1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Iaşi (FUA) Region Europe Native title of the NBS intervention Oaze Urbane spațiile de joacă Short description of the intervention The Urban Oasis Playgrounds project focuses on creating a guide for green regeneration of playgrounds located all over Iasi by using natural climate solutions, with the potential for wider application beyond the city(1 to 6). The project's primary goal is to tackle pollution in playgrounds and address the overall lack of green spaces for children (1). This initiative is led by the NGO Civica in collaboration with the Municipality of Iași and the Architects Association in Iași (OAR) (1). The project secured €50,000 in funding after winning a competition organized by Raiffeisen Comunități, with support from the NGO "Asociația pentru Relații Comunitare" (2 & 3). In addition to pollution, the project seeks to address other critical issues, such as the heat island effect and the proximity of playgrounds to risk-prone areas (1). The guide will be developed based on public consultations with Iași residents and a comprehensive study to tackle these concerns (1 to 7). Currently, the first phase of the project is underway, involving assessments of various factors in playgrounds, including existing vegetation, shading, surface quality, infrastructure conditions, and pollution risks (4). These aspects are also reflected in a questionnaire distributed to the public, which gathers opinions on factors like cleanliness, noise exposure, thermal comfort, safety, and preferred natural green solutions (6). The initiative aims to raise awareness about climate change, actively engaging the community in the process (4). Once completed, the guide will be presented to the municipality with the goal of being adopted as a standard for future playground developments (1, 3, 4, 6). The first phase of the project will regenerate a playground by planting trees and native vegetation (3). Website of the intervention https://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/stiri/asociatia-civica-in-cursa-pentru-un-grant-de-… Principal problems Climate-Related Hazards Heat stress & Extreme temperatures Environmental Degradation Air pollution Land use and Socio-economic change Unequal availability and access to public green spaces Health, Well-being and Social cohesion Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature) Inadequate access to recreational opportunities Poor community engagement Insecurity in public spaces Implementation area characterization Climate Continental (Cold-summer humid continental, Cold-winter dry continental, Cold-summer dry continental) Ecosystem Urban or built environment Address Iași Romania 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) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Residential Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2024 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2024 End date of the intervention 2025 Present stage of the intervention Ongoing 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention Develop and test an innovative, replicable method of green urban regeneration based on natural solutions (to be decided) and community engagement and involvement in design and planning (1 & 3). Improve the environmental quality of playground spaces in Iasi (1). Address challenges related to high air pollution, noise caused by traffic, and the lack of green spaces in Iasi. Raise awareness about climate change, particularly the urban heat island effect, and promote the benefits of green infrastructure through dissemination of educational materials (5). Identify problems, needs, and solutions for playgrounds through community involvement, with special focus on the elderly, parents, and children (6 & 7). Increase children's access to green spaces and provide recreational areas able to support the cognitive and physical development of children (1, 3). Contribute to the well-being of children and the overall health of the community (5). Aim to create a city-wide strategy adopted as a standard for future playground developments Regenerate an existing playground by adding vegetation, creating shade (1,3,5) Key Priorities Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation) Social Justice and community Sustainability challenge(s) addressed Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13) Climate change adaptation Environmental quality Air quality improvement Noise reduction Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15) Green space creation and/or management Regeneration, land-use and urban development Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development Health and well-being (SDG 3) Creation of opportunities for recreation Enabling opportunities for physical activity Improving physical health Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16) Inclusive governance Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10) Social justice and equity Environmental education Sense of community and community engagement Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect Reducing socio-economic vulnerability to climate impacts (e.g. awareness raising) Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities First, a comprehensive questionnaire was created to identify existing problems, needs, and potential solutions, while also educating participants on climate action and green solutions through dedicated sections using Facebook for dissemination (7). Additionally, the project documented 213 playgrounds in Iași, each averaging 400 square meters, highlighting issues such as air pollution, lack of green elements, heat island effects, and proximity to risk-prone areas. Most of these playgrounds were developed between the 1970s and 1990s (1). To validate the proposed methodology, a pilot test will be conducted at a specific playground in Iași (1 & 3). The study also involves analyzing various factors in the playgrounds, including existing vegetation, the degree of shade, surface and infrastructure quality, and environmental risks like pollution (5). The initiative aims to collaborate with public actors to implement the guide as a local regulation for future playground developments (1 & 3). Although the project is still ongoing and has not yet addressed the "physical" challenges in the playgrounds, it has successfully increased local engagement through the questionnaire and social media outreach. Ultimately one if the playgrounds will be regenerated and re-greened to test the methodology (1 to 7). 