Social change (e.g. social relationships, networks and dynamics within them)

Fondo Unido Chihuahua, in collaboration with its corporate partners, is committed to raising awareness about environmental care and reforestation. One of its flagship initiatives is the annual tree-planting campaign, "Planting Today to Have Oxygen Tomorrow," organized by United Way Chihuahua in Ciudad Juárez. This environmental initiative focuses on improving the quality of different urban green spaces (parks, school grounds, streets) while fostering ecological awareness in vulnerable communities across the city. The primary objective is to plant a significant number of trees throughout Ciudad Juárez, using native species that are water-efficient and well-adapted to the local climate and soil. In 2022 the initiative aimed to reforest 18 parks located mainly in the south-eastern part of this border city with 1,000 trees. In 2023 and 2024 the intervention focused on planting 850 trees scatted all over the city.

The campaign brings together donations and volunteers through partnerships with various stakeholders, including local and regional governments, private companies, community organizations, and the general public.
United Way Chihuahua oversees the planning, coordination, and logistical efforts for the campaign. On planting days, volunteers gather at designated sites, guided by the organization to ensure successful planting efforts and community engagement (Ref 1-4).

St. Anne's Urban Farm and Ecology Center, nestled within Dublin’s historic St. Anne’s Park and surrounded by the suburban neighborhoods of Dublin 3 and 5, is a unique not-for-profit initiative dedicated to community engagement, environmental awareness, and sustainable urban agriculture. Established in 2019, this farm is the first urban farm within Dublin City Council’s boundaries and aims to reach even more people, believing that every child and adult should have access to a garden space and that everyone in the garden is equal.
Run by a team of over 20 dedicated community volunteers, the farm provides hands-on educational experiences for visitors of all ages and a safe, open space for sharing knowledge and learning from others. Featuring traditional Irish farm animals, such as heritage breeds of chickens, pigs, and goats, alongside native plants grown from heirloom seeds, the farm preserves Ireland’s agricultural heritage while promoting biodiversity and sustainable practices.
With a goal of becoming 75% self-sustaining, the farm is working toward off-grid solutions through solar power and eco-friendly techniques. St. Anne’s Urban Farm empowers local residents with its community allotments and self-management model, which foster greater control and pride in maintaining the shared space. Aligned with Dublin’s Climate Change Action Plan, the farm aspires to improve the quality of life within the city by promoting healthy neighborhoods and sustainable communities. Through this green space, St. Anne’s Urban Farm encourages social and environmental engagement, aiming to ensure that gardens and green spaces remain accessible, welcoming, and educational for generations to come. The initiative is supported by a €50,000 donation from Google and is designed to serve as a community resource rather than a traditional petting farm.
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Project Roots is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable living and enhancing food security in South Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 2020 in response to rising food insecurity—an issue impacting one in seven Arizonans—Project Roots aims to provide lasting solutions through community education, accessible fresh produce, and supportive services for vulnerable populations.
Central to Project Roots’ mission is its work in community gardening. The organization manages and maintains several community gardens, including 20 reserved rows at the Spaces of Opportunity Garden, where individuals and families can cultivate their own produce. Through these gardening spaces, Project Roots empowers community members to grow their own food, promoting self-sufficiency and healthier food choices.
Education is a cornerstone of Project Roots' outreach. The organization offers hands-on gardening classes, workshops, and educational resources that teach sustainable food production practices. A significant part of this educational effort focuses on South Phoenix's youth, helping them understand where their food comes from and how to grow it, fostering both awareness and skills that encourage lifelong healthy habits.
Project Roots also works to ensure that fresh, locally grown produce reaches the wider community. By distributing produce through farmers' markets, produce bags, and partnerships with local food banks and soup kitchens, Project Roots provides a consistent source of nutritious food to those who need it most. The produce bags, often delivered to community centers and low-income housing areas in Phoenix, help bridge the gap for those with limited access to fresh food.
In addition to its food-centered programs, Project Roots extends its support to include essential services such as food assistance, hygiene items, and temporary shelter, making it a vital resource for individuals and families experiencing hardship. (1-5, 8-14)

