Earmarked public budget

The project aims to reintroduce Patella ferruginea in the three Protected Marine Areas (AMP) (Portofino, Bergeggi and Cinque Terre), where the causes of extinction have been eliminated and an adequate level of protection is ensured (1). The project expects to achieve the following results: Biodiversity recovery and restoration of ribbed Mediterranean limpet by re-establishing a local population starting with 100 specimens; Reproduction and production of juveniles (some 6 000 larvae per year) to be introduced to the target areas for restocking; Full recovery and new population development of ribbed Mediterranean limpet in the target area; Restoration of the population translocated from Tavolara by introducing juveniles from controlled reproduction; and Strengthened territorial promotion and reinforcement of the “clean sea” message" (4).

The green wall was built as a pilot project in cooperation between the national government, the University of Genova and the Ecosystemic Research Group with the aim to assess urban air pollution. The wall is being monitored to understand which plant species are the most ideal for carbon sequestration in cities (2 and 3).

"In order to make this center area attractive and dynamic, the EPASE (Saint-Etienne Public Development Agency) and the town hall of Saint-Etienne have set up an ambitious eco-neighborhood project. This project is based on public spaces that are built on an original urban park model where nature is the driving force behind the site. Nature is at the heart of this "park city" project, realized in record time: in a year and a half, the vast majority of the park's work has been carried out and the neighborhood has begun to change."(Ref. 1)

The association Initial Karlsruhe initiated the "social garden" in 2009 with the objective to facilitate access to the labour market for disadvantaged individuals by providing employment for long-term unemployed individuals with gaps in their CV. (Ref. 1) The participants can work on a 6000 sqm large former agriculture area up to six hours per day under the supervision of an agrarian engineer and a professional gardener. Harvested products are delivered by bicycle to charitable organizations free of charge. (Ref. 2, 9, 10)

In 2019, the city of Poznań finalized works on another city park, as a part of its long-term urban redevelopment plan. When designing the park, the focus was on creating a place for relaxing and recreation for all residents - regardless of what forms of activity and relaxation they prefer. Therefore, the entire area has been divided into zones adapted to different needs, be it for active adults, children, or dog owners. The park comprises of an extensive lawn and is separated from a noisy street by a corridor of trees. Everything is lit with solar lamps [1,2,5].

The Jardin des Plantes represents a space rich in nature in the heart of the city and also hosts the Opera Theater of Saint-Etienne (Ref. 2). In 2015, "A thematic urban commission (with the citizens' district representatives) is set up to enhance the "Jardin des Plantes" while keeping its wild side but with a controlled vegetation." For instance, the social center proposed a fitness trail and elected representatives propose a signage of trees, the integration of design, thanks to urban furniture and ephemeral works" (Ref. 1). Citizens requested that vegetation of walls be undertaken to "avoid the flourish of unattractive tags" (Ref. 1).

To increase the attractiveness of the area around the block of houses, the city of Poznań plans to plant an oak stand of about 50 trees (first and completed phase) and again 50 trees (second ongoing phase) in two designated plots. The planted greenery will serve as a natural noise barrier and offsetting for a concrete block of flats nearby [1,5].

Haukåsvassdraget is a vulnerable watercourse threatened by urban development and water run-offs from agriculture. The intervention included local use of surface water based on principles such as retention and infiltration, retaining and using the natural watercourses. The plan involved restoring the meandering river courses, ponds and pools and safeguarding the rich biodiversity and the landscape qualities linked to the Haukås watercourse and adjacent marshlands. The Haukås marshland park, combined with modern local handling of surface water, aims to prevent flooding in the development areas at Haukås and to improve the aesthetics of the area. (Ref. 1)

The Braid Burn is a highly urbanised watercourse that has been significantly modified to improve drainage. Prior to re-meandering of the Braid burn, it was constrained in a narrow, brick-lined channel with little character, offering a poor habitat and possessing low species diversity. The restoration work reintroduced diversity to allow natural morphological and ecological processes to take place (ref. 2). A new wetland habitat was created, along with a flood storage area. It was a small component of a wider flood alleviation scheme by the City of Edinburgh (ref. 1).

“Zagreb for Me” was an ambitious and comprehensive project launched in 2015 by the Zagreb Society of
Architects in cooperation with the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Zagreb and the City of Zagreb.
The goal of the project was to start a revitalization of public spaces through the realization of 17 urban
interventions in the whole city area at the same time. This distributed approach aimed to improve the general
“image of the city” and raise the quality of urban life in segments of housing, recreation, leisure and social
cohesion and revitalization of Zagreb's public spaces using public participation as a tool. This project aims to decentralize designed public spaces and draw attention to some forgotten city spots. At the same time, the project, created from a “bottom-up” initiative, establishes a new model of public participation as well as new forms of collaboration (Ref 1, 2, 3). The project "Zagreb for me" was created on the basis of Acupuncture of the city - an interdisciplinary approach and public participation, but it covers a wider urban space, ie it deals with public spaces throughout Zagreb. After the conducted urban-architectural tenders for the selected solutions, the realization is planned. Only one urban-architectural tender was conducted and the implementation of the project stopped there, but the project "Zagreb for me" was recognized as an example of good practice with the possibility of application in other cities. (Ref 5)