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) Knowledge creation and awareness raising Educational and awareness raising programs Strategy, plan or policy development Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans Improved governance of green or blue areas Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches 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 Green playgrounds and school grounds Amenities offered by the NBS Benches and drinking water stations Playgrounds Sports areas and equipment Design elements for well-being None of the above Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Regulating services Local climate regulation (temperature reduction) Air quality regulation Noise reduction Cultural services Recreation Mental and physical health and wellbeing Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational) Scale Spatial scale Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area In the city of Iasi, the age group comprised between 0-9 years old is one of the largest, with a number of 37,157 children (9). With 213 playground in Iasi, that means that on average there is a playground for each 173 children (1). Many kids in the region of which Iasi is part have one parent working in the another country, with one in four mothers from the NE Region (27%) leaves because there is no job nearby, 35% more than the national average (10). Socio-economic profile of the area Unknown Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts Yes Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities Urban heat islands Non-government actors Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches Primary Beneficiaries Local government/Municipality Citizens or community groups Young people and children Specify primary beneficiaries -Local government/Municipality: "The methodology will take the form of a Guide for the green regeneration of playgrounds that will be proposed to the Iași City Hall to be adopted as a local regulation, in order to carry out projects for the regeneration of playgrounds in Iași" (1). -Citizens or community groups: "The answers to the survey help us to better understand the needs and wishes of the community in relation to playgrounds and contribute to the development of a "Guide to the green regeneration of playgrounds" (6). -Young people and children: "Directly contribute to the well-being of children and the health of our communities" (5). Marginalized groups Children, young people or youth groups Elderly people Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups Children and elderly people are included by encouraging them to participate (the children with the help of their respective tutors) in the questionnaire provided to the community through social media (5 & 6). Nonetheless, while the questionnaire it is partly targeted for them their is no specific measure to ensure their participation. Other beneficiaries Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification) Public health (e.g. increased physical activity opportunities, reduced stress) 4. Governance and financing Governance Governance arrangements Led by non-government actors Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative The NGO Civica participated in a contest for funding with a team of experts: a geographer, an architect, an horticultural engineer, an ecologist and a manager and communication specialist, in partnership with a team of the business association "Order of Romanian Architects" (OAR) Iași and representatives from the municipalty of Iasi (1). They won and they received funding from Raiffeisen Comunități (a group from the Raiffeisen bank) and the Asociația pentru Relații Comunitare (an NGO that facilitated connection between Civica and Raiffeisen) (2). Civica started the analysis of the area of interest and reached out to the citizens through social media and a questionnaire (6 & 7). The citizens have been participating in the questionnaire and helped the project win through support on social media (3 & 6 & 7). Key actors - initiating organization Non-government organisation/civil society Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) Local government/municipality Citizens or community group Financial institution Business association or network Stages of citizen and community engagement Planning and design (e.g. site selection, identification of key priorities) Development of project proposal Decision-making among different alternative plans Level of citizen and community engagement Moderate Community empowerment or capacity-building initiatives Implementation of educational programs, workshops or trainings Creation of collaborative decision-making processes that actively involve community members Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping) Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling) Taskforce groups Dissemination of information and education Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls) Citizen science 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" Planului de Acțiune pentru un Oraș Verde (PAOV), Green city Action Plan of Iasi, Green Oasis project (8, p.68-69). Relevant strategy or plan City specific green space strategy or plan Mandatory or voluntary intervention Voluntary (spontaneous) Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation Governace and decison-making instruments Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans) Public - community agreement (e.g. citizen science programs; citizen assemblies) Educational and knowledge sharing instruments (e.g. science/ living labs, awareness raising campaigns, specific educational programs, green hubs) Arrangements for governance cooperation Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups) Task forces or commissions (e.g. group of multi-disciplinary experts) Information-sharing platforms or networks (e.g. websites for sharing best practices, data or resources pertinent to the project) Barriers Unknown. Financing Total cost €50,000 - €100,000 Please specify total cost (EUR) 50,000 (1 & 4). What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? Unknown. Source(s) of funding Private Foundation/Trust Type of fund(s) used Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities) Non-financial contribution Yes Who provided the non-financial contribution? Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services) Citizens (e.g. volunteering) Type of non-financial contribution Provision of land Provision of expertise Co-finance for NBS Unknown Entrepreneurship opportunities No Business models Business models Risk reduction model Local stewardship model Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation) 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 Expected increased green space area Description of environmental benefits -Expected lowered local temperature: "The association shows that four environmental problems have been identified in the city: the urban heat island effect..." (1). -Expected improved air quality: "CIVICA from Iasi, which wants to improve the environmental conditions in the playgrounds in the city of Iasi (...) The health of the little ones could be seriously affected due to the high air pollution in our city and the lack of green spaces" (1). -Expected increased green space area: "From small to large, the participants planted and adopted 33 trees, assuming the responsibility of caring for them in the long term. The land was prepared for the sowing of the first urban meadow in Iași, for testing another type of grassy vegetation, besides lawn, and which would offer more benefits, such as water retention, CO2 capture, biodiversity support, low maintenance costs." (1). Environmental impact indicators Green space area created (in ha) 0,04 Economic impacts Unknown Description of economic benefits Unknown. Social and cultural impacts Social justice and cohesion Improved social cohesion Expected improved social cohesion Improved liveability Expected improved liveability Improved access to urban green space Expected improved access to urban green space Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples Expected increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples Increased opportunities for social interaction Expected increased opportunities for social interaction Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces Health and wellbeing Improved physical health Expected improved physical health Education Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits Achieved increased awareness of NBS and their benefits Social and cultural impact indicators Number of environmental education programs, workshops, outreach activities (eg. in schools, community centers, public spaces) 1 Description of social and cultural benefits -Expected improved social cohesion: "Looking forward to building this community experience together for a greener, more kid-friendly city" (5). -Expected improved liveability: "We aim to contribute to increasing the quality of the environmental conditions related to the playgrounds in Iași" (1). -Expected improved access to urban green space: "We aim to develop and test an innovative green regeneration method based on natural solutions" (3). -Expected increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples: "The survey is addressed to parents, grandparents and all accompanying children who use the playgrounds in Iași" (6). -Expected increased opportunities for social interaction: "We apply the green regeneration methodology by setting up a playground in Iași together with the community" (3). -Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces: "and contribute to the development of a "Guide for the green regeneration of playgrounds" based on which we will set up a playground together with the community" (6). -Expected improved physical health: "Greening playgrounds is one such intervention that directly contributes to the well-being of children and the health of our communities" (5). -Achieved increased awareness of green solutions and their benefits: "We will document and analyze the playgrounds in Iași and nature-based solutions that improve environmental conditions" (5). 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 Non-government organisation/civil society Presence of indicators used in reporting No evidence in public records Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports No evidence in public records Availability of a web-based monitoring tool No evidence in public records Name of any specific impact assessment tools Unknown. Use of GIS in mapping impacts No evidence in public records Cost-benefit analysis No Transparency Inclusion of diverse stakeholders in project governance processes (e.g. planning, implementation, monitoring, etc.) Community forums for information sharing and encouraging the participation of marginalized groups Clear communication channels for stakeholders to provide feedback, raise concerns, and ask questions about the project Public disclosure of project funding sources and/or budgets Justice Community satisfaction Positive: The majority of feedback and reports indicate high levels of satisfaction and appreciation for the NBS project within the community. Description of locals satisfaction with the project The project gathered a lot of community support to achieve the grant from the contest (3). It also receives much support through their content on social media (3 to 6). "Congratulations on the initiative! Good luck!!! We need as many sustainable projects as possible!" "Success! I hope that this wonderful green project will be completed" (3) "Playgrounds must have vegetation, trees. Slides and swings are only for small children, those over 6 need playgrounds designed to use up their energy and strengthen their muscles through play. All playgrounds seen in other European countries also had elements for older children, places to climb from beams, ropes, etc." (5) Trade-offs & Negative impacts Unknown Please specify Trade-offs & Negative impacts Selected 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 