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“El Chamizal is a site of significant sociocultural importance and a key part of the identity of the people of Juarez. It is frequently visited by over 200,000 people seeking a space for recreation and enjoyment.” Located along the Rio Bravo/Grande river, El Chamizal is a park and a riparian area (Ref 2). Despite its popularity, the park has been suffering three decades of irregular management by the Municipal Government of Juárez and is facing issues such as accelerated desertification, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. (Ref.2)

To counteract some of these challenges, in February 2024, the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (Conanp) designated El Chamizal Park, spanning 327 hectares, as a Zone of Ecological Restoration (ZER) (Ref 1).

The restoration plan involves dividing the park into four distinct zones, each with specific recovery actions (Ref 1; 2). Zone A, covering 107.3 hectares, is designated as a conservation area where reforestation with native species must commence. Zone B, which spans 47.8 hectares, also requires reforestation with native plants. Zone C, encompassing 12.7 hectares, consists of flooded or floodable plains that must remain in their current state. However, the surrounding ecosystem in this zone needs restoration with native aquatic plants to aid in stormwater purification. Zone D, at 159.8 hectares, contains existing infrastructure—such as buildings, installations, and communications—that must remain unchanged (Ref 3, p. 96). The project proposal is still awaiting implementation.

According to the FAO, in 2022, 16.6 million Peruvians faced moderate or severe food insecurity, representing an increase of 1.5 million compared to the previous year (3). This situation was exacerbated by the health crisis, inflation, and job losses, leaving three out of ten Peruvians in poverty in 2021. The situation was particularly critical in Metropolitan Lima and Callao, with 14% of families reporting difficulties in acquiring protein-rich foods due to their precarious economic situation (2).
In response to this food crisis, the Municipality of Lima implemented the "Lima te Cuida" (Lima Takes Care of You) initiative, in which residents from vulnerable areas got training to create urban gardens and produce organic compost to help the community kitchens in these areas become self-sustainable (1, 2). An example of this initiative is the community garden in A.H. Villa Mosha in San Juan de Lurigancho, where a community garden has been built, and community members have been trained in small-scale planting, cultivation, care, and harvesting of various foods (2).
This initiative has been supported by the MUSA project "Mujeres Unidas por la Seguridad Alimentaria y Ambiental" (Women United for Food and Environmental Security) as part of the project "Alimentando a Lima desde Adentro" (ALDA) (Feeding Lima from within), which has had an impact in eight districts of Lima to strengthen food security (3). In addition to promoting urban agriculture, the project seeks to influence public policy through training and development of proposals to promote urban agriculture at the local level (4).

Thessaloniki has a dense urban structure with limited open and green spaces. As a coastal city severely impacted by climate change, it faces multiple interconnected challenges, including extreme weather events, flooding, and peri-urban forest fires. These issues are further compounded by the city's aging infrastructure and deteriorating buildings, increasing its vulnerability (Ref 1).
Kipos 3, a community garden, is part of the "Green Neighborhoods" project proposed in the Thessaloniki 2030 municipal resilience strategy (ibid.). Established in 2015 on a 600-square-meter plot donated by the municipality, the garden is now managed by 30 local families under the continued stewardship of the Municipality (Ref 2, 3). The garden's creation was supported by a team of architects, landscape architects, and agriculturists, and features a variety of herbs and edible plants grown using permaculture methods (Ref 3).
The garden hosts a greenhouse along a range of environmental, recreational, and educational activities, providing an opportunity to foster a more cohesive, inclusive, and resilient community. It also serves as a space for synergies and discussions about the future of the city (Ref 3, 4). Recognized as a good practice, the intervention has been showcased in national, European, and international networks (Ref 2, 4).