The Miraflores Bicentennial Park has been built on the Malecón de la Reserva and the Quebrada de Armendáriz. It was inaugurated in June 2022 as one of the created projects within the framework of the commemorations of the 200 years of Independence celebrations (1). It is considered a new green lung of Lima (2), as it has a green area of 30,400 square metres and stands on one of the cliffs of the Costa Verde (1). It has a system of terraces that replicates the construction model of the Incas, which has made it possible to additionally reinforce the soil and the slopes with the use of retaining walls up to 10 metres high, with horizontal geogrids and vertical geocells (1, 2). It was structured on a stabilised slope in order to mitigate the risk of landslides (4), and an irrigation system was implemented to stabilise the soil (4).
This space was built as a biodiversity garden with more than 160,000 xerophilic coastal species with low water consumption, 300 trees and 80 palm trees. It also offers places for tourism, such as viewpoints and squares, where cultural events, open-air activities and rest areas are held (1). It also aims to connect aspects of landscape conservation, preservation of biodiversity in the city, and the construction of a cultural landscape in which human action is complementary and friendly to the natural environment (9). Finally, it seeks to contribute to the reduction of the municipality's carbon footprint by reducing the harmful effects of urban expansion on the Lima cliff ecosystem, such as deforestation, water pollution and loss of biodiversity (9).

In 2023, the municipality of Cagliari initiated a project to transform 50 school gardens into vibrant, multifunctional outdoor spaces that enhance education and recreation. Co-funded under an EU program, this initiative aims to create environments where students can learn and play outdoors, taking advantage of the city’s favorable climate. The gardens are being upgraded with new features, such as trees, educational vegetable plots, diverse plant species, playground equipment, and furniture, to provide versatile spaces for learning, sports, and play.
Automated irrigation systems are being installed in each garden, conserving water by adjusting based on soil humidity and detecting leaks. This technological upgrade ensures efficient maintenance of the green spaces.
Overall, the project seeks to enrich the educational experience by integrating nature into daily school life. It aims to promote students' physical and psychological well-being through more opportunities for outdoor learning and activities, fostering a connection with nature, and improving the overall quality of the school environment (Refs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

The Ciénaga de las Quintas is a coastal wetland located alongside one of Cartagena’s main roads, adjacent to the public market square and situated between the Jiménez and Bazurto Bridges. It is home to two predominant mangrove species (Ref 1). The wetland currently faces pollution problems because it is used for the disposal of solid waste, such as plastics and construction materials, and it receives wastewater and household garbage from nearby residences. Las Quintas is also the main waste disposal area for the Bazurto market, which handles 43,430 tons of food products each month (ref 3). The recovery initiatives for the Ciénaga de las Quintas are led by the Environmental Public Establishment of Cartagena (EPA Cartagena) in collaboration with other public institutions, the private sector, and citizens, with the main goal of achieving the ecological restoration of the city's water bodies and to maintain and preserve our mangrove ecosystems (ref 2). Since 2020, key implementation activities have included the removal of solid waste, planting of native tree species, dismantling of informal structures within the mangrove zone, and the rehabilitation of areas previously occupied by debris (Refs 4, 5).

Due to rapid urbanization and development, cities in China, including Kunming, face challenges in managing neglected urban spaces, particularly vacated demolition sites and leftover land (Ref 1, 2, 3). To address this issue and enhance residents' well-being, Kunming has created 400 pocket parks since 2022, transforming forgotten corners into vibrant green spaces (Ref 4, 5).
One of these parks, Wenxing Pocket Park in Xishan District, was built in 2023 on 2.3 hectares of land (Ref 6). Located next to a secondary school and two protected historical relics, the park not only preserves historical heritage but also reflects cultural value (Ref 6, 7). In addition to increasing urban green spaces, the park provides recreational and physical facilities for residents, children, and students (Ref 6). Its design is inspired by traditional architectural styles and incorporates wood craftsmanship, as well as ecological sponge facilities (Ref 6, 7).
The park also features science gardens, promoting awareness and knowledge of herbs and sustainability (Ref 6). The project employs methods such as infiltration, stagnation, storage, purification, and drainage to manage rainwater effectively. By utilizing the natural terrain, it creates ecological dry streams and sunken gardens that absorb and store rainwater, helping to control runoff. This approach aligns with the "sponge city" concept, promoting natural water accumulation, infiltration, and purification.
Additionally, the integration of various plants enhances the microclimate, supporting local wildlife and creating a healthy, vibrant public space. The Wenxing Pocket Park has been implemented by the Municipality of Xishan. (Ref.6,7)

