Public Greenspace Area

In 2010, to revamp the Raja Musa Forest Reserve (RMFR), a rehabilitation project was initiated by the Friends of North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest Association (a local NGO) in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. As part of the largest peat swamp forest complex on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, the Raja Musa Forest Reserve (RMFR) is an important home to many threatened species, as well as a valuable ecosystem in the fight against global warming. Despite this, over the years the forest has been subjected to fires and illegal encroachment which severely reduced its area (1). The project was considered unique as it was an innovation aimed to enhance and strengthen the capacity of the local community in peatland water management and forest rehabilitation works (3,5). Activities included among others rehabilitation of the degraded peat forest through the plantation of new seedlings, demonstration of, and provision of a documentary model for community-based peat swamp forest rehabilitation, as well as the creation of an awareness programme with the local community and dissemination of educational materials (2).
The importance of the intervention consists not only in the implementer's approach in regard to nature-based solutions but also in its aim of documenting a "model of low-cost hydrologic restoration of peat swamp forest" which ultimately should be replicated in similar conditions but in various locations (2).

The Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve is a forest located 10 km west of Kuala Lumpur in the state of Selangor and is the oldest managed forest reserve in Peninsular Malaysia. As the reserve was threatened over the years by plans for clearing and housing development, the community located in the township close to the forest sprang into action to salvage the forest. As early as 2003 an organization called Friends of Kota Damansara was formed to lead a diverse group of concerned individuals, organisations and communities to rally together to vocally defend the forest (2, 3). Efforts to protect and conserve the forest focused on a series of activities such as the development of a biodiversity management plan, awareness-raising activities, educational activities, building capacity activities, and the creation of an ethnobotanical garden to showcase Temuan (local indigenous people) knowledge of plants (1). These efforts were funded with the help of the UN's GEF's Small Grants Programme and led to the reserve being officially gazetted as of 18 February 2010 (Sel GN 398/2010) and being classified as amenity forest, education forest and research forest, making up 3% of land area in the state of Selangor (1, 2). Nowadays, the Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve Trails is a popular weekend destination for mountain bikers, trail runners and casual hikers (3). Furthermore, the KDCFP has become much more accessible and utilizable by visitors from various categories of societies, besides researchers discovering and documenting a number of species of flora and fauna unique or endemic to the park (1).

To address the mismanagement and illegal deforestation in the Changa Manga forest, the Punjab Government in Pakistan initiated strict actions with the help of the Forest Department between 2014 and 2017. Activities included planting new trees and taking action against illegal deforestation. Over the years, mismanagement and illegal deforestation decreased this woodland by 75% (measured in 2012) (2). The Government of Punjab approved the “Afforestation in Blank Areas in Changa Manga Plantation” project for the duration of three years from 2014 to 2017 aimed at the afforestation of a total area of 200 acres on flow irrigation during 2014-15 and maintenance of afforestation during the two subsequent years (2015-17) (4). Changa Manga Forest is one of the world’s oldest hand-planted forests, dating back to 1866 in Chunian City. It spreads over about 5065 hectares and hosts a wide variety of flora and fauna. The forest is home to 14 species of mammals, 50 species of birds, six species of reptiles, two species of amphibians, and 27 species of insects (1). Some exquisite tree families, such as Sheesham (rosewood). white mulberry and Kikar trees are found in this woodland (2). It also includes a wildlife preserve, which was launched in 2005 by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan to protect white-backed vultures and ensure their captive breeding in the forest (3). Currently, Pakistan is losing forests at thrice the rate of the other South Asian countries. One of the major benefits of the Changa Manga Forest afforestation project was that it increased honey production by 70% in the different areas of the forest park (5).

