1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
It was considered "that rapid urban growth and the absence of action to plan for the influx of residents properly, and their subsequent use of resources, has led to a disconnect between Guatemala City residents and their surrounding natural environment" (Ref. 4). The natural ravines which run throughout the city were considered to have negative connotations associated with them, "they are seen as unsafe areas as they house vulnerable informal settlements; they are seen to pose a sanitary risk as they are often used as dumping grounds; they are seen to limit mobility and to divide the city because of their geographical formation" (Ref. 2). They were considered a "physical and literal hierarchy, "segregat[ing] communication and exchange between socioeconomic classes (Ref. 4).
The project, therefore, sought to:
- convert the ravine into an ecological park and, therefore an "active territory within the urban functioning without compromising [its] environmental qualities" (Ref. 1);
- shed light on the ecosystem services that the ravine(s) provide and bolster these impacts, "they are a natural reserve that produces a series of ecological services for the inhabitants of the city and its metropolitan area...these water reserves are biological corridors and can act as lungs for the city" (Ref. 2), and better understand these services, "to identify their productive potentialities, proposing practices and strategies for sustainable development that allow the ravines to be integrated into the city's metabolism" (Ref. 1);
- increase residents' interaction with the natural environment and with one another, "...allows the peaceful meeting of people, the development of sustainability projects such as reforestation, urban gardens, physical activities, meditation and learning" (Ref. 1);
- "educate people about the great diversity of flora and fauna species that exist in these spaces and the need for their conservation" (Ref. 5), and instil "the appropriate balance for the preservation and appreciation of the natural resources of the Jungle" (Ref. 1); and
- underpin how ravines can be used as alternate mobility transport routes (Ref. 2), and promote "sustainable connectivity through bicycle-pedestrian means" (Ref. 1);
- in combination with the wider Barranqueando movement, it is intended that actions such as the development of Jungla Urbana will see Guatemala City's "ravines...serve as natural reserves, as nodes and paths for sustainable mobility throughout the city [construction of bike & pedestrian lanes], as rainwater collectors, as crucial carbon sinks, as well as [locations capable of] purifying and cooling the air" (Ref3).
Finally, whilst Jungla Urbana was developed as the first manifestation of an effort "to conserve and care for the ravines as ecological sites in and of themselves", the programme of works was - and will seemingly continue to be - also undertaken in "just as much an effort to conserve or reignite a piece of Guatemalan heritage, a shared space and proposition for the coalition" (Ref. 4).
The project, therefore, sought to:
- convert the ravine into an ecological park and, therefore an "active territory within the urban functioning without compromising [its] environmental qualities" (Ref. 1);
- shed light on the ecosystem services that the ravine(s) provide and bolster these impacts, "they are a natural reserve that produces a series of ecological services for the inhabitants of the city and its metropolitan area...these water reserves are biological corridors and can act as lungs for the city" (Ref. 2), and better understand these services, "to identify their productive potentialities, proposing practices and strategies for sustainable development that allow the ravines to be integrated into the city's metabolism" (Ref. 1);
- increase residents' interaction with the natural environment and with one another, "...allows the peaceful meeting of people, the development of sustainability projects such as reforestation, urban gardens, physical activities, meditation and learning" (Ref. 1);
- "educate people about the great diversity of flora and fauna species that exist in these spaces and the need for their conservation" (Ref. 5), and instil "the appropriate balance for the preservation and appreciation of the natural resources of the Jungle" (Ref. 1); and
- underpin how ravines can be used as alternate mobility transport routes (Ref. 2), and promote "sustainable connectivity through bicycle-pedestrian means" (Ref. 1);
- in combination with the wider Barranqueando movement, it is intended that actions such as the development of Jungla Urbana will see Guatemala City's "ravines...serve as natural reserves, as nodes and paths for sustainable mobility throughout the city [construction of bike & pedestrian lanes], as rainwater collectors, as crucial carbon sinks, as well as [locations capable of] purifying and cooling the air" (Ref3).
Finally, whilst Jungla Urbana was developed as the first manifestation of an effort "to conserve and care for the ravines as ecological sites in and of themselves", the programme of works was - and will seemingly continue to be - also undertaken in "just as much an effort to conserve or reignite a piece of Guatemalan heritage, a shared space and proposition for the coalition" (Ref. 4).
Quantitative targets
Although unclear what quantitative targets were developed prior to implementation of the project, the "Tree of Ideas" has since been implemented in Jungla Urbana as a form of citizen participation developed by City Emergent which allows the raising and discussion of people's thoughts and concerns from qualitative indicators (Ref. 7).
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of people visiting the ravine once it had been developed into the ecological park, Urbana Jungla, was recorded (Ref. 7).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Please specify other climate change mitigation goal
Ref. 2 considers how the ravines "can act as lungs for the city", and Ref. 3 considers how the city's ravines have potential to "serve...as crucial carbon sinks". Ref. 7 further quantifies the level of deforestation which has occurred in the city's Barrancos, implying that the project intends to address this, although this is not explicitly stated as such.
Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Implementation activities
Located between two segregated neighbourhoods, Zones 15 and 10 of Guatemala City, the park was developed "with the aim of activating it as an ecological park that allows the peaceful meeting of people, the development of sustainability projects such as reforestation, urban gardens, physical activities, meditation and learning, in addition to promoting sustainable connectivity through bicycle-pedestrian means, always with the appropriate balance for the preservation and appreciation of the natural resources of the Jungle" (Ref. 1). To achieve this, several specific implementation activities were undertaken:
- a participatory and inclusive design process was executed, so that citizen feedback could be incorporated in the park, empowering the local community and helping to create a sense of belonging (Ref. 3);
- the ravine was 'refurbished', with paths being purposefully trodden and "remnants of construction and rubble from the ravine’s past" being intentionally arranged (Ref. 4);
- ecological routes were introduced, and events held, in order "to bring nature closer to people, to raise awareness about the natural wealth existing in the city and its surroundings" (Ref. 5), and "inform and educate people about the great diversity of flora and fauna species that exists in these spaces and the need for their conservation" (ref4);
- signs were introduced which demarcate paths for visitors to follow (Ref. 4); and
- landmarks were introduced into the park, "such as a mural with local art and a stage for community gatherings" (Ref. 4), with the space created facilitating "the development of sustainability projects such as reforestation [and] urban garden[ing]" (Ref. 3), and, as further explained below, the organisation of group activities being undertaken "to enrich the community and care for the ravine ecology" through activities such as gardening and litter-picking (Ref. 2).
In undertaking the above, an emphasis was placed on leveraging visitors' "sensorial experience, evoking the history of ravines and offering imaginations of others who might have previously roamed the space" (Ref. 4). Marked paths were designed to resemble natural desire lines, and preservation of "the vast greenery of the ravine supports exploration in order to [instil] one’s own relationship to barranquear" (Ref. 4). Alluding to the cultural heritage of the site was approached as a method of conservation, intended to "inspire...a sustainable consciousness and support for sustainable city design", and ground the idea that ravines are specific ecological forms which "should be engaged for the betterment of residents in Guatemala City (as the city’s lungs), but as an opportunity to inspire an appreciation of environmental forms that are uniquely Guatemalan (the hopeful recovery of barranquear)" (Ref. 4).
Following the redevelopment of the ravine into the ecological park, Amigos de la Jungla Urbana (Friends of the Urban Jungle), a multidisciplinary network of people working in the Jungla Urbana, now "promotes urban design initiatives that work in harmony with the natural environment", including development of plans to develop a cycleway through the ravines; providing education about the ravines’ biodiversity; and organisation of group activities to enrich the community and care for the ravine ecology, like gardening, litter-picking and eco-storytelling" (Ref. 2).
- a participatory and inclusive design process was executed, so that citizen feedback could be incorporated in the park, empowering the local community and helping to create a sense of belonging (Ref. 3);
- the ravine was 'refurbished', with paths being purposefully trodden and "remnants of construction and rubble from the ravine’s past" being intentionally arranged (Ref. 4);
- ecological routes were introduced, and events held, in order "to bring nature closer to people, to raise awareness about the natural wealth existing in the city and its surroundings" (Ref. 5), and "inform and educate people about the great diversity of flora and fauna species that exists in these spaces and the need for their conservation" (ref4);
- signs were introduced which demarcate paths for visitors to follow (Ref. 4); and
- landmarks were introduced into the park, "such as a mural with local art and a stage for community gatherings" (Ref. 4), with the space created facilitating "the development of sustainability projects such as reforestation [and] urban garden[ing]" (Ref. 3), and, as further explained below, the organisation of group activities being undertaken "to enrich the community and care for the ravine ecology" through activities such as gardening and litter-picking (Ref. 2).
In undertaking the above, an emphasis was placed on leveraging visitors' "sensorial experience, evoking the history of ravines and offering imaginations of others who might have previously roamed the space" (Ref. 4). Marked paths were designed to resemble natural desire lines, and preservation of "the vast greenery of the ravine supports exploration in order to [instil] one’s own relationship to barranquear" (Ref. 4). Alluding to the cultural heritage of the site was approached as a method of conservation, intended to "inspire...a sustainable consciousness and support for sustainable city design", and ground the idea that ravines are specific ecological forms which "should be engaged for the betterment of residents in Guatemala City (as the city’s lungs), but as an opportunity to inspire an appreciation of environmental forms that are uniquely Guatemalan (the hopeful recovery of barranquear)" (Ref. 4).
Following the redevelopment of the ravine into the ecological park, Amigos de la Jungla Urbana (Friends of the Urban Jungle), a multidisciplinary network of people working in the Jungla Urbana, now "promotes urban design initiatives that work in harmony with the natural environment", including development of plans to develop a cycleway through the ravines; providing education about the ravines’ biodiversity; and organisation of group activities to enrich the community and care for the ravine ecology, like gardening, litter-picking and eco-storytelling" (Ref. 2).
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
It appears that the intervention is novel and not copied from a previous initiative, "What began in 2017 with the vision of building a new imaginary, has evolved into a movement that will continue to grow with new actors pushing the same spirit of seeking a mechanism to Protect, Activate and Connect the ravines of Guatemala" (Ref. 1).
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
The social movement which saw the redevelopment of the ravine between Zones 10 and 15 into the Jungla Urbana ecological park intends to continue its pursuit of transforming Guatemala's ravines and reframing citizens' perceptions of, and relationships with, the ravines, hence the approach will likely be transferred to new initiative(s) without substantial adaptation.
