1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Kraków
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Obsadzanie ekranów akustycznych roślinnością
Short description of the intervention
The project resulted in new greenery (shrubs and various types of vines) at acoustic screens on two busy streets (Grota-Roweckiego and Bobrzyńskiego) in Kraków. It used over a dozen species of ivy, vines and shrubs, which would lushly cover the screens, absorb the dust and help to fight city smog in a span of a few years. The initiative was implemented with the help of the citizens – residents and employees of surrounding companies, who planted the greenery under the experts' supervision [1,2].
The pilot project was implemented in 2016, whereas the main project is still ongoing with an aim to cover more screens across the city [1,3].
Address

ul. Grota-Roweckiego
ul. Bobrzyńskiego
Kraków
Poland

Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
Screens by two busy roads on the industrial and residential suburbs of the city.
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2016
End date of the intervention
2016
Present stage of the intervention
Please specify "other" stage of the intervention
The pilot project was implemented in 2016, whereas the main project is still ongoing with an aim to cover more screens across the city [1,3].
Goals of the intervention
1) To improve the local quality of air by busy roads protected by screens;
2) To radically enhance the perception of the whole district;
3) To provide a natural solution to absorb dust and pollution;
4) To engage the local community in the implementation [4].


Quantitative targets
The pilot project by the two streets is supposed to lead to similar projects by eight other streets [2].
Monitoring indicators defined
Reduction of local dust and pollution [6].
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"
Citizen involvement
Implementation activities
1. Planting over a dozen species of ivy, vines and shrubs on the acoustic screens along the communication lines in the city [4].
2. During the pilot stage of the project, 1,5 km of the acoustic screens were covered with around a thousand seedlings. As soon as they grow, one square meter of such plants will be able to absorb up to 6 grams of harmful dust from the air per day [5].

Type of NBS project
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Nature on buildings (external)
Green walls or facades
Other
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Please specify "other external building green"
Acoustic screens by busy inner city roads [1,3].
Type of Green Wall
Vegetation Type
Amenities offered by the NBS
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Air quality regulation
Mediation of smell / noise / visual impacts
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Governance
Non-government actors
Citizens or community groups
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The citizens' group developed the project proposal and applied for funding from the participatory city budget. The local citizens' initiatives were also involved in the project's implementation - both during its pilot and main stages (the latter with the supervision of the city's urban green management body) [1,3].
Key actors - initiating organization
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Citizens or community group
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an 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"
All the projects submitted to the Cracow participatory budget have to be compatible with the statue of the city district in which they would be implemented, as well as with the city plans, policies and programs (including spatial development plans, City Council resolutions and decrees of the city mayor), with law (including property rights law), and they have to be implemented on the lands belonging to the municipality.(8)