The National Garden Park is the largest park in Ulaanbaatar and the only park of its kind in the capital city of Mongolia, offering multiple environmental services, recreational and commercial functions. Currently, the park extends to 183 hectares, covering 23% of the total green construction in the city, and stretches from the northeastern part of the Marshall Bridge to the Uliastai Bridge in the Bayanzurkh district. In the long term, the park is planned to be extended to have a total area of 973 and to have 1.200.000 trees planted within the “One Million to One Billion” afforestation program. The park offers a range of recreational facilities and services for citizens, including bicycle and pedestrian areas, specialized sports areas and children's playgrounds. It also houses trade and service organizations. As a result, the park has become a popular recreational area for the citizens of the capital and is the most visited urban park in Ulaanbaatar. During the summer, it attracts an estimated 12-15 thousand visitors a day, and during the winter, it sees 6-9 thousand visitors a day. The National Garden park was officially established in 2009 with the aim of protecting the Tuul River Basin's drinking water source, reducing air pollution, and increasing green space to create a healthy eco-environment and providing recreational opportunities for the public. In 2016, the National Garden Park was designated as a local property budgetary enterprise with defined primary functions, management structure, control, and rights under the administration of the Assembly of Citizens' Representatives. The park currently employs 113 staff members (as of 2021). (Ref. 1. and 4)

Since 2012, the Municipality of Ipoh continued the revitalization and rehabilitation of the D.R. Seenivasagam Recreational Park (TDRS) under the Malaysian National Urbanisation Policy, which suggests that for every 1,000 inhabitants, there should be public green open spaces of 2 ha. Through this intervention, the Ipoh municipality tried to address several sustainability challenges, which are usually a result of the lack of green open spaces. Some of the challenges addressed were the urban heat island effect, soil erosion resulting from improper drainage, and noise pollution. Ultimately, the municipality aimed to provide a convenient setting for a variety of leisure and recreational activities in addition to enhancing the civic values of the community. The intervention consisted of several tree-planting actions organized by the Ipoh Council in collaboration with the Perak Government (a Malaysian state that has its capital in Ipoh).
D.R. Seenivasagam Recreational Park was built in the 1950s and is one of the largest urban parks in Ipoh. It has become a favourite among locals as well as an example of good practice for integrating green open spaces in addressing sustainability challenges over the years. Located in the vicinity of the Kinta River, during the early days of its opening, it was a mini botanical garden which eventually transitioned to a full-scale park, one of not too many in Ipoh. The park also includes a lake with wooden bridges that contributes to the diversity and habitat of the place. The DR Park, as it is known to the locals, has entertained many families for more than 25 years, starting as a mini-theme park during its formative years, much to the delight of many children. To date, the park has remained a popular spot with abundant greenery and attractions, an oasis within Ipoh’s city life. (1,2,3,4)

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Lumpini Park in 2025, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration initiated the extensive renovation of the park. Lumpini Park was the first public park in Thailand. It was first opened in 1925 and had been renovated once 50 years ago. The new Lumpini Park aims to enhance the history of the park, to provide space for people holding different cultural backgrounds and to create space for modern recreational activities, designed for everyone within the framework of 'climate action park' - a green area that has the ability to restore itself, promotes urban farming while also contributes to climate change adaptation through water management, air quality improvement and more. The project will promote high engagement with local people about their vision and concern for the park which will be integrated into the new design plan. The project is divided into three phases. The first phase involves renovating main infrastructures such as roads and water management systems. The second phase involves the construction of green and learning areas such as the resilient park, forest park, urban farming, learning centre and other recreational spaces. The third phase involves the development of underused areas. (Ref. 1,2,4,5,6)

As an archipelagic state, Indonesia consists of 18,000 islands and 18,000 km of coastline, which is inhabited by more than 60% of the Indonesian population. Its geographical position exposes the island country to several climate change challenges, ranging from an increase in high temperature to a sea level rise and severe floods. One of the cities affected by flash floods, flooding, and landslides is Pekalongan City, crossed by 7 rivers and home to approx. 300,000 people. Inundations can reach 50-100 cm in many communities, causing distress, evacuations, and severe damage to infrastructure and food security as well as loss of income for the inhabitants that work in the fisheries sector, in the Batik industry (the process of traditionally dyeing fabric, performed on cotton and silk using a resist technique) or in paddy rice farming. (1)

Responding to the climate risks became of utter importance to the municipality of Pekalongan City. To help the Municipal Government of Pekalongan City to overcome the problem caused by climate change, Kemitraan (Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia), an implementing and advocacy NGO developed the project on Safekeeping-Surviving-Sustaining towards Resilience, a 3S Approach. The aim was to Build Coastal City Resilience to Climate Change Impacts and Natural Disasters in Pekalongan City, Central Java Province. This was approved on 29 October 2020 and is currently entering its implementation phase. The project will focus on building resilience to climate change impacts with interventions of hard and soft nature. More precisely, the project aims to build capacity and resilience through training, mangrove ecosystem restoration and enhancement of coastal protection, and development of a Local Climate Adaptation Action Plan and implementation of climate-smart actions (1,2). The project aims to reach these goals by employing a collaborative and participatory approach that is locally driven and involves those most at risk. The program is expected to end in April 2023 (1).

