. (1, 3, 9)

The present intervention is about the rehabilitation of the freedom square (Námestie hraničiarov) (formerly Gottwald square) in the city district of Petržalka of the city of Bratislava (9, 11). The area of the intervention is about 1 ha. The pavement was replaced by grass areas, trees, and flower beds in the square’s alleys. A water capturing and irrigation system was also installed to ensure resilience to drought. The project was implemented by the city district of Petržalka, which is - with 100,000 inhabitants - one of the larger and most densely populated districts of Bratislava. (1)

The intervention was planned to revitalize and clean a derelict area close to the university hospital in Blato. Before the project was implemented, the area was an informal waste disposal site for the locals. The area was neglected for more than 30 years. Initially, Mayor Milan Bandić planned a large urban park with a thermal spa in the spot. The area was cleaned and some of the constructions had begun, but later it stopped due to some political hurdles (Ref 1, 2).
The first phase, cleaning the shrubs and waste from the area has been completed in 2015, but the use of the area has not been determined yet, therefore the project has not been completed (Ref 1).