Improved soil quality

"Since August 2004, the city of Montpellier has allowed residents to rent plots of garden, called "Les jardins Familiaux"(family gardens). The first plots were located in the Mosson district, but in view of the success of this operation, the city decided to open additional gardens at the Grands Grès site in the Port Marianne district, then at the Rieucoulon in the Croix- Money. The enthusiasts of green spaces can thus indulge in the pleasure of gardening in family thanks to these brackets of greenery. They grow vegetables and fruit as they please"(Ref. 1). Seventeen gardens (as of August 3, 2020) are located in different areas across the city (Ref. 6). "These gardens are urban planning tools favoring the social bond and the preservation of biodiversity and the urban landscape, for the gardeners interviewed these are essentially places of nature and well-being in the city"(Ref. 4)

Organic Without Borders (OWB) is an NGO (ideell förening) that works to develop and support methods for a sustainable future anywhere in the world. The NGO develops methods through socio-ecological city farming and working pedagogically with children and adults and their relationship to food and farming in Sweden and other countries (ref.1).

Approximately one-fifth of the rain that falls in Malmö's urban area is led to Risebergabäcken, which makes it by far Malmö's largest watercourse. None of the other watercourses receives more than a very small part of the municipality's stormwater. The flow in Risebergabäcken is in many places it is narrow and deep, which means that the water rises quickly when there is a lot of rain (ref. 7). Large precipitation and asphalt industrial environment in Skogholm's meadows (Skogholms ängar) have long been a problem of overload in Risebergabäcken, but the ecological stormwater system delays and cleans the water, as well as preventing erosion and floods (ref. 1).

The curtain forest at the end of the city is a project that was initiated by the Timisoara's Municipality in 2001 by planting different tree species and creating a barrier for high-temperature summers. It's 60 m high and it was designed to stand in front of very strong winds especially since Timisoara is a city located in a very plain area. Now, it comprises 23 hectares and the municipality aims at 50. (2)

"The HUERTAS LIFE KM0 project aims to recover the natural peri-urban Gardens of Zaragoza through the promotion of a ‘zero kilometre’ (km0) concept of local agricultural production. It expects to demonstrate a successful approach for implementing the European Territorial Strategy (ETS), delivering economic, social, health and environmental benefits. " (ref 4) in peri-urban green areas that have been neglected (Ref. 4).

Opened in 1987, Lo Morant Park is located in the northern part of the city of Alicante. Its flat surface of 12 hectares is ideal for walking among its vegetated spaces and for the development of multiple activities focused on the neighborhood (Ref. 1). An educational environmental tour of the park is in place for learning and discovering the fauna and flora. The park offers different social activities and facilities (sports facilities, leisure). (Ref. 1). It is the largest park in Alicante with a dimension of twelve hectares, and has a great diversity of plant species and sports and cultural spaces. (Ref. 3)

Göteborg is in need to strengthen the conditions for those who today, to a certain extent, rely on food production or farming. Also, the demand for locally produced and non-toxic food is increasing by Swedish consumers. Green Production aims to create opportunities for urban agriculture that is financially viable within and around the city. Green Production will build knowledge and conduct research by bringing together key stakeholders around a number of focus-projects within the area. Green Production aims to create opportunities for urban agriculture that is financially viable within and around the city. Green Production will build knowledge and conduct research by bringing together key stakeholders around a number of focus-projects within the area. The original idea regarding these focus-projects is that they either will be based in a specific spot and, for example, linking new technologies with new jobs, or involve a process where entrepreneurs meet landowners, consumers, wholesalers, etc. The goal of these focus-projects, in addition, to gather knowledge and create new contacts and networks, is that they may develop a number of innovative urban agriculture projects and business ideas in and around the city. (Ref. 1, 3, 4)

The aim of Ljubljanica Connects funded by Life+ is to improve connectivity between Natura 2000 sites. Started in 2012, the project aims to remove barriers to fish migration, enhance and restore habitats, improve water management infrastructures, and put in place a water monitoring system. This will restore the river Ljubljanica's function as a corridor, improve water management and so provide better links between Natura 2000 sites. The fish species in question are Danube Roach, Danube Salmon and Striped Chub (2).

This project focuses on the development of environmental regulations stimulating the connection of existing green areas and developing new ones in the urban area of Rome to stimulate biodiversity by rehabilitating 73% of free/derelict areas. This was done to guarantee an integrated protection of already existing areas as well as restoration of green and blue landscapes (1). The Ecologic Network is still ongoing and provides specific limitations to any new infrastructural project to make sure specific environmental standards are respected (3).

These gardens fulfil several purposes and have become more and more often a point of aggregation and leisure, of socialisation and recreation, didactic and cultural education. Two interventions were made and in 1991, where 36 and 48 ornamental plants were produced. Subsequently, the gardens were built in the PEEP area of ​​Zelarino (in 1997), and in via Pertini (in 2002) and thanks to the environmental context and the available space, an element of novelty is introduced: the gathering area for communities to share environmental common values and activities. (2).