Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation

Liko-Noe is a business office building that meets all of its energy demands on its own and has a sophisticated system of water reuse and management. The building features a green roof, a green facade, and water storage ponds on the outside (Ref. 1). The building has a constructed treatment wetland for the wastewater treatment, uses solar energy for photovoltaic panels as well as thermal wall (Ref. 4). The aim of the project is to demonstrate that nature-based building techniques can significantly help address the challenges of soil and water degradation, and climate change (Ref. 1).

The woodland community garden is the main project of the Woodland community. Since 2010 they have transformed a derelict urban waste dumping site into a thriving community garden and ‘outdoor community centre’. Since then it has become an important local space where people make new friends and feel part of the community. It’s also a great place to unwind from the everyday stresses and strains of city life. Each year, around 50 households grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs in the garden’s raised beds. The garden has over 50 raised beds where local people can grow their own food with beds allocated on an annual basis. For people who do not have raised beds there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved, including via twice-weekly volunteer sessions. The garden is a wonderfully therapeutic space that helps people to recover from the stresses and strains of everyday life. (Ref 1)

The eco-pedagogical garden is an initiative of the University of Education in Karlsruhe on its own site. Its goal is to provide a space for hands-on learning for university students about sustainable development, biodiversity and ecosystems. Based on that, they develop ideas about how to implement such gardens in schools and how to best teach future schoolchildren about these issues. About 120 university students participate in this coursework which forms an integral part of their studies, learn about efficient gardening and how to organize and administer school gardening activities. Apart from the vegetable garden, the garden has a biotope, nature and wilderness area which serves as a sanctuary for birds & small mammals and wild bees. (Ref. 2 and 3).

Malls Mire is an area of mixed woodland and wetland habitat situated between Toryglen and Rutherglen. People from the surrounding communities have been working with Urban Roots to manage the woodland since 2009, improving its value for wildlife and working on the paths so that more people can enjoy it(Ref 1). It was declared a Local Nature Reserve in March 2015(Ref 2). Surveys by entomologists showed that the site is valuable for a number of rare beetles and a spider, the latter, Southern Motherphage (Coelotes terrestris) having only been found at one other site in Scotland(Ref 2).

The Willowbank Community Garden is a council-maintained recreational area consisting of both turfed and concreted areas and waist raised beds, edged by some shrubs and trees. It is a small space (460 sqm.) but offers a variety of growing environments. The site is located within the residential community of Willowbank Crescent, easily accessible from Woodlands Road and a five-minute walk away from the Glasgow University main buildings. Local schools are also in close proximity. The place offers locally grown foods with aesthetics and contributes to urban green space. In 2012, it won "Keep Scotland Beautiful" Award (Ref 2).

The Humberhead Peatlands are the UK's largest lowland raised bog complex and are part of the Natura 2000 network. They are located East of Doncaster and include the Thorne Moors and the Hatfield Moors (both towns are part of the Doncaster Borough). Commercial peat extraction has changed the hydraulic balance of the area, which impacts the condition of the peatland. This project aims to restore the water balance and thereby the peatland that can help prevent flooding, which is a breeding ground for the European nightjar, while also creating local jobs. The Humberhead Peatlands LIFE+ project completed its delivery phase in June 2019. (Ref 2, 3)

The BEIGUA LIFE Project focused on the development and implementation of six management plans, one for each of the priority habitat types present at the site, to safeguard and restore these endangered habitats located right outside of Genova. Several activities of soil rehabilitation were carried out through planting native species and keeping under control invasive plant species. An awareness raising campaign was held to involve local communities as well (1).

Situated in park Spilberk, the garden features a building with a green roof and a garden with various plots. The building is designed to be carbon neutral and reuses rainwater for toilet flushing and for watering the garden plots. The garden is used for horticultural purposes and environmental education, as well as animal and beekeeping. The complex improves the local micro-climate through cooling and humidification and promotes biodiversity. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2; Ref. 5; Ref. 6)

The Sowe Valley Project was a community-based project focusing on rivers restoration. It aimed to link the local community with the Sowe River Valley and to improve the valley’s biodiversity and habitats for the benefits of people and wildlife. (Ref. 2, 6, 11-13)

The Water of Leith is home to a wide diversity of plants and animals. The river performs an important flood control function in the city. A management plan envisions to create a healthy river that flows through a green corridor from the hills to the sea and is a haven for wildlife, is enjoyed and managed by the public, and is valued for its built and cultural heritage. The current intervention is about an extensive Flood Prevention Scheme. Walls and other flood defence measures have been constructed from Murrayfield downstream to Bonnington. A re-modelling exercise is being carried out to include the impact of climate change on the river system and the efficacy of the flood prevention scheme. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust works to conserve and enhance the river, its heritage and wildlife. It also promotes education and recreation and works with volunteers and community groups (ref 1, 2, 3).