Cultural innovation

The "Urban Forest" project focused on the establishment of the Mongolian-Korean Friendship Forest on a 40-hectare land in Dambadarjaa, Sukhbaatar district of the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. Previously known as the Forest Research and Development Center Arboretum Park, this area has a river running through it. The project, with a total cost of over 8 million EUR, was designed specifically to reduce air pollution in the capital, to create a healthy eco-environment for Ulaanbaatar residents to spend their leisure time and to raise awareness of the importance of forests and the benefits of trees in Mongolia. In total, 55,000 trees and shrubs of 36 different species were planted so far and the park boasts five different types of coniferous trees that thrive in Mongolia, including larch, pine, abies, cedar, and spruce, as well as deciduous trees such as birch, aspen, willow, lilac, and maple. The Urban Forest park also includes several facilities, such as a visitor information center, a playground, sport facilities, a natural arboretum and a ground fountain. The park will be operational and accessible to the public in 2023. The project was implemented between 2017 and 2022, as the second phase of the Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Reforestation Initiative jointly developed by the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and the Korea Forest Service (KFS). The Green Belt initiative was created with the overall aims to mitigate desertification, combat climate change, and reduce yellow dust and sandstorms in Mongolia.
(Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

The Bakhawan Eco-Park is a 220-hectare mangrove forest located in Kalibo, Aklan province, Philippines, that started as a reforestation project in 1990. It was a joint project of the local government and a non-government organization, Kalibo Save the Mangroves Association (KASAMA), with the aim of reforesting the muddy shoreline of New Buswang district to protect the community from floods and storm surges [1,2]. Aside from preventing floods, the eco-park also provides locals with livelihood opportunities, mitigates the effects of climate change, and serves as a habitat for various mangrove tree species, birds, and marine life [1,2]. The project's success is largely attributed to the active involvement and support of the local community, with some families playing an integral role in the reforestation program. [2] Notably, the involvement of local women in the NBS initiative has contributed to the success of mangrove conservation. Some women have also taken on the task of policing the mangroves to prevent illegal tree-cutting by trespassers [4]. Today, the eco-park is acknowledged as one of the most successful mangrove reforestation project in the Philippines [1]

18 km southwest of Karachi City (Sandspit area), the World Wildlife Fund Wetland Center (an NGO subsidiary of the WWF) started a project in 2011 called Nurturing Young Sapling with a grant from the Mangrove for the Future organization. The project aimed to increase the mangrove forest cover near Karachi as to restore the ecosystem and improve the habitat for local and migratory birds, crabs and other fauna. In this way, the project sought to improve biodiversity and therefore the availability of livelihood resources to the local community, as well as to enable ecotourism. It also focused to enhance the awareness of school children on the importance of a mangrove ecosystem and advocating for its sustainable use (1).
The project benefited local fishing communities, school children and their families as well as local and international visitors to the Sandspit area. The project resulted in the mangrove plantation at 4.5 hectares area, the establishment of a mangrove (Avicennia Marina) nursery, the plantation of 5000 mangrove saplings, awareness raising of 200 school children, two-day awareness conference, the celebration of significant environmental days at the Wetland Centre to promote conservation awareness among school children (1, 2, 3).
After the successful completion of the project in 2012, WWF Pakistan has been actively involved in the management and plantation of mangroves in the Sandspit area. Multiple campaigns and awareness-raising programs for coastal protection are conducted by WWF in their Sandspit office with multiple partnerships to plant and educate students and communities about the importance of mangrove trees. (5)

A community gardening pilot project was launched in Lahore by the Institute for Art and Culture (IAC) as a part of its mission and outreach programme to develop sustainable communities. Created in 2020, the project was developed in the Government Girls High School located in the vicinity of IAC in the low-income Sher Shah Colony in Raiwind Road. Various other organisations, including Gardening for All, The Little Arts and Adventure Foundation Pakistan also provided support to the project (1,2,3).

The project aimed to involve 70 students and 10 teachers from grades 7 to 10 via a series of workshops (3, 9) and provide hands-on training to the girls and their teachers (2). A trainer provided information on relevant topics in the workshops and also taught students of ideal and efficient planting practices (6).

The representatives of IAC and Gardening for All selected the ideal space for carrying out the community garden project in the school playground (4). The total area of the community garden is not revealed but proper raised beds were created for students (2). The students participated in the development of the community garden and took care of their dedicated garden beds (3, 6). The representatives of IAC had a keen interest to ensure the long-term continuity of this project by providing appropriate training and involving the schools together with the communities they represent (3).

