Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)

A city-wide initiative for the protection of bees developed by the BUND Bremen together with a number of local NGOs, local government and the citizens of Bremen. The project involved the planting of trees and wildflowers that will serve as a food for pollinators in different parts of the city as well as the provision of additional nesting places for the bees. It aims to protect the endangered bee species, increase biodiversity and beautify the city with the new plantings (Ref. 2, 3).

Creation of an additional spot for a vegetable garden, which is a utility of the charitable society for inclusive employment (Gesellschaft für integrative Beschäftigung mbH) in Bremen. With the land provided by the city and with the financial help of Aktion Mensch organization the initiative aimed to establish an additional area for the gardening and horticultural activities that will involve disabled people. The project aims to increase social inclusion of the disadvantaged groups as well as promote urban subsistence and sustainable solutions in food production. The initiative also involves educational activities (Ref. 2, 3).

The two-year project "Integrationsgärten" aimed at the creation of three social integration gardens for refugees at different residential districts: transitional house Arbergen 2 (2016), a transitional house at Tannenbergstraße (2016/2017), and in Huckelriede (2017). The project involved various gardening activities and cultural events that aimed at increasing social integration of the refugees, improving their language skills, as well as stimulating neighborhoods to social engagement and participation in environmental issues in the neighborhood (Ref. 2, 3).

Mercedes-Benz helps in the Reforestation of the Park of the Pena, in Sintra: "As part of its social responsibility actions, and as a socially responsible company and involved in its community, the Daimler Group in Portugal decided to intervene and help in the reforestation of the Pena Park in Sintra after it was flogged in 2013 and 2015 By violent storms that caused the fall of more than 2000 trees." (ref 1)

The project "Sustainable Support Program for Greening Buildings and Minimizing the use of space using the example of Hanover" was established jointly by BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) and the state capital of Hanover. The goal of the project is to transform as many barren house walls and dull grey roofs and asphalted areas into green oases throughout the city. Since May 2013, all house and landowners, housing associations and building communities have been able to apply to the BUND for a subsidy for green roofs and facades. On 2017, the project was expanded to include unsealing of areas like inner courtyards, driveways, etc, thus creating new green areas. Advice on the correct greening measures and on professional unsealing have been also offered by BUND.
The project is funded by the state capital of Hanover, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the Sparkasse Hannover and by proKlima. The "Green Hanover" funding program will end on December 31, 2020. (Reference 1)

As part of World Tree day celebrated on March 21, 2017 the Sintra Service for Protection of the Nature and the Environment (SEPNA) as well as the Sintra Branch Segura School carried out several education workshops for school children to inform about the importance of tress for our natural environment and carried out afforestation and reforestation actions inside the green spaces of Sintra. (1)

The NBS is located on a previously neglected basketball and other games fields with obsolete and long unused equipment. Owing to the citizens’ initiative, the municipality built a new sport and leisure site at the Jaroszowka housing estate in Białystok. The project has increased social integration between different generations and provided a comfortable, safe and surrounded by nature space for sports and recreation. The project involved the planting of greenery, building a multifunctional playground and a multisport field, and it was complemented by benches, toilets, CCTV, and lights [1,2,4].

Meadow orchards with fruit trees were an integral part of subsistence farming and form part of the cultural heritage of Wuppertal. To preserve and further develop these meadows as an important habitat for flora and fauna and promote their potential for sustainable consumption, 4 such meadows were sponsored, maintained and promoted by the city of Wuppertal in close collaboration with the working group for fruit meadows via events, communal harvesting activities and hands-on courses since 1999. Since 2015, these meadows have increasingly drawn the attention of "foodsharing" movements and during the nationwide research year "future town". (Ref. 1, 2, 6, 8). Enclosed between areas of intensive conventional agriculture and the federal motorway, the orchards as islands of biological diversity are important places of retreat and relaxation. (Ref. 5) Communal activities are also offered, such as the co-creation of “edible experience spaces”, joint harvesting and providing a base for additional social projects (Ref. 6).

The civil society association "Permaculture vorm Eichholz" has made it their agenda to turn a since 2016 abandoned farmhouse into an experience-based, educational, co-design space around the concept of permaculture which is an ecologically inspired design concept for creating resilient and durable agricultural areas while maintaining the diversity of cultural and natural habitats. The farm, which was established in 2017, promotes alternative cultivation methods and energy concepts via seminars and workshops and constitutes an experimental lab for interested citizens who can implement their own ideas or even take over responsibility for parts of the farm they develop and cultivate themselves (Ref. 1, 2, 3). The leaders of the project also plan to implement a sustainable energy concept, with the goal of making the farm self-sufficient in it’s energy consumption by producing renewable energies in a variety of ways. (Ref. 9)

Based on an urban regeneration project in the city district of Arrenberg, an association called “Awakening of the Arrenberg” formed in 2008, consisting of citizens, entrepreneurs and real estate owners seeking to transform their district. Under the umbrella of the project “climate quarter Arrenberg” initiated in 2014, whose goal is to make the district CO2 neutral by 2030, the development of a city farm covering 60,000 sqm on former railway premises - a Europe-wide unique project in urban farming – is one of their most important plans that make up their vision of becoming carbon neutral. (Ref. 1, 2 and 3). The goal of the farm is to produce healthy and locally produced food, while creating employment opportunities and remaining carbon-neutral, using power only from the sustainable power plant that will be installed for the project. (Ref. 2) In February 2020, the implementation has not yet started, but the “Awakening of the Arrenberg” association says the vision of the urban farm is stronger than ever before and that the project has received funding approval, with experts now working on feasibility studies. (Ref. 8).