The Joe Louis Greenway is a 27.5-mile recreational pathway designed to create safe, connected, and equitable spaces throughout Detroit. It will link 23 neighborhoods across Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, and Dearborn, connecting them to each other and to the Detroit riverfront. The greenway will transform a blighted, abandoned rail corridor into a park that runs through the heart of Detroit's communities. (Ref. 2, 3)
This project is guided by a Framework Plan funded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and shaped by extensive community input. Residents voiced a strong desire for the greenway to provide off-street recreation and increased access to green spaces across Detroit. Additionally, they advocated for the restoration and remediation of former industrial sites, which the Conrail section of the greenway will address. (Ref. 4) The design incorporates stormwater management to mitigate flooding, native meadow plantings to support bird habitats, and tree-lined paths for shade and improved air quality. The Framework Plan ensures the Joe Louis Greenway will transform infrastructure that once divided neighborhoods into one that unites them, reconnects natural systems, drives economic redevelopment, and fosters a resilient social network. (Ref. 13)
The concept originated in 2007 with the Friends of the Inner Circle Greenway local NGO and became part of the Detroit Greenways Coalition Network Vision in 2009. The Detroit Greenways Coalition Network Vision is a comprehensive plan developed by the Detroit Greenways Coalition (NGO), an organization dedicated to promoting non-motorized transportation and green infrastructure throughout the city. After years of advocacy and collaboration with the city of Detroit, the project’s route was finalized. In 2017, Mayor Mike Duggan announced the greenway would be renamed in honor of Joe Louis, the legendary boxer and Detroit native who championed African Americans' rights and symbolized social justice. (Ref. 1, 2,)

The Floating University was initiated in 2018 at the rainwater retention basin of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin. Though not an official university, it serves as a space for transdisciplinary, communal learning, transforming an abandoned urban site into a vibrant community resource. The project reclaims the basin, hosting workshops and events that range from ecological lectures to cultural and art programs, fostering collaboration between diverse disciplines and communities.
The architecture collective raumlaborberlin originally envisioned the project as a six-month initiative. Artists, universities, and seminar groups contributed to designing the space and organizing workshops. However, due to its success, an NGO, Floating e.V., was established to sustain the project. Today, the NGO manages the site and continues its mission of engaging communities with urban and ecological themes.
After Tempelhof airport closed in 2008, the basin was infrequently cleaned, leading to contamination and sediment accumulation. Over time, a wetland ecosystem emerged, attracting plants, insects, birds, mammals, and amphibians. This natural development complements the Floating University’s infrastructure, which consists of open timber structures like a kitchen, art installations, communal spaces, vertical gardens, gardening beds, and an auditorium. These structures integrate seamlessly with the basin’s existing technical framework and wetland environment.
Floating e.V. aims to make the basin accessible to Berlin’s urban population while sparking discussions about urban climate, resource management, and water cycles through diverse and artistic programs. Smaller initiatives focus on specific ecological themes, such as plant diversity and soil health, through projects like a seed archive and soil lab.
The Floating University exemplifies how abandoned urban spaces can be revitalized into hubs for learning, creativity, and ecological awareness. (1-3, 8, 9)

A community garden opened in 2023 on the Technological University (TU) Dublin Blanchardstown campus. This environmental education and social inclusion project is a collaborative effort involving Fingal County Council, Global Action Plan Ireland, TU Dublin, and the local community. It provides a space for local groups and schools to grow fresh produce, reconnect with nature, and foster a stronger sense of community.
Rooted in a successful template developed by Global Action Plan in Ballymun, this initiative promotes social and cultural inclusion alongside environmental education. The Green Living & Sustainability Community Garden (GLAS) aims to create an inclusive environment that welcomes individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. More than a site for cultivating plants, flowers, and vegetables, the garden serves as a hub for fostering social connections, enhancing well-being, and offering valuable educational opportunities.
The garden provides individuals with the chance to engage in social horticulture, exploring the connections between food, health, biodiversity, and global issues such as climate change. It operates on organic and regenerative principles, with all tasks and harvests shared by volunteers. Additionally, the garden will support youth gardening projects and public workshops on topics such as growing food, composting, water harvesting, and waste management. Beyond its environmental benefits, the garden helps people connect with one another, positively impacting social, physical, and mental well-being.

The renovation of the "Marechal Humberto Delgado" Square focused on transforming the area into a more pedestrian-friendly and sustainable urban space. The project included reorganising the traffic system, creating a new urban green square, requalifying the bus terminal, enhancing the integration of different transport modes and improving pedestrian access (Ref 1). Key features of the intervention were the introduction of cycle paths, wider sidewalks, green spaces with 200 new trees, and recreational facilities such as a children's playground and water features (Ref 2). The project also addressed critical infrastructural needs, including constructing a rainwater collector as part of Lisbon's General Drainage Plan to mitigate the city's frequent flooding issues (Ref 3). The renovation, completed in 2024, was part of the 'A Square in Every Neighborhood' program, emphasizing community involvement and sustainable urban development (Ref 3).