Uuliin Nuur (Mountain Lake or Green Lake) is a community park located in the ger district area known as Denjin Myanga of Ulaanbaatar city. The Ger district is a term commonly used in Mongolia to refer to a type of settlement located on the outskirts of the country's capital city and characterized by traditional Mongolian gers, or yurts. The area was once a quarry for the city’s construction during the socialist regime (from 1946 to the late 1960s) and was turned into a dumping ground after its closure. In 2009, a private citizen, Ulziitogtokh Sodnomsenge, gained approval to develop Uuliin Nuur. He cleaned up the area and used his savings to turn the former dumpsite into a green garden in the middle of ger areas to create a healthy, green, public space, especially for children living in the area. He opened an ice rink in the winter of 2012 and officially opened the Uuliin Nuur park in May 2014. From 2013 to 2019, approximately 1000 trees and shrubs were planted in this park during the spring and autumn. The trees were planted by the founder of the project by locals and foreign visitors as memorial trees. Over the years, the park was equipped with various community facilities to support social interaction and educational purposes. Uuliin Nuur is one of the few public places launched and developed by an individual. It showcases how abandoned places can be transformed into valuable places and how the local community's attitudes and awareness can change. (Ref. 1, 3, 4)

Jamburi Park (also spelled as Jamboree park) is an urban park located in the Agrabad area (downtown commercial and financial area) of Chittagong. The area of the park has been for a long time an abandoned land used by locals to grow vegetables, illegally erect constructed makeshift shops, or to engage in illegal activities. (1, 3)

In 2015, the Public Works Department (PWD), a unit under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, a pioneer in the construction arena of Bangladesh, decided to take back the land and transform it into a park with the purpose of capitalizing open spaces as well as creating a functional green area (1). Since there aren't many open places in Chittagong, PWD wanted to give the residents a place to get some fresh air (1).

Standing at 8.55 acres, the park was designed with trees belonging to 65 species as well as a 50,000 square-foot pool-like water feature (a lake) in the middle, 8,000 meters of walkways, two public restrooms, and two maintenance and electrical blocks. The lake's shore is bordered by a pathway that is ideal for walking and fitness. The green elements are displayed on both shores of the lake and they consist of various fruit, forest, and flower trees as well as grass. (3, 5, 6)

The roof garden is one of the most distinguishing features of JEG Tower @ One Acacia, a 22-storey commercial tower in Cebu City. [1] Featuring the purely endemic flora of Cebu, the roof garden offers a dedicated green space in the middle of the cityscape to tenants and visitors of the buildings. The project was created to contribute to the preservation of Cebu's Biodiversity, combat air pollution and improve the mental and physical well-being of residents and visitors. [1] It also includes an events space that people or companies could hire [4].

Pirojshanagar Township is an industrial and residential establishment of the company Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co Ltd (G&B), located in the Vikhroli suburb of Mumbai city along Thane creek, with diverse natural and human-made habitats (1,2). Of the 16 km2 area of the Township, approximately 12 km2 is occupied by the mangrove ecosystem and its associated habitats (1,2). Upon recognizing the importance of this ecosystem, G&B decided to prioritize the conservation of the mangroves that grew along the banks of the newly acquired land (along the Thane Creek west bank) (1,2). Pirojshanagar, with its biodiverse mangrove forest, is sandwiched between two solid waste dumping grounds of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which only increases its importance in the landscape and makes it a green oasis that acts as a carbon sink (1). It was a research-based project and the first successful mangrove conservation project in Mumbai, now serving as the Mumbai Metropolitan's green lung (1,2).

Benchakitti Forest Park was created as the extension of the existing Benchakitti Water Park, which is located near the central business district of Bangkok, Thailand. The Forest Park is built in an old Thai Tobacco Factory area. The main concept of the park is to bring the forest into the city and support urban biodiversity while offering leisure activities for the people. The main features in this project include constructed wetlands, nature learning and exercise trails (for running and bicycling), a learning centre, an urban farming area and multipurpose open space for gathering and event activities. Benchakitti Forest Park can be divided into 2 parts. The first part is a green outdoor area including the wetlands, all trails and an outdoor amphitheatre. This first part was completed and open to the public in 2022. The second part is the renovation of buildings into museums and the creation of an urban farm and other facilities associated with the building. This second part is still under construction. (Ref. 1,2,3)

This project aims to create a Butterfly corridor through the city of New Delhi by connecting local parks, residential gardens, biodiversity parks, and major forest areas (Ref 1, 2). For this, various locations, mainly maintained by citizens, are developed as habitats for the butterflies by planting various kinds of host plants which can be used to lay eggs. Overall, about 100 butterfly corridors are planned to be developed over time (Ref 3). The project is initiated by the Conservation Education Centre (CEC), a Delhi-based faction of the Bombay Natural History Society. With the help of CEC, community custodians of the gardens are trained to develop butterfly parks. A number of public and private land areas have now been designed as butterfly corridors throughout the city (Ref 1).
An underlying aim of the project is to allow butterflies to travel across locations, thus allowing genetic diversity among populations (Ref 1). The project has also helped educate the community about the importance of maintaining a healthy butterfly population. Through the organization of Butterfly month in September every year, citizens and, especially young kids, are encouraged to learn about butterflies through butterfly walks, counting, and photography contests, among other activities (Ref 1, 5).