Public actor (e.g. municipality)

La Tiretaine is a river in Clermont-Ferrand which, in the past, was harnessed to run underground in order to address hygiene concerns and create more land for construction and industrial purposes (Ref. 5). Rehabilitation efforts have been made throughout the city in order to 'renature' the river. Efforts include the creation of a small park along the river near the school Saint-Alyre in 2008 (Ref. 1) as well as a vision to develop a park surrounding a section of the river by 2026 (Ref. 4).

The project was born with the idea of solving the huge debate around the creation of a city park that connects different parts of the city. The area close to the railway will be regenerated thanks to an above-ground park. This solution will allow to have a new green space in the city, and an additional panoramic view that will be experienced thanks to a new cycling path. In this way the whole area that surrounds the rails of the central station will be regenerated, providing at the same time an attempt to mend the urban and social fabric. (Ref.1.)

“The Hub, a new purpose-built student building (at the heart of the Coventry University campus) was designed to enhance the student experience, i.e. offers space to meet up with friends or study informally.” The building also includes a number of green credentials such as: ground source cooling from a borehole on-site; natural ventilation; grey water harvesting (rain water for the toilets); solar water heating and a green roof.” (Ref. 1)

Food for Good is a community garden in which citizens and disadvantaged groups work together to grow healthy crops in a sustainable way (ref. 1,5,6,7). Thereby, it promotes social cohesion in the neighbourhood and sustainable agriculture. It also contributes to social equity as crops are grown for the food bank which provides food for homeless and low-income citizens. Food is also sold to local people and a 'social' restaurant (ref, 5-7).

Isar River had been regulated at the end of the 19th century by forcing the river into a canal-type bed with embankments. This regulation made a negative impact on the flow velocity of the river, on its temperature balance, and increased the risk of flooding. The goal of the recent development was to restore the river's natural character on an 8-kilometre-long section of the river and to create a semi-natural riverside. (Reference 1, 2) This was considered especially important because the effects of climate change have already increased the frequency of heavy rain events and major floods. (Reference 3) The new concept leaves space for the river to shape and change its bed with every flood. Further aims of the project were to increase biodiversity and recreational quality.

Little France Park is the city’s newest park reclaiming unmanaged grassland for the local community and carving out a green corridor from the city centre to Midlothian. It will establish a new corridor for wildlife whilst offering a network of paths, cycleways spread across 45 hectares. ELGT have submitted a Pre Application Notice to create new public parkland. It will establish a new corridor for wildlife whilst offering a network of paths, cycleways spread across 45 hectares. It is expected to provide a valuable green asset to new and existing communities. The parkland will be an important part of the green network with enhanced biodiversity. The existing landscape features will be enhanced, including wetland habitats, woodland planting, meadow grassland and space for events or informal sports. It is an opportunity to create active travel routes integrated with green infrastructure. The fully realized Little France Park will include 3 parkland areas, which together create habitat and species-rich areas. The project is due in late 2020. (ref 1, 2, 5, 6)

Hailes Quarry Park (HQP) is a large open space in the south-west of Edinburgh. It covers an area of 12.15ha. HQP was a very boggy area in the centre of the park which was effectively out of use. A project was planned which aimed to make environmental improvements and engage the local community and encourage healthy living. One of the main features of the park’s recent development is the creation of a wetland area with a range of wetland plant species. This new habitat will be home to birds, amphibians and native wetland plants, and will be a part of the green corridor. Additionally, a Biodiversity enhancement project was carried out at the site (ref 1, 7).

“The Living Environment Trust is an environmental charity based in Coventry, which aims to promote environmental and sustainability awareness within local communities. Accordingly, the Trust uses the restoration of neglected inner-city green spaces as a way to engage a range of community groups, whilst also serving to enhance and expand the existing biodiversity and develop important community and educational resources.” (Ref. 1) “The Living Environment Trust was formed in 2007 to transform the neglected land around the Alan Higgs Centre into a community ecological and leisure resource.” (Ref. 2)

The project “Un parco da vivere” (a park to live) within the regional natural park of Lama Balice underlines the social, economic and environmental potential of the place. The project aims at reactivate green spaces in the park and at the same time improving the accessibility for disabled people, through the creation of innovative practices such as sensorial and social gardening. This results in promoting the naturalistic value of the area, to improve the health of people and to enhance biodiversity preservation. (Ref.1.)

In 2016 the Municipality of Lisbon started the renovation of the Botanical Garden of Lisbon, declared in 2010 as a national heritage monument. The botanical garden is both a vital urban open space and a significant cultural landscape of the city. This Botanical Garden is home to an important collection of plants with economic value, reflecting the strong links to the Portuguese expansion and the routes of the navigators that spread them across the various continents. The intervention is expected to provide improvements in the irrigation and water circulation systems, in the rainwater harvesting system, in the reorganization and improvement of garden green spaces, and in the restoration of paths. With the objective of requalifying the space, bringing significant improvements in terms of sustainability of resources, visitors safety, new cultural and recreational opportunity spaces (Ref. 3, 4, 8).