1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Cartagena (FUA) Region Latin America and the Caribbean Native title of the NBS intervention Plan de Silvicultura Urbana para Cartagena - programa Reforestación urbana, siembra y mantenimiento Short description of the intervention The Urban Forestry Plan for Cartagena, led by EPA Cartagena, outlines a comprehensive strategy for enhancing the city's green infrastructure. The plan focuses on selecting suitable tree species, planting, and management to achieve several goals: reducing heat through shade, creating microclimates, protecting against climatic events such as coastal erosion and windstorms, enhancing food security, and enhancing the landscape's beauty. Over 10 years, the plan aims to establish at least 100,000 additional trees, increase overall tree cover, enhance accessibility to green spaces, and build a main ecological structure based on natural resources and biodiversity. It also emphasises the importance of local knowledge and resources (ref 1). Formulated with community input, the plan commenced in 2013 and involved a detailed assessment of existing urban vegetation and climate conditions, utilising tools such as iTree. The development included international conferences and expert consultations to ensure a robust and informed approach (ref 1). Website of the intervention https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/ Principal problems Climate-Related Hazards Coastal hazards (e.g. erosion, flooding) Heat stress & Extreme temperatures Implementation area characterization Climate Tropical (Tropican rainforest, tropical monsoon, tropical savanna) Ecosystem Mangroves Urban or built environment Address Cartagena Colombia Location The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city Area boundary (map-based) Area description Urban (main city) Periurban (both urban and rural environments are present) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Previous derelict area Residential Protected Area Cultural Heritage Area Public Greenspace Area Vacant or abandoned land Mixed-use development (combination of residential, commercial, and/or industrial) Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2013 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2013 End date of the intervention 2027 Present stage of the intervention Ongoing 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention The plan encompasses short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives, accompanied by specific indicators for action and results. Over a period of ten years, the main goals include (ref 1): - Establishing a forest mass of at least 100,000 additional trees to those already existing, increasing tree canopy coverage. - Creating more accessible green areas for households. - Developing a primary ecological structure primarily of trees to be established in the city, incorporating biodiversity criteria as a guiding principle for actions. - Making a significant contribution to food security in urban areas. - Recognising local knowledge and prioritising the use of local resources. - Manage the existing urban heat island using the initial assessment as a reference point. - Aesthetic Improvement: Enhance the city's visual appeal with increased green spaces. - Community Engagement: Educate and involve local communities in tree planting and maintenance to foster a culture of environmental stewardship Originally, the plan covers a 10-year horizon, targeting the planting of 100,000 new trees and the maintenance of existing vegetation (ref 1). Currently, it has a goal of 300,000 new trees by 202 Key Priorities Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation) Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration) Sustainability challenge(s) addressed Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13) Climate change adaptation Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15) Green space creation and/or management Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10) Environmental education Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12) Food scarcity / security Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities The procedure for requesting a planting session is as follows: any city resident can request a session from the EPA, provided the location for planting is on public land (such as public spaces, sidewalks, parks, public transportation stations, public school grounds, streets, etc.). The EPA will then visit the site to determine the most suitable species to plant. They will supply the necessary plants, tools, and labor. In certain cases, the EPA may seek support from other public and private institutions for the planting sessions, with funding coming from public sources, including compensation activities from companies holding environmental licenses. Following the planting, the citizen who requested the session is responsible for maintaining the plants. While the EPA conducts monitoring, these activities are not structured. Each planting session is georeferenced and documented on the EPA's website (ref 1). Cartagena has 186,344 trees located in public spaces, a figure that does not include mangrove forests, the remnants of dry forest in La Popa Hill and Albornoz, or those planted on private properties (ref 3). Educational processes fundamentally complement the activities of planting and maintaining trees at three levels: i) schools and colleges, ii) action implementers, and iii) the general community. Type of NBS project Creation of new green areas Creation of any other green urban spaces Maintenance and management of urban nature Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks) Strategy, plan or policy development Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans 3. NBS domains, ES and scale NBS domain and interventions Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented Grey infrastructure featuring greens Alley or street trees and other street vegetation Amenities offered by the NBS Unknown Design elements for well-being None of the above Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Provisioning services Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables) Regulating services Local climate regulation (temperature reduction) Coastal protection Habitat and supporting services Habitats for