1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Ljubljana
Region
Europe
Short description of the intervention
Revitalization of Rakova Jelša includes cleaning of the informal waste area and renovating it in a park which connects the city with the Marsh Landscape Park. In two phases, the park area was arranged together with the children's playground and the footbridge over Lahov graben. The possibility of regulated urban self-sufficient agriculture or gardens in the immediate vicinity of the city center means the added value of this area. (1)
Address

Barjanska cesta
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary
POINT (14.497866 46.025361)
POINT (14.501153 46.02501)
POINT (14.501508 46.023604)
POINT (14.497032 46.02379)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Google maps. Available at: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rakova+Jel%C5%A1a,+1000+Ljubljana,+Slovenia/@46.0242004,14.4984771,337m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47652d059c5a3eb1:0x22af9abf4bce44d9!8m2!3d46.0245109!4d14.5001201. Accessed on 5th November, 2020.
Total area
75000.00m²
NBS area
75000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Public Greenspace Area
Website of the intervention
https://www.ljubljana.si/sl/moja-ljubljana/ljubljana-zate/pregled-vseh-projekto…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2014
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2014
End date of the intervention
2017
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
The goal of the project was to link the city with Ljubljana Marsh Landscape Park on the N – S axis towards the Ljubljanica and to transform the degraded land into recreational areas by cleaning it up, greening it and adding street furniture. The aim was also to revitalize the whole neighbourhood which has a poor reputation due to immigrants who settled there and to include them in the governance of the area and to improve the quality of life in the area (1).
Quantitative targets
Planting 99 trees, setting up barbecue points, cutting the grass on 24,000 sqm (3)
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of trees planted, area on which the grass has been cut, invasive specied removed
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change mitigation
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Environmental quality
Air quality improvement
Waste management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Improving mental health
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Sequester and store carbon
Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
Invest in public transport/bicycle infrastructure as a means to prevent car use
Implementation activities
The project includes setting up of a children's playground in the Rakova jelša park and a footbridge over Lahov graben, the arrangement of the city gardens and the Rakova jelša city / public orchard and arrangement of the park area with picnic areas and connected the city with the Ljubljansko barje landscape park. The implementation activities included, laying out of sandy footpaths between areas and new info boards, installment of wooden street furniture and a small children's playground. The project has set up a walking axis from the city to the entrance to the Landscape Park. A once degraded environment has been ecologically renaturalised, grass was cut and planted with native trees. Additonaly, another public orchard has been developed in Rakova Jelša as well as communal gardens were built. (1 and 3)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Transformation of previously derelict areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Parks and urban forests
Large urban parks or forests
Community gardens and allotments
Other
Please specify "other allotments and community gardens"
Public Orchard
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
Unknown
Vegetation Type
Grass
Trees
Please specify how many trees were planted
99
Amenities offered by the NBS
Playgrounds
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Regulating services
Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)
Air quality regulation
Carbon storage/sequestration
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Young people and children
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The initiative was introduced by an NGO, which is an indication of civil society's interest in the quality of urban green spaces. The project began to develop in the frame of the exhibition series entitled THE VISIONS EXIST by the Architects’ Society of Ljubljana, which draws attention to overlooked issues regarding Ljubljana and its numerous unused areas. Later on, the municipality took over the organization and investment of the project. The new park is located on city land. Other stakeholders were the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, which offered suggestions for native tree species, and the Ljubljana Marsh Nature Park, which has prepared a permanent exhibition in the park about the pile dwellers on Ljubljana's marshes. (4)
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Public sector institution
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
Directly related to European Green Capital status of Ljubljana in 2016 and the 7th EAP(1).
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"
In the Urban Master Plan of Ljubljana (The City of Ljubljana, 2010), 83% of all city development is directed towards the renewal of existing developed areas and brown fields (4).
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
Initiated by the citizens, then as part of Green Ljubljana campaign developed further.
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Vision Ljubljana 2025 and Ljubljana's Environmental Protection Program 2014–2020 (1 and 4)

