Provision of expertise

Iasi is a city with a relatively high number of parks and this NBS is part of an initiative of the municipality of Iasi to restore green area affected by the passage of time. The green space in the Orăşel Park was inhomogeneous as vegetation with unpopulated areas of trees (the centre of the park) in contrast to agglomerated vegetation areas.
The growth of woody vegetation had in some respects changed the appearance of the landscape ensemble, creating agglomerations of shrubs and trees. As such the municipality took the decision to rehabilitate the area (1)

This NBS was developed in 2015 by the Romanian Association of Permaculture in order to bring nature and its benefits in the middle of the city. The approach was to implement a vegetable garden in a high school in Iasi located in a quarter dominated by building blocks. The implementers had in mind to reconnect children with nature, to present to them the organic process of how food is produced and to teach them basic occupational skills (1)

The Institute of Landschaft and Freiraum together with Grün Stadt Zürich and ETH Zürich is developing a project on how plant biodiversity in the city of Zurich can be maintained through urban ecological design. In collaboration with the University of Lausanne, they will assess fragmentation effects on the species, functional and genetic diversity of wildflower patches, and, more specifically, on the population viability, evolutionary potential and connectivity of selected model species. These results will feed directly into the biodiversity programme at Zurich’s office of parks and open spaces (Grün Stadt Zürich). (Ref 1)

The association Codifas started its own initiative to inform citizens on the danger of practising traditional agriculture, and the advantages of sustainable agriculture. The initiative has been implemented by applying the concept of social inclusion, which means that young people from foreign countries (Ghana, Senegal etc.) were involved in the project and they helped to realize it. Together with the goal of social inclusion, the project has important benefits in terms of sustainable production and consumption. The whole area for cultivation has been divided into several plots, for those citizens who are willing to cultivate it. (Ref.1.)

The garden is an opportunity for training, leisure and coexistence where the teaching of ecological gardening is combined with the love of plants and the social use of land. Consolidated in just one year as a training point for the unemployed without losing that playful-neighborhood component with which it opened its doors. In it the volunteers develop a methodology of teaching that facilitates the socialization and the reintegration work when acquiring knowledge in gardening and carpentry. (ref 1)

The winners of Smogathon 2016 suggested building a large green wall in the centre of Kraków. Based on the modern technologies the artificially placed wall made of metal and moss would clean local air, lower the temperature, retain water, increase biodiversity and serve as a decoration for the city centre [1,2]. The project was not completed due to lack of scientific data on its effectiveness and the weak price and outcomes balance; the city is still searching for more economical and practical solutions [6].

This NBS is part of a national campaign that was first implemented in 1936 and it deals with an entire month through which local authorities alongside public institutions proceed at plant a large number of trees. The action was resumed in 2008. The Forest Month, how it was named initially, has been over time an opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of forests, and their essential role in maintaining ecological balance. The current name - Planting month Tree- is regulated by the Romanian Forest Code. (1)

The City of Milan intends to carry out a functional intervention in the valley of Ticinello for the strengthening of the environmental matrix and of the structural characteristics aimed at improving the ecological connection. The project, which aims to contribute to the valorisation, strengthening and conservation of the natural heritage, as well as expand local biodiversity, through the realization of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, is necessary for the realization, development and enhancement of large-scale ecological corridors already identified by the instruments of territorial planning (1).

An urban garden on a private citizen's terrace in the city of Aix en Provence, has been created with the help of the organization "Pays d'Aix en Transition" working towards permaculture and urban gardening. The main objective of this urban garden is to produce vegetables and fruit for personal consumption, to install plants in a very urban environment, and use permaculture techniques. Another objective is to grow climbing plants to decorate the walls. (Ref.1 )

Cardiff City Council and Urban Buzz brought together local organizations, community groups supporting wildlife, to create environments to encourage more bees, butterflies, hoverflies and other insects. (ref 1). One project inspired by Urban Buzz is Pharma Bee, a project housed and run by Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, that worked to create a bee-friendly campus through their PharmaBees team (ref 7). In association with Urban Buzz, a project run by BugLife, it renovated the Cardiff University’s Redwood Building by planting bee-friendly plants (ref 2), installed beehives and trained bee-keepers (ref 7). The efforts were then expanded to the Hayden Ellis building on Cardiff University's campus (ref 7).