The remodelling project for the sidewalk of Mandalay East Moat is led by the Thingaha Foundation, a joint organization between the Eden Group, MAB Bank and Denko Trading. The Thingaha Foundation passed the project to the Mandalay City Development Council (MCDC) in April 2019 (1). The sidewalk between the east moat and 66th Street, which is one of the four public recreation zones located near the Mandalay Palace, was remodelled by replacing old trees with new trees to widen the sidewalk platform area and to be accessible to disabled people. The implementation activities also included planting new street trees, flower boxes and green bushes along the sidewalk (2, 3). An architect from Thailand drew the design, and besides new green infrastructure, it also included installing new benches and exercise equipment (3). Public advice was collected regarding the sidewalk designs, and city dwellers participated in choosing the final design (4). The residents of Mandalay use the sidewalk area for several physical activities and social gatherings, and different kinds of social events like book festivals to improve social interaction and social cohesion. The sidewalk has become one of the most visited attractions in Mandalay, both for the residents and visitors. (2, 3)

Rajshahi is a Bangladeshi metropolitan city located on the north bank of the Padma river. The city has seen, throughout the years, an increase in greenhouse emissions and maximum temperatures as well as a decrease in open spaces from 11.09% to 4.5%. To counteract many of these challenges, the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), with support from ICLEI South Asia and UN-Habitat implemented an initiative called the Urban-LEDS II, which was designed to help cities to adopt a low-emission development approach. (Ref 2)

The project's approach included support for better management and maintenance of Rajshahi's open green spaces, as well as an objective of raising awareness among stakeholders about the region's biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides and promoting outdoor activities. (Ref 1)

The activities included in the approach were two-folded. One of them targeted the greening of the Rajshahi’s Kolpona-Talaimari river embankment through tree plantations on the slopes and was seen as a demonstration pilot for a bio-diverse plantation scheme. The project implemented a pilot-scale plantation employing native and introduced plant species, as well as maintenance, contracting out to a nearby nursery (Ref 1, 2). The other approach included an increase in public awareness and advanced conservation, hence common trees were identified and documented in a graphic guide. Mapping of the trees of Rajshahi called the Natural Asset Map, and a Pictorial Tree Handbook for its citizens in order to improve and better manage their urban green spaces and biodiversity were conducted. Maps of Rajshahi's natural resources have been created for the entire city as well as for each of its 30 administrative zones. ( (Ref 1, 2)

It was expected that through these actions, Rajshahi would contribute to Aichi Targets 1, 2 and 17; and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11, 14, and 15 (Ref 3).

Mue Yen Mueng Yen (Cool Hands Cool City) is the name of a green community as well as their first project that aims to plant more trees in Chiangmai city, Thailand. Volunteers of Mue Yen Mueng Yen are concerned about the pollution and extreme climate issues in the city. They gathered around the belief that healthy green space can help mitigate these issues and make their city more livable. (Ref. 1,2,3,4)
The first phase of the Mue Yen Mueng Yen project consists of three main activities. The first one is a tree-planting challenge: when 1 person plants a tree, they challenge 3 other friends to do the same. The second activity is offering 5,000 native saplings to anyone interested in planting trees for free. The third one is to plant 800 trees around the old moat in Chiangmai inner city as a green corridor. (Ref. 1,2,3,4)
Besides this initial project, the Mue Yen Mueng Yen community also works on various environmental projects. For example, spreading the tree-planting challenge to other parts of the country, and organising workshops about tree planting, maintenance techniques, native species and on rice growing (Ref. 6 ).