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section
In terms of biodiversity, Ljubljana's Environmental Protection Program 2014–2020 involves preservation and improvement of the current state of biodiversity. The spatial plan of Ljubljana strongly emphasizes revitalization of the brownfield areas (4).
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
City specific climate change policy or plan
Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
EU Green Capital Awards
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
Unknown
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?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
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)
Total: € 1221854
Children's playground in the Rakova jelša park and a footbridge over Lahov graben: € 138,573
Arrangement of the city gardens and the Rakova jelša city / public orchard: € 875,808
Arranged a park area with picnic areas and connected the city with the Ljubljansko barje landscape park: € 207,473 (1)
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Business models
Green densification model
Urban offsetting model (biodiversity or water)
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Type of innovation
Social
Governance innovation
Please specify social innovation
Intervention initiated by citizens. Also, an important lesson of the project is that opening up space for public use not only prevents degradation, but also improves the quality of urban ecosystems. (Nastran and Regina, 2016)
Novelty level of the innovation
Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Not specified what the intervention is based on, but one analysis suggests it is innovative as it was incentivised by the civil society, which then allowed the municipal authorities to discover the issue and revitalise the area. The publich orchard component was already applied to the Grba orchard (3). Similar initiatives already exist as spatial plan of Ljubljana strongly emphasizes revitalization of the brownfield areas (Nastran and Regina, 2016).
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Environmental quality
Improved air quality
Improved waste management
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Reduced biodiversity loss
Increased number of species present
Restoration of derelict areas
Description of environmental benefits
1. The project has converted a waste area into a public park. 2. This has increased the total green space within the city. 3. More than 99 trees were planted along with the creation of grassland and meadows over 24,000 sq m. 4. This has improved the species diversity in the area protecting it from biodiversity loss. 5. The trees planted also contributes to improving the area's air quality (1 and 3).
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Safety
Increased perception of safety
Decreased crime rates
Social justice and cohesion
Improved social cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Health and wellbeing
Improved physical health
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Description of social and cultural benefits
1. The project area is located near the city’s landfill and the most degraded residential area of former immigrants'settlements. In the past, the area was characterized by high crime rates. The project has solved these issues and provided safety to the citizens. 2. It has provided the residents with a place where they can enjoy nature and socialize at the same time. 3. The playground has attracted many children and provides them with all the necessary infrastructure. 4. With a footbridge the place provides access to visitors and users of the city park Rakova jelša. 5. The newly built footpath enables visitors to take a stroll around the area (36,450 square meters of sand and 340 square meters of asphalt in newly laid out walking-recreational areas). ( 1, 3 and 5)
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Sandy footpaths, new info boards, wooden street furniture (35 benches, 7 rubbish bins, 20 posts, and 14 info boards), number of visitors including children. (1 and 3)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Environmental quality
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
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 November, 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
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
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
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Green Ljubljana on the project Rakova Jelša
Green Surge report on the project Rakova Jelša
Ljubljana Municipality Rakova Jelša project description
List of references
1. Green Ljubljana. (2016) Rakova Jelša. available at http://www.greenljubljana.com/funfacts/rakova-jelsa. [site under construction as on 5th November, 2020]
2. Száraz, L. and Nastran, M. (2015) Ljubljana, Case Study City Portrait; part of a GREEN SURGE study on urban green infrastructure planning and governance in 20 European cities. available at https://www.academia.edu/21983744/Ljubljana_Case_Study_City_Portrait_part_of_a_GREEN_SURGE_study_on_urban_green_infrastructure_planning_and_governance_in_20_European_cities. accessed on 5th November, 2020.
3. Ljubljana Municipality. (2016) Rakova Jelša. available at https://www.ljubljana.si/sl/moja-ljubljana/ljubljana-zate/pregled-vseh-projektov/park-rakova-jelsa/. accessed on 5th November, 2020.
4. Nastran Mojca and Regina Helene (2016) Advancing urban ecosystem governance in Ljubljana. Environmental Science & Policy Volume 62, August 2016, Pages 123-126. available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S146290111530006X. accessed on 5th November, 2020.
5. BigSee (n.d.) City park Rakova Jelša. available at https://bigsee.eu/city-park-rakova-jelsa/. accessed on 5th November, 2020.


Comments and notes
Pictures of the NBS
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/jelsa1.jpg
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/jelsa3.jpg
Public Images
Revitalization of Rakova Jelša
Revitalization of Rakova Jelša
City of Ljubljana Photo Archives, retrieved 09/04/2018 from Alja Bebar (Office for Public Relations)