species Cultural services Aesthetic appreciation Social and community interactions Scale Spatial scale Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area The implementation area covers the public spaces of the entire city. Socio-economic profile of the area Unknown Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts Unknown Primary Beneficiaries Citizens or community groups Young people and children Specify primary beneficiaries Young people and children: Besides tree planting and maintenance activities, educational processes at three levels are fundamentally included: i) schools and colleges, ii) action implementers, and iii) the general community. These educational efforts aim to effectively build knowledge, creating a critical mass of committed citizens who value, appreciate, enjoy, and actively contribute to environmental and landscape sustainability that meets the functional requirements of the city's fauna and flora (ref 1). Citizens or community groups: This plan includes the formulation of action programs, accompanied by short, medium, and long-term indicators. Central to the plan is the use of vegetation to maximise the benefits it can provide through its goods and services, the role of the community as a direct and indirect recipient of these benefits, and the financing mechanisms that ensure the optimal achievement of the outlined objectives (ref 1) Marginalized groups Unknown Other beneficiaries Unknown 4. Governance and financing Governance Governance arrangements Government-led Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative The plan is managed by Cartagena's Environmental Public Establishment (EPA), which coordinates with local government bodies, NGOs, companies, and community organizations (ref 1). the different Secretariats of the city ensure that all new infrastructure projects in the city incorporate green spaces as part of the urban development strategy (ref 2). The Office of Risk Management participates in the planning phase by providing insights on climate risks and vulnerabilities that need to be addressed through urban greening (ref 3). the Univ. Francisco José de Caldas performed the tree census, local residents, community leaders, and organizations are engaged in tree planting and maintenance activities, Private companies are invited to participate in the initiative through sponsorships (ref 2, 3) Key actors - initiating organization Local government/municipality Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) Public sector institution Non-government organisation/civil society Citizens or community group Private sector/corporate actor/company Stages of citizen and community engagement Planning and design (e.g. site selection, identification of key priorities) On-the-ground implementation Level of citizen and community engagement Moderate Community empowerment or capacity-building initiatives Formation of community-led groups responsible for the the implementation, maintenace or monitoring of the project Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls) Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting) Citizen monitoring and review Uncommon actors ("Missing actors") Unknown Land owners Public space owned by the city Policy drivers NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan Yes Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan" The Urban Silviculture Plan adopted by Decree 0274 on February 10, 2017, by Mayor Manuel Vicente Duque and EPA Cartagena (ref 1) Relevant strategy or plan City specific green space strategy or plan Mandatory or voluntary intervention Mandatory (based on policy) Intervention is mandatory Environmental regulation Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships) Governace and decison-making instruments Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans) Public - private business agreement (e.g. public private collaborations, public-private-partnerships (PPP)) Educational and knowledge sharing instruments (e.g. science/ living labs, awareness raising campaigns, specific educational programs, green hubs) Arrangements for governance cooperation Information-sharing platforms or networks (e.g. websites for sharing best practices, data or resources pertinent to the project) Barriers The plan is subject to the government's changes (for instance, new administrations) (ref 2). Financing Total cost Unknown Please specify total cost (EUR) unknown What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? unknown Source(s) of funding Public local authority budget Corporate investment Other Please specify other source of funding Funding for urban forestry in Cartagena will come from public, private, and community sources. From the public sector, funding will be allocated through budgetary allocations managed by the Public Environmental Establishment for this purpose. From the private sector, commercial partners will contribute through financial support, tree planting and maintenance on commercial properties, and support from civil organizations involved in the forestry sector. Some companies will have a direct role in urban forestry related to their own operations. Additionally, others may seek to compensate for environmental impacts, a likely growth area through carbon credits as part of climate change policies under the Cartagena Carbon Neutral scheme (ref 1). Type of fund(s) used Earmarked public budget Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities) Donations Non-financial contribution Yes Who provided the non-financial contribution? Citizens (e.g. volunteering) Private sector (businesses, financial institution) Type of non-financial contribution Provision of goods Provision of labour Provision of expertise Provision of other services Co-finance for NBS Yes Co-governance arrangement Unknown Entrepreneurship opportunities Unknown Business models Business models Green densification model Local stewardship model Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Public actor (e.g. municipality) Citizens / local communities 5. Evaluation and learning Impacts, benefits Environmental impacts Climate change Lowered local temperature Expected lowered local temperature Environmental quality Improved air quality Expected improved air quality Reduced noise exposure Expected reduced noise exposure Green space and habitat Increased green