Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)

The Fenkell Stormwater Project in the Brightmoor neighborhood of Detroit is an initiative led by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to mitigate the impact of heavy rain events on the local sewer system. By transforming 92 Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) parcels into 24 bioretention gardens, the project aims to significantly reduce street flooding and basement backups in the area. These gardens, spread across approximately 50 acres of mostly vacant land, utilize permeable soils and landscaping techniques to absorb excess rainfall, which helps prevent the overloading of the city’s combined sewer system. This is particularly important in reducing combined sewer overflows (CSOs), which occur when the system's capacity is exceeded during heavy rains, leading to untreated stormwater and sewage being discharged into the Rouge River.
The project is expected to manage and treat about nine million gallons of stormwater annually, making a significant impact on both the neighborhood’s infrastructure and the environment. In addition to the bioretention gardens, the project includes the partial removal of Blackstone Street between Keeler and Midland streets to further enhance stormwater management.
Community engagement has been a critical component of the project, with residents of Brightmoor and Minock Park participating in meetings to share their preferences for the types of trees, plantings, and other features. The DWSD will maintain the gardens under its Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) program, which already includes 19 other similar projects across the city. The project is currently in the construction phase and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, modernizing Brightmoor’s stormwater infrastructure and providing long-term environmental and community benefits.
(Ref.1-3)

MINI Ireland, in collaboration with conservation charity Earthwatch Europe, has launched Ireland's first "Tiny Forest" at the Tolka River Project, a community-driven rehabilitation program in Co. Dublin. In a space the size of a tennis court (195m²), nearly 600 native trees have been planted, creating a densely packed, environmentally efficient green area.
This partnership with Earthwatch aims to raise awareness for local environmental projects and foster community bonds. Green spaces like this offer valuable areas for people to connect with nature, exercise, unwind, and reduce stress—one reason the Tolka River Project center was chosen as an ideal location. "Tiny Forests" are remarkable for their impressive efficiency within a small footprint: by planting 600 native trees closely together, the forest grows naturally with increased density, achieving up to 30% more plant density, ten times faster growth, and up to thirty times better carbon dioxide absorption. Over the next three years, this forest is expected to attract more than 500 animal and plant species, transforming into an accessible mini-ecosystem.
The project uses a variety of locally sourced native trees, including silver birch, alder, hazel, hawthorn, and gorse, which together will form the natural layers of a forest. Ireland's first Tiny Forest was planted on March 22, 2023, at the Tolka River Project site in Dublin's Buzzardstown area. The Tiny Forest, located near the center, will serve as a space for reflection and recovery, supporting clients on their journey to rehabilitation. The planting event was a day of celebration, with Tolka River Project clients and MINI Ireland staff working side-by-side to create this thriving green space.. The space is utilized to create recovery-focused programs, including mindfulness and yoga, while functioning as a social gathering area (7).

The schoolyard at Reginhard Primary School in Reinickendorf faced persistent challenges, often becoming unusable due to poor drainage. After rainfall, water would pool, leaving the yard submerged and inaccessible to the 400 primary school pupils. Even in dry weather, the schoolyard was far from ideal: a lack of play equipment made it uninviting, and in summer, the area became excessively hot, offering little comfort or shade. Both children and the school community, including teaching staff and parents, voiced a strong desire for improvement.
Adding to the urgency for redesign, Berliner Wasserbetriebe imposed a discharge restriction, requiring rainwater to be managed on-site. This led to a comprehensive transformation of the school grounds. Large areas were unsealed, allowing water to seep naturally into the ground. Underground seepage systems were installed to enhance drainage, and the redesign introduced green spaces, a school garden, and near-natural play and exercise areas. These changes not only resolved the flooding issue but also created a more inviting and sustainable environment for students.
The focus on ecological and sustainable design improved the microclimate, providing cooler surroundings and enabling outdoor breaks filled with activity and fresh air. The redesign transformed the schoolyard into a vibrant space that meets the needs of both children and the environment.
This project was funded by the Berlin Programme for Sustainable Development (BENE Umwelt) and financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). (Ref. 3; Ref. 4)

