Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

The new 6.5-hectare Anita Berber Park has been created on the site of the former St Thomas cemetery, between Tempelhofer Feld and Hermannstraße. It is named after the dancer Anita Berber, who herself was buried there in 1928. The cemetery was unused and out of use for several years and became accessible to the public through the intervention. (Ref. 3; Ref. 6) The construction period was preceded by a public participation process in which the facilities and design were developed together with the users. The redesign of the space was conducted by a landscape architecture office (Henningsen Landschaftsarchitekten PartG mbB) and financed by the German Federal Government (Ref. 1). The new park, which was planned and financed as a compensatory measure for the construction of the A100 urban highway, increases the quality of local recreation in the densely populated district of Neukölln. (Ref. 2; Ref. 6) An important goal was to achieve high species diversity in the park while preserving its valuable trees and shrubs. The park also offers multiple spots for rest and play as well as a zone for free running dogs. (Ref. 2; Ref. 6)
The park features wooden climbing structures and an old collection of trees with hollows, along with bushes and shrubs. These areas often accumulate rubbish, highlighting the ongoing waste management issues the park has faced since its renovation (Ref. 4).

The mangrove area of Morne Cabri, located in the municipality of Le Lamentin and sharing the bay of Fort-deFrance, is the largest mangrove area in Martinique. Since 2011, the municipality has led efforts to understand and better manage the area (Ref 1). The natural regeneration of the mangrove is threatened by fresh water run-off (from waste and rainwater), invasive species and pollution. However, it is an important protection against extreme weather events, operates as a carbon sink for the island and provides recreational activities (Ref 1). The municipality has led several initiatives supported by volunteers, local businesses, national subsidies and private donations (See: Ref 2, 3, 4, 11).

The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is one of 28 National Estuary Programs established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, focused on safeguarding and restoring the water quality and ecological health of nationally significant estuaries (Ref 2). One of the four main areas of work of the project (Ref 2) is focused on Ecosystem Restoration and Protection (ERP), aiming at restoring and protecting ecosystem function and services (Ref 4). One of the projects implemented in 2023-2024 in the ERP category is the Deer River Coastal Marsh Stabilization and Restoration project, aiming at restoring and protecting the saltwater marshes of the area (Ref 8).
The issues faced in the Deer River Shoreline are shoreline recession, marsh deterioration, and loss of natural function from erosion, apparently caused by heavy storms, tidal impacts, and wakes from cargo ships entering or exiting the Theodore Ship Channel (Ref 8). Indeed, the saltwater marshes of this area have started to erode at a rapid rate, up to 12 feet per year (Ref 7).
The project aims to enhance the natural function of ecosystem services to improve the area's resilience. It will restore the eroded marsh by creating offshore structures to protect the shoreline and attenuate the waves. The project also aims to restore the water quality of the Deer River by dredging it out, thus improving the water flow. The material dredged out will be used to nourish the marsh (Ref 9).

The Productive Backyards Program is led by the NGO Granitos de Paz with the goal of promoting food security and income generation for vulnerable families in Cartagena. The program supports the creation of green gardens in household yards, provide technical training in planting, plant care, and supplies, as well as guidance and support for the creation of productive gardens, it also supports the commercialization of crops, fostering social cohesion within homes and positively impacting their environmental surroundings, nutrition, and health (ref 2, 3). A productive backyard is a small plot of land dedicated to growing vegetables for the family's daily consumption, providing fresh, healthy, and nutritious food. Family labour is utilised, offering both economic and nutritional benefits. This activity helps reduce malnutrition, improve the environment, and enable the commercialisation of organic products by making use of household yards (ref 6).
The program is led by the NGO and occasionally receives support from the mayor's office. The mayor's office has provided kits to the families with gardening tools, a watering can, mesh for enclosures, and seeds for 12 species, including tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplants, bell peppers, Swiss chard, cabbage, and other vegetables. In addition to these supplies, families received training in entrepreneurship and business ideas for marketing their products, self-consumption, and all related concepts aimed at increasing production (ref 1 and 2). Currently, the program counts with 450 backyards in different neighbourhoods of Cartagena (ref 1).

Trade winds from the east over the Bay of Fort-de-France increase agitation at the "Étang Z’Abricots" marina, reducing user comfort and raising maintenance costs for port equipment and vessels. Climate change worsen these problems, increasing the risks of coastline erosion, extreme weather events, and rising sea levels, which may diminish the protective effect of "Pointe des Sables," leaving the marina more exposed to the winds (Ref 1; 2).

The Z’AB project aims to address these challenges by creating a protective barrier for the port by using mangroves. This involves installing lightweight, reversible devices to elevate the sea floor and accumulate sediments, encouraging the natural colonization of mangroves south of Pointe des Sables. Natural colonization refers to the growth of mangroves through processes like seed dispersal and sediment buildup. Once established, the mangrove will act as a natural buffer, protecting the marina from rough seas and adapting to rising sea levels. The project also includes educational efforts to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves for the region’s environmental issues and biodiversity (Ref 1).