space area Achieved increased green space area Reduced biodiversity loss Expected reduced biodiversity loss Description of environmental benefits -Expected lowered local temperature: Trees help reduce temperatures both during the day and at night. When planted along streets, they provide shade, with their leaves reflecting more sunlight and absorbing less heat compared to building materials. (ref 1) - Expected improved air quality: Trees reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4), among others. Also, trees capture airborne particles and pollutants (ref 1) -Expected reduced noise exposure: Properly designed tree and shrub plantings can significantly reduce noise. Leaves and branches primarily scatter the sound, while the soil absorbs it (ref 1). - Expected reduced biodiversity loss: A healthy and well-structured plant cover enhances biodiversity. Urban forests worldwide support a wide range of species, including endangered animals. (ref 1). -Achieved increased green space area: The census indicates that Cartagena has 186,344 trees located in public spaces; this figure does not include mangrove forests, patches of dry forest in the La Popa and Albornoz hills, and those planted on private properties (ref 3). According to the planting counter of the 'Verde Distrito Cartagena' campaign, from the urban forestry plan, led by EPA Cartagena and supported by the District's Public Space and Mobility Management, 23,035 new trees have been planted so far in 2022, surpassing the 15,269 planted in 2021 and the 19,293 in 2020 (ref 5) Environmental impact indicators Total number of vascular plant species protected or introduced 186.344 Green space area created (in ha) 1.438 Economic impacts Unknown Description of economic benefits Unknown Social and cultural impacts Social justice and cohesion Increased access to healthy/affordable food Expected increased access to healthy/affordable food Health and wellbeing Improved physical health Expected improved physical health Education Increased knowledge of locals about local nature Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature Social and cultural impact indicators Surface area of accessible green spaces (in ha) 1.438 Description of social and cultural benefits -Expected increased access to healthy/affordable food: vegetation in public spaces can contribute to food security by planting edible species (ref 1). -Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature: The city's tree vegetation provides a significant opportunity for residents to learn about ecological principles and their interconnections, thereby strengthening the city's ecological culture (ref 1). -Expected improved physical health: Shade alone can reduce overall UV radiation exposure by up to 75%; trees provide the best natural form of shade (ref 1). Evidence for use of assessment Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process Yes Actors involved in the assessment, monitoring or evaluation of NBS impacts Local government/municipality Citizens or community group Presence of indicators used in reporting No evidence in public records Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports No evidence in public records Link to monitoring/evaluation reports https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/ Availability of a web-based monitoring tool Yes Link to a web-based monitoring tool https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/ Name of any specific impact assessment tools map with the counting of the planted trees but is currently unavailable. Use of GIS in mapping impacts Yes Link to GIS monitoring data https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/ Cost-benefit analysis Unknown Transparency Unknown Justice Community satisfaction Unknown Description of locals satisfaction with the project unknown Trade-offs & Negative impacts Unknown Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement Unknown High-quality & Transformative NBS Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community) Yes Goal setting and impacts delivery No, although benefits were delivered in all the 3 key areas, but in the planning phase, the project did not aim to address issues in all the 3 key priority areas. Reaching original project goals Inconclusive as the project is still undergoing implementation, or is still on its planning stages Long-term perspective Yes Cost-effective solutions Unknown Equitable impacts C. Unknown Transformative capacity Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution) Magnitude of change Reformist: by focusing on addressing underlying drivers of change but failing to address the problem structurally or systemically Application of lessons learned The NBS has informed policy and regulatory processes Perception of Environmental Change Unknown 6. Sources References 1. EPA Cartagena (2017). PLAN DE SILVICULTURA URBANA DEL DISTRITO DE CARTAGENA DE INDIAS. Accessed on August 23, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. El Universal (2024). Plan de Arborización del Distrito: se sembrarán 300 mil árboles. Accessed on August 23, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. EPA Cartagena (2024). EPA SOCIALIZA SU CENSO DE ÁRBOLES EN ESPACIO PÙBLICO. Accessed on August 23, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. EPA Cartagena (n.d.). Verde Distrito Cartagena. Accessed on August 23, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. EPA Cartagena (2022). 57 mil nuevos árboles se han sembrado durante administración de Salvemos Juntos a Cartagena.. Accessed on September 5, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; Comments and notes Public Images Image Community Request Boulevard of the Huellas de Alberto Uribe Neighborhood November 6, 2021 EPA Cartagena https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/ Image EPA Cartagena - Public Space Chambacú, Pesebreras Sector November 19, 2020 EPA Cartagena https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/
Image Community Request Boulevard of the Huellas de Alberto Uribe Neighborhood November 6, 2021 EPA Cartagena https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/
Image EPA Cartagena - Public Space Chambacú, Pesebreras Sector November 19, 2020 EPA Cartagena https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/verde-distrito-cartagena/