The Vera Park is a significant site in the city of Tbilisi, created in the mid-20th century. Located centrally, it is not only frequently visited by tourists but also used as a recreational area for the surrounding residents and workers (Ref. 1,2). The park is recognized as an immovable cultural heritage site, emphasizing its historical significance (Ref. 1). However, its condition had become quite desolate, necessitating extensive rehabilitation while preserving its original features (Ref. 2). Importantly, the project is carried out between the city of Tbilisi and the Asian Development Bank under the Livable Cities Investment Program (LCIP) to improve urban and tourism infrastructure (Ref. 1,2). As such, the project was developed through co-participatory planning, engaging citizens who have shown significant interest in the site’s development and will further serve as a precedent case for co-participatory planning in the future (Ref. 4,2).

The Parque Lineal de Crespo in Cartagena, Colombia, is an urban green space built in 2016-2017 that had fallen into neglect (ref 4) and recently has undergone revitalization initiatives (ref 2). Announced in January 2024 by the Mayor of Cartagena, Dumek Turbay Paz, the project aims to reclaim and enhance this public park as a hub for recreation and community activities, fostering urban well-being and environmental stewardship​ (ref 2 and 3). The local government spearheads the intervention, and the Instituto Distrital de Deporte y Recreación (IDER) has been tasked with the park's management, ensuring its upkeep and the development of activities. The project was launched following an inspection by the Mayor and other local officials, who underscored the need for better infrastructure, safety, lighting, and green coverage through tree planting ​(ref 2 and 3). The primary objectives of the Parque Lineal de Crespo project include revitalising the park through enhanced maintenance, security, and the introduction of recreational and sports facilities. The project also aims to relocate weekend recreational activities, such as a popular bike path (ciclovía), from the congested Avenida Santander to the park, thereby reducing traffic disruptions and enhancing safety ​(ref 2 and 3). The park is relevant for the city because it combats coastal erosion caused by the rising Caribbean waters (Ref 1). The Park aims to be an icon of culture and recreation (ref 1). The project inspired a neighbours initiative, the Friends of the Crespo Linear Park, are a non-profit organization whose objective is to collaborate in the conservation of the Park by contributing awareness initiatives to the population, alerting authorities, and developing new ways to interact with the environment, such as guided bird watching activities and sports (ref 1).

In the city of Ciudad Juárez, the municipality, in collaboration with UN-Habitat, aims to design and create a park that encompasses the yards and unmaintained areas surrounding the railway station, transforming these spaces into an accessible and safe public area. This project covers over 500,000 square meters and addresses not only degraded areas but also several public squares. Described as "a coordinated urban recycling strategy," this initiative seeks to repurpose existing public squares and rehabilitate neglected spaces into vibrant green areas that feature universal accessibility, native vegetation, and urban furniture designed to enhance safety. The project also aims to provide increased recreational opportunities, improve permeability, and introduce additional shaded areas. A key component of improving permeability involves the restoration and incorporation of acequias—traditional historical irrigation systems that absorb and manage excess rainwater, thereby reducing the likelihood of flash floods.
Additionally, the project focuses on the restoration and promotion of significant historical buildings, such as the old railway station and the whiskey factory, integrating them into a larger cultural and sports facility area at the municipal scale. The overarching goal is to revitalize the site through effective coordination with the relevant authorities responsible for the spaces adjacent to the railway station, stretching from Plaza Misión de Guadalupe to Blvd. Municipio Libre. This collaborative effort aims to accommodate both sports and cultural facilities while also creating a green corridor.
Furthermore, the project intends to reforest, redesign, and enhance Plaza Misión de Guadalupe, Plaza Monumento a Benito Juárez, and other residual public spaces and gardens. This initiative aligns with its Public Space Strategy, which emphasizes the development of gender-inclusive and resilient public spaces.(Ref 1, 3, 4).