This series of projects in the Trinity Garden aims to improve sports fields, enhance drainage, and replace HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems at the community center in the Trinity Garden community (Ref 1). The first project involves a complete renovation of the playground area at Trinity Gardens Park. The entire playground will be rebuilt with a new drainage system, along with the installation of a new play structure, benches, and trash receptacles (Ref 2). Another key component of the project includes the construction of a new natural baseball/football combo field, with a new infield, bases, outfield fencing, foul poles, and with improved drainage (drain piping, inlets, sodding, and irrigation) for the sports field (Ref 3). On the subject of recreation and public health, Councilman Fred Richardson emphasised the significance of Trinity Park, stating, “Good public parks are key to creating healthy children and, in turn, strong communities. I am so happy that we are able to bring these major improvements so local children will have a great place to come play, and their caregivers will have a place to watch them from” (Ref 2).
Additionally, another major project on the agenda focuses on street and drainage improvements within the community. This will address issues on Warsaw Avenue and Collins Avenue, from Main Street to Jessie Street, aiming to resolve several hazardous open ditches that currently run through the neighborhood (Ref 2).

Fairhope's Municipal Pier is a popular bayfront destination featuring a 1/4-mile pier, swimming areas, picnic spots, a landscaped rose garden, benches, restrooms, a marina, a restaurant, walking trails, and a duck pond. However, the area has been fragilized over the years. The beaches are absent and less prominent now, due in large measure to the presence of shoreline hardening (Ref 5), making the shoreline more vulnerable to climate hazards (Ref 5).
The main goal of the Working Waterfront and Greenspace Restoration Project is to introduce safe and user-friendly improvements to the 10-acre South Beach Park area, which encompasses the Municipal Pier (Ref 2). These upgrades aim to enhance the public's use and access of the waterfront, while ensuring the park's long-term resilience and sustainability (Ref 2). The new design tackles both the structural issues of the bulkhead/seawall and the overall aesthetics of the Fairhope Pier area (Ref 2).
Over the years, storms, particularly Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, have compromised the structural integrity of the anchoring hardware of the bulkhead/seawall, causing parts of the wall to shift. Additionally, water intrusion behind the wall has eroded the soil supporting the walkway in certain areas (Ref 2). Other important features include new handrails, decking, restroom facilities, and lights on the pier. The project will also add new stairs leading to the bluff, restore the fountain, and renovate the parking lot. A funicular lift will be installed at the bluff to enhance accessibility (Ref 5).
Pedestrian safety will be improved to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Other enhancements include landscaping with new irrigation, and the construction of new sidewalks (Ref 2, Ref 4).

"Adopt a linden tree" is a project that involved the planting and adoption of linden trees in the city of Iași, spanning from 2019 to 2023 across three editions (1 to 8). The campaign was spearheaded by the National Athenaeum of Iași, in collaboration with the Mihai Eminescu Association from Vienna (2). This initiative was launched in celebration of the Athenaeum's 100th anniversary, and it specifically chose the linden tree because of its deep-rooted symbolism in the city of Iași. The tree is not only a natural landmark but also carries cultural and historical weight, as it is closely associated with Romania’s national poet, Mihai Eminescu, who is known for his love of linden trees.
In 2019, 100 linden trees were planted, a number that was repeated in 2020. In the 2023 edition, 50 trees were added, bringing the total number of trees planted through this project to 250 (1 & 4 & 5). An important and unique aspect of the initiative is the "adoption" of the trees by volunteers who participated in the campaign. These volunteers not only lent their names to the trees but also took on the responsibility for their care, ensuring the trees' survival and growth until they reached maturity .
Volunteers were encouraged to participate, and the campaign was supported by donations from individuals, businesses, and public institutions. The municipality of Iași also contributed by providing funds, approving the initiative, and preparing the land through its subsidiary, Servicii Publice Iași S.A., reflecting strong public-private collaboration.
Beyond its cultural significance, the campaign aimed to achieve several other objectives. These included enhancing the city’s aesthetics, promoting community engagement, and improving the quality of life in Iași by contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment . The initiative also aimed to raise environmental awareness among residents and foster a stronger sense of responsibility toward the natural world. (1-8)

The old Altadis tobacco factory in the Los Remedios neighbourhood of Seville is being transformed into an area with offices, hotels and lots of green space. New green space will connect existing green areas next to the river, resulting in a total of 13 378 m2 of green areas within 3 ha of public space. The park will increase the number of trees in the area by 60 per cent, creating a lot more shaded areas, which are needed during the hot summers [Ref. 1-5]. Additionally, the trees will contribute to carbon sequestration, improve air quality and promote biodiversity [Ref. 5]. The park is meant to become a popular destination for recreation, new entrances and a bridge over the river will connect the surrounding neighbourhoods to the park [Ref. 1-3]. There will be areas for physical activity, dog walking and play for children [Ref. 1, 4]. The project is being carried out by real estate company KKH Property Investment, which owns the land and will invest 250 million EUR in the project as a whole, of which 5 million EUR is designated for green spaces. KKH has made an agreement with the City of Seville to ensure the project has benefits for the area and its citizens, and follows previous plans for the area, which have involved citizen participation [Ref. 3, 6, 9].

