Provision of land

Interkultural Garten was founded in 2009 as an initiative of the Society for the Promotion of Occupational and Social Integration. The aims of the project are social integration between migrants and locals from the same neighborhood, healthy and free-off-charge food supply for those who are in need, as well as the improvement of the natural environment in the neighborhood. The garden plot is located on the former Reese barracks ground (Ref. 1).

The intervention is a project of historic memory, it seeks to pay tribute to those individuals who were taken and assassinated as part of the resistance movement during the Civil War and the Franco dictatorship by planting a forest with Mediterranean species. In the forest, each tree represents one of these persons, thus combining aspects of recent history with the natural environment. (ref 1) Each tree represents real people, as the project collaborated with the families of the victims (Ref 1), to create a space of conscience about what happened in the Franco's period, as well as a memorial for them.

Huerto del Miravete is one of the several school gardens that have been supported by municipal, regional and national policies for environmental education on orchards. Huerto del Miravete was a two-year-long project, for the creation of a school garden and irrigation system for use by students in the elementary school system. (Ref 1)The presented intervention is an effort to introduce students to the traditional orchards of the region and the labours involved with them, and to educate on ecological processes through student participation in the garden.

The acronym VERDIR stands for Sustainable Rehabilitation and Responsible Innovation (Valorisation de l’Environnement par la Réhabilitation Durable et l’Innovation Responsable) and is a project of the University of Liège, about the development of local economic activities based on urban and peri-urban agriculture. It aims to convert existing brownfield sites according to the needs of the population. This involves the large-scale production of vegetables and plants which can be used for food but also for the pharmaceutical industry and the production of biomass, which is increasingly needed (Ref. 1).

3000 trees were planted on 7 decares of land by 500 volunteers in park Zapaden on Earth day (22 April) in 2017. The initiative was supported by the Municipality of Sofia, and had the aim of making the city cleaner, greener, and more beautiful. The initiative also compensated for the illegal logging which had taken place in the park. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2; Ref. 3)

Until the 1990's Bidston Moss was a landfill site and was "unsafe for public access", thus giving a negative impression (close to several residential areas). Restoring work begun in 1995, and in 2006 development started in Bidston Moss through a Newlands scheme: including new features and landscape enhancements to “unlock the full potential” of the area (“as a valued and well-used community woodland for local people and wildlife.”). (Ref. 1, 2)

The entire neighbourhood area was calling for interventions, considering the conditions of decay of this part of the city. The initiative was requested by the residents of the area, in particular considering the state of plants and trees. What needs to be provided is a new surface of grass to replace the terrain on the ground to avoid problems of flooding and new plantations. The park has an important function in terms of mitigation of anthropogenic pressures, but also in terms of social value for the residents. (Ref.1.)

The project was started by a group of local people with the aim of turning a barren piece of land into allotments. The aim was to benefit residents/members of the public by growing their own (local) food (and learning e.g. how to grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers for wildlife as well as bee-keeping). 29 allotments were created. (Ref. 1, 2, 3)

The association Legambiente Catania has presented a project to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the Cibali forest, a natural reserve in Catania close to the volcano Etna. The area has been subjected to strong anthropogenic pressures in the last decades, and the area is home of several species of flora and fauna. The main aim of this intervention Is to protect endangered species and to preserve the services the forest provides in terms of air quality regulation and heat mitigation. In addition, the entire zone is a cultural heritage for the whole island (Ref.1.)

North Wirral Coastal Rangers and volunteers are working together to plant discarded Christmas trees to stabilise sand dunes between Leasowe Bay and the Gunsite area of the North Wirral Coastal Park. The Christmas trees help to catch and trap sand blowing in from the beach and in a few years will create artificial dune shapes, benefiting plants and animals. (Ref. 1)

In 2016 the Rangers and volunteers undertook a dune restoration project at the Gunsite. They advertised for the public to drop off their old Christmas trees at a collection point. The trees were then used to reinforce the dunes and trap sand. This was very successful and in 2017 they continued with the project, again with great success. In 2018 they ran a high profile social media campaign using Twitter and Facebook, asking for more Christmas Trees. This has generated a huge response and generated over 900 trees. It also prompted Radio Merseyside to interview Dave Stevenson, the Coastal Ranger, over the project and how it was helping to stabilize and re-establish the dunes (Ref 8).