The Detroit RiverWalk is an urban development project along the Detroit River, designed to reconnect residents with their waterfront and revitalize a historically industrial area. Once characterized by abandoned buildings and industrial debris, the riverfront between the MacArthur and Ambassador Bridges had long been inaccessible to the public. To address this, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy was established in 2003 to lead the redevelopment of this space.
The RiverWalk currently stretches along a 3.5-mile section, with plans to expand to 5.5 miles, integrating ecological restoration, public access, and recreational opportunities. The esplanade features native landscaping, artistic elements, and amenities, including four pavilions, a custom carousel, and areas for fishing, walking, biking, and inline skating.
Environmental remediation has been a crucial part of the project. In collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes National Program Office, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy successfully cleaned up 13,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, significantly reducing pollution and contributing to the removal of the Detroit River from the list of the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes. Furthermore, the project also includes greenways, park creation and revitalization.
The RiverWalk is not just a public space; it symbolizes Detroit’s transformation from a Rust Belt city to a sustainable urban environment. It exemplifies the power of public-private partnerships in revitalizing urban areas. The RiverWalk continues to expand, with plans to connect various parks and extend to the Ambassador Bridge, further enhancing the city’s waterfront. Its success was recognized in 2021 when it was named the Best Riverwalk in America by USA Today, cementing its status as a model for urban renewal and community engagement. (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4)

Salines Beach, a popular destination for over a million visitors annually (Ref 9), is facing severe erosion due to rising sea levels and poor coastal management. Since 1995, the beach has lost more than 20 meters in width. This loss has been worsened by vehicle traffic and the introduction of coconut trees in the 1950s, which reduced the native root systems that once helped to stabilize the coast (Ref 5). Now, the encroaching sea threatens to swallow the road that runs along the beach.
In response, the Salines Conservation Committee—comprised of concerned community members and environmental groups—has been advocating for urgent action to halt the erosion. They have called for a renaturalization of the area through the replanting of endemic species and restrictions on car traffic, both aimed at restoring the beach’s natural resilience.
When part of the road collapsed in July 2022, the committee took immediate action, organizing community-based interventions. These efforts included blocking traffic, raising public awareness, and planting over 60 endemic plants in the damaged area. The aim was to reestablish a root network capable of anchoring the coastline and capturing shifting sands (Ref 1; 2). The intervention was described as "a response to the urgent need to rebuild the root network, an ecological engineering solution recognized as the most effective method for retaining beach sand and slowing coastal erosion" (Ref 2; 1). The intervention on this section of the coast was first completed, then discarded by the municipality of Sainte-Anne (Ref 2). Regional and National agencies are currently undertaking the restoration works but it is unclear the stage of completion (See Ref 3).

The Martinican Marine Natural Park (MMNP) was established in 2018 to protect key marine habitats, including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and open waters. These areas are home to important species like sea turtles, dolphins, and tropical fish. The park’s conservation efforts focus on addressing threats from human activities such as pollution and overfishing. It also collaborates with ocean-related industries, such as tourism and fishing, by recommending, funding, or conducting research aimed at promoting more sustainable practices within the MMNP.

To support its work, the park operates a growing fleet of boats that raise public awareness, resolve conflicts, and enforce the protection of designated areas. The MMNP spans an area of 47,340 km², extending from Martinique's coast to the boundary of the French Exclusive Economic Zone. The park's management board, which includes diverse stakeholders, must be consulted for advice on development activities that impact the marine environment. Their goal is to balance competing interests within the region.

The park receives funding from the French Office for Biodiversity (OBF) to carry out initiatives that protect the marine environment, promote sustainability, and raise public awareness. Notable efforts include creating or restoring habitats for species such as sea turtles and sea urchins, managing invasive species like sargassum algae, restoring coral reefs, and training resource users such as whale-watching companies and diving clubs. Other initiatives include reducing plastic pollution through clean-ups, supporting sustainable fishing practices (e.g., artisanal coastal fishing), installing eco-friendly moorings, funding Marine Educational Areas (MEAs), and sponsoring cultural events that promote marine conservation (Ref 1; 2; 3).