On a small roadside green space in Berlin, a tiny forest was created. The idea of Tiny Forests comes from Japan, there are already some in France and the Netherlands, and since 2020 also in Germany. Tiny forests are constituted of trees planted densely next to each other in small spaces, such as tiny green roadsides.
At Oderstraße, the NGO TinyForestBerlin planted an even smaller forest, a nano forest on a roadside where trees cool down the area, filter the air and create a habitat for insects. Trees in urban areas loosen up the dense and degraded soil, allowing it to store carbon and let rainwater properly seep into the ground to prevent urban flooding. Roadsides are hardly utilised or recognized in their environmental potential, such as hosting a nano forest. Projects like the one implemented by TinyForestBerlin present an approach for collaboration between the district and civil society, as the district's park department lack the capacity to maintain small roadsides. The project at Oderstraße is the first official tiny forest in Berlin, as a previous planting campaign in Friedrichshain was not entirely legal due to missing approval of local authorities. (Ref. 2; Ref. 5)
The TinyForestBerlin association has set itself the goal of creating such small nano-forests all over Berlin. An ambitious project that aims to enrich the city's green spaces and contribute to improving the urban climate. The trees planted on Oderstraße are one of many smaller planting projects that are spread throughout the city on public as well as private land. (Ref. 3)

On the site of a former malthouse in Berlin, a company has developed a sustainable rainwater storage system to prevent flooding in the sealed environment, which had been vacant for several years. Once used for malt production, the site is now home to offices, studios, manufacturing businesses, and hosts sustainable events. The site's transformation includes natural gardens, tenant gardening beds, green roofs, and two outdoor water basins that retain rainwater, creating a blue space for recreation. (Ref. 1)
The two ponds are filled with filtered rainwater, and an underground tank stores additional water, allowing it to seep away gradually. Native plants surround the ponds, creating a habitat for local wildlife. Given that much of the surrounding area is sealed, the ponds help mitigate urban flooding by managing and storing rainwater, reducing the site's reliance on the urban sewage system. Additionally, as Berlin faces extreme heat in summer, the project offers a cooling effect and provides access to filtered water during droughts. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2)
The project is managed and financed by IGG Malzfabrik mbH, which oversees the entire site in Berlin's industrial area and rents out office spaces to various companies. This initiative is part of a broader sustainability strategy that addresses social, economic, and ecological factors, and it is featured in the company’s common good economy report (Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie Bericht). (Ref. 5)

Martinique is a biodiversity hotspot, home to over 1,500 endemic plants, 70% of which are under threat from human activities. In response to these pressures, the Péyi Vert [Green Country] initiative was launched to plant endemic trees and strengthen the island's biodiversity. Beyond simply preserving species, these trees are crucial in maintaining healthy ecosystems, as they provide essential services such as carbon sequestration, shade, food for human consumption, soil decontamination, pollination, and protection against coastline erosion.
Launched in June 2020 by Entreprises et Environnement (EE), a not-for-profit business association representing 80 Martinican companies, the Péyi Vert initiative aims to plant 1 million native trees (either Martinican or Caribbean) over five years. It can be seen as a Martinique-wide strategy to adapt to and mitigate climate change. Péyi Vert facilitates connections between people who want to plant trees and Martinican companies that serve as financial sponsors. The initiative emphasizes conserving natural heritage by planting endangered species, as well as promoting native species that, while not necessarily threatened, provide valuable ecosystem services or contribute to biodiversity restoration.
Between 2020 and 2023, EE reported planting 50,000 trees (Refs 1, 4, 6, 7). Although individuals can make donations, Péyi Vert primarily seeks funding from companies looking to offset their carbon emissions or enhance their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). To achieve its goals, the initiative mainly collaborates with municipalities, companies, and farmers (Ref 3).