Although the Z’AB project has been in planning since 2018, in 2021, a separate project to extend the marina, costing 7 million euros, was approved by the water park authorities (Ref 5). The extension will add 77 new vessel spaces (Ref 7), but it threatens portions of the mangrove and a strictly protected coral species, Oculina Diffusa, found in the area (Ref 6, p.17). While the marina extension project aims to offset the loss of coral and mangrove with various solutions, "Projet Z'AB" is not explicitly mentioned as a compensation mechanism (Ref 6, p.24). However, stakeholders involved in Projet Z'AB are also participating in the development of the marina extension (Ref 6). It remains unclear to what extent Projet Z'AB will be used to mitigate the environmental impact of the extension.

Lima Verde is one of the pillars of the metropolitan mayor's government plan and is supported by SERPAR. It aims to reforest hillsides, hills, and central berms of metropolitan and local roads, as well as public recreational spaces, to create urban lungs that generate oxygen and scenic beauty for the benefit of the health of all residents (Ref 1, 3). Its goal is to plant one million trees in four years (2022 - 2026) in different parts of North, East and South Lima (Ref 3, 5, 6). This project is being carried out to respond to the increasing problem of urban heat islands that are being generated, especially in the most vulnerable districts where there is no shade due to a shortage of trees (Ref 1, 4). It is therefore focused on areas where the environmental quality is low, where the pollution is high and where there is more danger of higher temperatures (Ref 1, 7).
This programme aims to include youth volunteers, district municipalities, educational institutions, grassroots social organisations, neighbourhood leaders, residents and other entities that favour environmental conservation (Ref 1, 2, 3, 5).

Reforestation project for the "Cerro de la Popa", which is Cartagena's highest point and one of the main tourist attractions because of the view and its colonial convent (Ref 6). The hill currently faces illegal occupation and environmental deterioration caused by deforestation, poor solid waste management, burning, logging, and the loss of vegetation cover (Ref 4, 5). The intervention in La Popa consists of reforestation activities, environmental education activities with children, and awareness-raising activities with adults about caring for fauna, flora, and water bodies (ref 2, 3). SSince 2020, the Establecimiento Público Ambiental (EPA Cartagena) has led the recovery initiative, prompted by the urgent need to counter the increasing encroachment by migrants and vulnerable populations (Ref 4). The project comprises reforestation efforts, environmental education sessions with children, and community outreach to raise awareness among adults regarding the protection of local fauna, flora, and water bodies (Refs 2, 3). As part of a broader municipal agenda, the initiative remains active, with the most recent intervention conducted on July 11, 2024 (Ref 2).

The Tbilisi Urban Forest is an ecological restoration project of 5,5 ha spanning two pilot areas initiated in 2020. Located on Mtatsminda ridge around Tbilisi, it is part of a larger reforestation effort within the 700-ha forest territory (Ref. 1,2). The project is funded by the Cartu Foundation and led by the Development and Environment Foundation along with Tbilisi City Hall. Restoration is undertaken to addresses significant challenges such as forest dieback caused by pest infestations, climate change adaptation as well as the creation of recreational infrastructure (Ref. 3,5). Through collaboration among interdisciplinary scientists and urban planners, a novel reforestation strategy has been developed that integrates patches of locally sourced plant communities tailored to diverse soil and slope conditions. This approach incorporates existing trees with new saplings, carefully grafted into existing soil pockets, and focuses on a biodiverse palette of endemic and climate-adapted species (Ref. 1,5). While the project implementation could not be carried out as planned, lacking public participartory due to Covid 19, still 100 jobs were created locally (Ref. 2). Ultimately, the Urban Forest project will enhance ecological connectivity, biodiversity and tourism and also serve the public as an improtant recreational site (Ref. 1,2).

The afforestation project implemented in Lețcani, Iași, is part of Romania's national initiative "We Plant Good Deeds" (Refs. 1-7). Launched by the association EcoAssist and carried out on a voluntary basis, the initiative aims to plant forests across the country (Ref. 8). In Lețcani, the young ecologist group TERIS, together with EcoAssist, involved volunteers to plant approximately 10,000 tree saplings provided by the Forestry Directorate of Iași (Refs. 1, 3, 5-7). The trees were planted on a two-hectare terrain prone to landslides, with the goal of mitigating this hazard (Refs. 1, 3, 5-6). While the project directly benefits local citizens at risk of landslides, it also educated volunteers about the importance of forest cover for community safety and biodiversity (Ref. 4).

Lomas are endemic seasonal ecosystems found in Peru and Chile. They provide a variety of benefits such as soil stabilisation, air purification, recreational spaces, water retention, and are habitats for endemic and threatened species (Ref 7). They are of great ecosystem value to the city of Lima, as green areas have been reduced in the urban area, occupying up to 24% of urban green ecosystems. These ecosystems are threatened by unplanned urban growth, traffic, pollution and lack of government regulation. Given this context, Eab Lomas is a project that focuses on the conservation, management and rehabilitation of the ecosystems found in the Lomas of Lima (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). It focused on 4 lines of action: conservation of Lomas' ecosystems; implementation of territorial planning; economic diversification focused on the conservation and recovery of vegetation through low-impact recreational activities; and management of water resources (Ref 1, 2, 3, 4).