Environmental regulation

Located in a former German village, Freidorf, which became a quarter of the city of Timisoara in the twentieth century, the Lămâiţa Pond is a recreation blue area, initially a dumpster, surrounded by building blocks built in the communist period. Through this intervention, the municipality aims at reducing the size of the pond, cleaning it, creating a beneficial area for different types of vegetation and fish. Also, its goals are to give a recreational space to the community that lives by and to also establish a rainwater management centre for the neighbourhood. (1)

The River Alt Restoration Project at Stonebridge started in 2013 with an initial goal to remove culverts in order to create re-naturalised watercourses and maintain watercourses easier. It also involved the removal of rubbish and other obstructions to reduce the risk of flooding in the wider catchment (Reference 2). The project then evolved with a bigger goal to divert River Alt into a new 900-meter long linear park named Alt Meadows. Relevant engineering works were employed in the area. In addition, accessible paths and meadow, wetland and woodland habitats were created. The park was also linked into surrounding areas (like housing, shops, schools, etc.). The project benefits include the expected increase in wildlife biodiversity and improved water quality and flood protection (Reference 1, 3).
The project was led The Cass Foundation, in partnership with the Community Forest Trust, with funding from DEFRA’s Catchment Restoration Fund (via Environmental Agency) and Liverpool City Council. The Foundation remains responsible for maintaining Alt Meadows on behalf of the city council (Reference 3).

Oslo is completely surrounded by old forests full of wildlife and native species, providing important ecological services. This “Green Belt Boundary”, known as Marka, has been approved to be protected by the City Government in order to “ensure that the forests are protected against urban development. The management of the city’s forests follows a multi-user plan based on ecological principles and places the emphasis on a long-term and target-oriented development of a varied recreational forest that allows for nature conservation and outdoor activities”. 1,700km2 are protected by the Marka Act, of where 310km2 are located within Oslo municipality. (Ref. 1,9)

The city's nature conservation project in Göteborg includes ongoing work on making Lärjeån's valley (Lärjeåns dalgång) a natural reserve. The purpose of forming a nature reserve for Lärjeån valley (Lärjeåns dalgång) is to ensure the area's great natural and cultural landscape and outdoor life values. Parts of the area are of national interest for nature conservation and are also part of the EU's protected nature conservation network, Natura 2000. The ravine landscape of Lärjeån is home to some very interesting flora and fauna like salmon, trout and pearl mussel. The consultation for the project has ended. Comments received during the consultation period are currently being processed. Preliminary new information is yet to come on how the case will be pursued. The nature reserve will be formed with the support of the Environmental Code. (Ref. 1, 7 , 8)

Two of Sheffield's rivers, the Limb Brook and the Porter Brook, have been identified as having strong populations of native white-clawed crayfish. The native crayfish is under pressure from the alien, invasive American signal crayfish and the crayfish plague. If no action is taken, the white-clawed crayfish populations in Sheffield could become extinct in a few years. Crayfish Action Sheffield aims to maintain and increase Sheffield’s native crayfish populations through habitat enhancement, public education and creation of bio-secure 'Ark' sites. It is a collaborative research project and Sheffield Crayfish Working Group’s members are from a range of conservation organizations. (ref3) The First time Crayfish Action plan was implemented in 2008-14 and after it ended in 2014, again the issue was looked in 2017. (ref 5)

Göteborg is in need to strengthen the conditions for those who today, to a certain extent, rely on food production or farming. Also, the demand for locally produced and non-toxic food is increasing by Swedish consumers. Green Production aims to create opportunities for urban agriculture that is financially viable within and around the city. Green Production will build knowledge and conduct research by bringing together key stakeholders around a number of focus-projects within the area. Green Production aims to create opportunities for urban agriculture that is financially viable within and around the city. Green Production will build knowledge and conduct research by bringing together key stakeholders around a number of focus-projects within the area. The original idea regarding these focus-projects is that they either will be based in a specific spot and, for example, linking new technologies with new jobs, or involve a process where entrepreneurs meet landowners, consumers, wholesalers, etc. The goal of these focus-projects, in addition, to gather knowledge and create new contacts and networks, is that they may develop a number of innovative urban agriculture projects and business ideas in and around the city. (Ref. 1, 3, 4)

"After decades of abandonment and deterioration, Zaragoza took advantage of the opportunity of the Expo 2008, to form a new relationship with the Ebro River, transforming empty, inaccessible, degraded and unsafe banks into places of encounter and representation. Public works on the Ebro were designed as structures with various functions." (Ref.3)

FutureBuilt is a program running between 2010-2020, with expectations to continue from 2021-2030 (Ref. 9). One of its projects consists of the construction of a large greenhouse in between a housing complex in an old industrial building. The greenhouse will be the centre of the building and provide a Mediterranean climate with a lot of green facades, green roofs and indoor vertical greeneries (Ref. 1). The nave of the complex will become a greenhouse and the natural gathering point for the residents. (Ref. 1, 3)

This project focuses on the development of environmental regulations stimulating the connection of existing green areas and developing new ones in the urban area of Rome to stimulate biodiversity by rehabilitating 73% of free/derelict areas. This was done to guarantee an integrated protection of already existing areas as well as restoration of green and blue landscapes (1). The Ecologic Network is still ongoing and provides specific limitations to any new infrastructural project to make sure specific environmental standards are respected (3).

This is a project financed by the EU LIFE Project on CO2 sequestration and reduction levels in the urban area of Rome. One of the initiatives involved an NBS, as RomaNatura took care of planting new trees over 2 hectares of land in the Valle dei Casali in the Municipio XV area (Ref. 1).