Additionally, this particular initiative is referred to as a part of a bigger plan to plant dust-absorbing greens along the communication lines in Cracow.(2)
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
Voluntary project proposal developed by the citizens.
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The initiative is referred to as a part of a long-term scheme to plant dust-absorbing plants along the communication lines in Cracow [2].
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Please specify other vegetation type
Vines
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The pilot stage of the project could be considered here, as the initial small-scale citizens' initiative to plant the greenery on the acoustic screens was implemented based on the local project "Districts are planning" (Dzielnice Planują).(2)
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Participatory budget of Cracow.(1)
Funds for the pilot project came from the local budget of the District VIII 'Dębniki'.(2)
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Financing
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
31.450 PLN (around 7.500 EUR)
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
unknown
Please specify cost savings
unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
31.450 PLN (around 7.500 EUR) [1]
Source(s) of funding
Type of fund(s) used
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Business models
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Type of innovation
Please specify social innovation
'We plant greenery on the acoustic screens!' was the first citizens' initiative in Cracow, which utilized the cooperation between local government units and the local community for this type of project.(3)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The first cooperation between local government units and the local community for this type of project. (3)
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
unknown
Impacts, benefits
Description of environmental benefits
During the pilot stage of the project, 1,5 km of the acoustic screens were covered with around a thousand seedlings. According to research-based expectations, one square meter of such plants is able to absorb up to 6 grams of harmful dust from the air per day [5]. The plants increase the aesthetic experience of neighbourhoods where they appeared and provide one more layer for an acoustic screen - a barrier for noise [2].
Economic impacts
Description of economic benefits
unknown
Description of social and cultural benefits
The initiative was implemented with the help of the citizens – residents and employees of surrounding companies, who planted the greenery under the experts' supervision [1,2].
Type of reported impacts
Indicators
Reduction of noise; Reduction of dust and pollution - one square meter of the selected plants is able to absorb up to 6 grams of harmful dust from the air per day [5]
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of August of 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
The local citizens' initiatives were also involved in the supervision of the city green management body.(1)(3)
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
City Council resolution (203.14 KB) 203.14 KB
List of references
1. City council projects' progress webpage,(2017) 'State of implementation of projects from the III edition of the participatory budget' ('Stan realizacji zadań III edycji budżetu obywatelskiego'), http://agd.um.krakow.pl/publikacja/view.php?id_publikacji=641 (Accessed: 29 August 2020).
2.Online article on krakow.pl, (2016), 'Plants will help to fight the smog' ('Rośliny pomogą walczyć z pyłami'),http://krakow.pl/aktualnosci/196817,29,komunikat,rosliny_pomoga_walczyc_z_pylami.html (Accessed: 29 August 2020).
3. ngo.krakow.pl, 'Local Initiative Let's plant Screens - sample profile' ('Inicjatywa Lokalna Wysadzamy Ekrany - profil przykładowy'),
http://ngo.krakow.pl/io11 (Accessed: 29 August 2020).
4. ngo.krakow.pl, (2016) 'Civic budget project 2016 - planting greenery' ('Projekt do Budżetu Obywatelskiego 2016 - nasadzenia roślin'), http://ngo.krakow.pl/wip/news,36,wip.html Accessed: 20 July 2017). Link not available in 2020.
5. Gruca., J., 'Green screens will be planted to dimish smog' ('Obsadzają ekrany by zmniejszyć smog'), http://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/krakow/wysadzaja-ekrany-roslinami/f45mgdh (Accessed: 29 August 2020).
6. Rąpalski,P., (2016) 'Cracow: plants that will help to fight smog' ('Kraków. Rośliny pomogą w walce ze smogiem'), http://krakow.naszemiasto.pl/artykul/krakow-rosliny-pomoga-w-walce-ze-smogiem,3621092,art,t,id,tm.html (Accessed: 29 August 2020).
7. Gurgul, A., (2016), 'They plant acoustic screens on Ruczaj. To absorb dust' ('Obsadzą roślinami ekrany akustyczne na Ruczaju. By chłonęły pyły'), http://krakow.wyborcza.pl/krakow/1,35798,19447285,obsadza-roslinami-ekrany-akustyczne-na-ruczaju-by-chlonely.html (Accessed: 29 August 2020).
8.(See attachment) 'RESOLUTION NO. XXXIV / 566/15 CITY COUNCIL OF KRAKOW December 16, 2015 On the Regulations of Citizens' Budget of the City of Cracow' ('UCHWAŁA NR XXXIV/566/15 RADY MIASTA KRAKOWA z dnia 16 grudnia 2015 r. w sprawie Regulaminu budżetu obywatelskiego Miasta Krakowa')
Comments and notes
Public Images
Image
Green Acoustic Screens by Grota-Roweckiego Street
Green Acoustic Screens by Grota-Roweckiego Street
Katarzyna Przyjemska-Grzesik („Cracow in Green” Team), retrieved 0/15/2018
Image
Green Acoustic Screens by Grota-Roweckiego Street
Green Acoustic Screens by Grota-Roweckiego Street
Katarzyna Przyjemska-Grzesik („Cracow in Green” Team), retrieved 0/15/2018
Image
Green Acoustic Screens by Grota-Roweckiego Street
Green Acoustic Screens by Grota-Roweckiego Street
Katarzyna Przyjemska-Grzesik („Cracow in Green” Team), retrieved 0/15/2018