No initiatives or policies were implemented 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 Please specify the achievements of the project goals The project is still in its implementation stage and therefore no assessment related to the original goals has been issued. Nevertheless, there are expected benefits: Climate action: -Expected lowered local temperature: "The association shows that four environmental problems have been identified in the city: the urban heat island effect..." (1). -Expected improved air quality: "CIVICA from Iasi, which wants to improve the environmental conditions in the playgrounds in the city of Iasi (...) The health of the little ones could be seriously affected due to the high air pollution in our city and the lack of green spaces" (1). -Expected increased green space area: ""CIVICA from Iasi, which wants to improve the environmental conditions in the playgrounds in the city of Iasi (...) The health of the little ones could be seriously affected due to the high air pollution in our city and the lack of green spaces" (1). Social justice and community: -Expected improved social cohesion: "Looking forward to building this community experience together for a greener, more kid-friendly city" (5). -Expected improved liveability: "We aim to contribute to increasing the quality of the environmental conditions related to the playgrounds in Iași" (1). -Expected improved access to urban green space: "We aim to develop and test an innovative green regeneration method based on natural solutions" (3). -Expected increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples: "The survey is addressed to parents, grandparents and all accompanying children who use the playgrounds in Iași" (6). -Expected increased opportunities for social interaction: "We apply the green regeneration methodology by setting up a playground in Iași together with the community" (3). -Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces: "and contribute to the development of a "Guide for the green regeneration of playgrounds" based on which we will set up a playground together with the community" (6). -Expected improved physical health: "Greening playgrounds is one such intervention that directly contributes to the well-being of children and the health of our communities" (5). -Achieved increased awareness of green solutions and their benefits: "We will document and analyze the playgrounds in Iași and nature-based solutions that improve environmental conditions" (5). Long-term perspective Unknown: No information about the project's long-term sustainability. Cost-effective solutions No Equitable impacts A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project Transformative capacity Social change (e.g. social relationships, networks and dynamics within them) 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 Unknown Perception of Environmental Change Unknown 6. Sources References 1. Sandu, F. (2024). Asociația CIVICA, în cursa pentru un grant de 50.000 de euro. Cum puteți să le susțineți proiectul pentru un Ghid de regenerare verde a spațiilor de joacă - Ziarul de Iaşi - liderul presei ieşene. Ziarul de Iasi , Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. Raiffeisen Comunități (n.d.). Raiffeisen Comunități _ Acceleratorul de ONGuri în sustenabilitate cu granturi totale de 1.000.000 €. Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. Civica (2024). CIVICA - 🍀Suntem în etapa finală din competiția... _ Facebook. Facebook , Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. Civica (2024). CIVICA - Avem o veste foarte bună! 🍀 Proiectul ”𝗢𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗲 -... _ Facebook. Facebook , Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. Civica (2024). CIVICA - 𝗩𝗿𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺 𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗻𝗮 𝘂𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘂 𝗱𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗮 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘂... _ Facebook. Facebook , Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 6. Civica (2024). CIVICA - Vești bune! Am dat startul primelor activități din... _ Facebook. Facebook , Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 7. Civica (2024). Sondaj privind nevoile referitoare la utilizarea spațiilor de joacă din Municipiul Iași. Accessed on September 7, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 8. Primaria Iasi (2023 ). Green City Action Plan, City of Iasi . p. 68 & 69. Accessed on September 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 9. Populatia Ro (n.d.). Populația Municipiului Iași, Jud. Iași - 2023 _ Populatia.ro. Accessed on September 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 10. AgerPress (2024). Iaşi_ Cei mai mulţi copii cu părinţi în străinătate, în regiunea Nord-Est; _Am nevoie de tine aici_ _ AGERPRES • Actualizează lumea.. Accessed on September 8, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; Comments and notes Comments In the questionnaire they area many problems and solutions that could be possible to identify and/or adress that are not identified in general communication announcements, examples are noise or biodiversity solutions (7). Public Images Image Poster announcing the project https://www.facebook.com/asociatiacivica.ro/posts/pfbid0vShL42CeJfUANqEW63PAydSfS3w9KVEU83s9qy3gTEgcn4YPeDj7ey4opaqoaNBTl Image Oaze urbane https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=493017179948418&set=pcb.493023606614442 Image Oaze urbane https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=493017179948418&set=pcb.493023606614442 Image Measurement of outdoor temperature in one specific playground https://www.facebook.com/asociatiacivica.ro/posts/pfbid0vShL42CeJfUANqEW63PAydSfS3w9KVEU83s9qy3gTEgcn4YPeDj7ey4opaqoaNBTl
Image Poster announcing the project https://www.facebook.com/asociatiacivica.ro/posts/pfbid0vShL42CeJfUANqEW63PAydSfS3w9KVEU83s9qy3gTEgcn4YPeDj7ey4opaqoaNBTl
Image Measurement of outdoor temperature in one specific playground https://www.facebook.com/asociatiacivica.ro/posts/pfbid0vShL42CeJfUANqEW63PAydSfS3w9KVEU83s9qy3gTEgcn4YPeDj7ey4opaqoaNBTl
