Green space and habitat

In 2012, Glasgow City Council provided Urban Roots with two acres of vacant land for the development of a market garden and orchard. Urban Roots is a community-led organisation working across the Southside of Glasgow. It evolved out of the Toryglen Gardening Club. The Toryglen community market garden sought to encourage community cohesion and environmental improvement in the area of Toryglen. The project is committed to improving the environment and health of the area through a range of activities including community gardening, conservation, and biodiversity. The aim is to inspire people and communities to connect with nature and to take practical action to tackle the root causes of climate change (Ref 1, 3).

The municipality initiated to realize a healthy and climate-proof 'city island' which includes a large variety of projects, including the City Island Park Tour, which is a cycling/walking tour around the island that includes multiple green-blue infrastructure elements along two canals. Together it can be recognized as a large city park (ref. 2, 6). The tour contains the sights of green banks, recreation possibilities, bridges and boulevard-ways, thereby promoting environmental quality, mobility and attractiveness of the area (ref. 6). A food park at Leeuwensteyn is envisioned for 2050 (ref. 7).

Malls Mire is an area of mixed woodland and wetland habitat situated between Toryglen and Rutherglen. People from the surrounding communities have been working with Urban Roots to manage the woodland since 2009, improving its value for wildlife and working on the paths so that more people can enjoy it(Ref 1). It was declared a Local Nature Reserve in March 2015(Ref 2). Surveys by entomologists showed that the site is valuable for a number of rare beetles and a spider, the latter, Southern Motherphage (Coelotes terrestris) having only been found at one other site in Scotland(Ref 2).

The Friargate is a major regeneration project that covers 37 acres around Coventry train station. This includes enhancing the Greyfriars Green (the only green space in the city), the development of Station Square Boulevard (a new tree-lined public realm), and a number of green belt sites around the city. (Ref. 3) The Friargate is expected to vastly improve the area’s public spaces and create new jobs (Ref. 1).

In 2017 the City of Bari provided funds to citizens and non profit associations to promote the regeneration of an abandoned area. Eventually an area of 4500 sqm was rehabilitated and the authorities plan to extend the area until the green space reaches 10,000 sqm. Among the planned interventions are the maintenance of greenery and trees, as well as the redevelopment of the side wall that borders the buildings. For the 4500 sqm intervention which was designed by the local community and migrant volunteers, the first multifunctional furniture was built at Bari. It was made with recycled wood, stones, fabrics and lots of goodwill during the natural architecture laboratory.The NBS allowed to have a green area where different activities were implemented such as green and educational laboratories. Also a shared gardening project (in order to promote the importance and the culture of preserving green areas) and social labs were organized(promoting school and sport activities outdoors). (Ref.1, 2, 3, 4)

Newcastle City Council’s Bee Strategy has been created to promote the importance of bees. The bee populations had been declining for some time (in the UK) due to various factors including loss of habitat, disease and use of pesticides. Newcastle City Council is working with schools, universities, allotment holders, beekeepers to increase the habitat of bees and to raise awareness of their important work in pollination (1, 2, 5)

The University of Portsmouth Library extension project includes a green roof with sustainability features signed up to a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) assessment. (3) The award-winning features include the rainwater collection system for flushing toilets and a sedum roof. (2)

Skainos is a community regeneration project developed by the Methodist Church in Ireland’s East Belfast Mission. The Skainos Project has created the Vertical Gardens where around 6,500 plants make up the vertical panels, with a height of 12.5 m. The panels are designed to change colour with the seasons and will attract wildlife. The plants condition the air, remove pollutants, and provide seasonal colour and vegetation. A variety of roof gardens harbour natural flora and fauna. Green Roof technology is used to help with water retention. (Ref 2, Ref 6, Ref 7)

The project started in 2013, when a group of private companies started a collaboration with the municipality of Bari to build a series of gardens on the top of households roofs in the city. With a total extension of 2000 sqm for the experiment, the main goal is to create a small micro-climate. The main advantages of this experiment is an improvement in the process of absorption of rain and to reduce energetic costs for heating. The green roofs are expected to play a role in facing the challenges posed by climate change. (Ref.1.)

The project has been implemented in a derelict and dumping site. It includes the creation of a community food garden (Ref 2). The locals are enjoying good quality foods with a green space inside the city centre. Today this area is a vibrant community vegetable growing garden comprising five 17ft raised growing beds; a 20ft polytunnel; a 16.5ft greenhouse (made from recycled 2lt plastic bottles) and a tool shed (Ref 2). The place is overlooked by 120 homes and is contributing to the urban green space as well as local food and market creation (Ref 2)