GLAS Garden in Ballymun
The GLAS Garden in Ballymun was established in 2011 by the NGO Global Action Plan, serving as a community-driven initiative that offers a welcoming and accessible space where people of all ages and abilities can engage with nature, learn new skills, and build connections within their community. The garden is actively utilized on a weekly basis by various groups, including St. Michael’s House, Saol Clubhouse, the Central Remedial Clinic, Ballark Youth Training, and Young Ballymun. It features a polytunnel for year-round growing, a whimsical fairy garden, and numerous microhabitats, including a pond, composting systems, a grow dome, and an innovative rainwater harvesting system made from recycled plastic bottles.
As part of the social regeneration program for Ballymun, the Green Living and Sustainability (GLAS) community garden has been operated by Global Action Plan (GAP) since its inception. It is supported by Dublin City Council under the Social Regeneration Fund and serves as a hub for environmental education and social inclusion in the area.
GAP’s GLAS garden brings together individuals of all ages and abilities, providing a socially inclusive space for participatory learning and active exploration of sustainability. It plays a crucial role in helping individuals and groups reduce their carbon footprint, produce organic food, and enjoy nature, thus transforming the garden into a space for positive change. (1-5)
As part of the social regeneration program for Ballymun, the Green Living and Sustainability (GLAS) community garden has been operated by Global Action Plan (GAP) since its inception. It is supported by Dublin City Council under the Social Regeneration Fund and serves as a hub for environmental education and social inclusion in the area.
GAP’s GLAS garden brings together individuals of all ages and abilities, providing a socially inclusive space for participatory learning and active exploration of sustainability. It plays a crucial role in helping individuals and groups reduce their carbon footprint, produce organic food, and enjoy nature, thus transforming the garden into a space for positive change. (1-5)
There is Life in My Neighborhood
The "Há Vida no Meu Bairro" project is an innovative urban initiative led by the Lisbon City Council aimed at transforming the city into a "15-minute city." This concept ensures that all essential urban functions, such as commerce, green spaces, education, sports, culture, health, and social support, are within a 15-minute walk from residents' homes. The project promotes neighbourhood identity, quality of life, active mobility, and the development of safer, more comfortable public spaces. By integrating these elements, the initiative seeks to create multifunctional neighbourhoods where daily needs can be met locally, reducing dependence on cars and enhancing pedestrian accessibility (Ref 1).
Lisbon's approach is both city-wide and neighbourhood-specific, with pilot projects being developed in collaboration with the city's 24 parishes. These projects focus on improving public spaces and pedestrian mobility, reinforcing the city's commitment to sustainability and community engagement (Ref 2). The initiative also emphasizes the importance of public participation, encouraging residents to contribute to the design and development of their neighbourhoods and enhancement of local identity and green spaces (Ref 3).
Lisbon's approach is both city-wide and neighbourhood-specific, with pilot projects being developed in collaboration with the city's 24 parishes. These projects focus on improving public spaces and pedestrian mobility, reinforcing the city's commitment to sustainability and community engagement (Ref 2). The initiative also emphasizes the importance of public participation, encouraging residents to contribute to the design and development of their neighbourhoods and enhancement of local identity and green spaces (Ref 3).
GLAS Community Garden in Blanchardstown
A community garden opened in 2023 on the Technological University (TU) Dublin Blanchardstown campus. This environmental education and social inclusion project is a collaborative effort involving Fingal County Council, Global Action Plan Ireland, TU Dublin, and the local community. It provides a space for local groups and schools to grow fresh produce, reconnect with nature, and foster a stronger sense of community.
Rooted in a successful template developed by Global Action Plan in Ballymun, this initiative promotes social and cultural inclusion alongside environmental education. The Green Living & Sustainability Community Garden (GLAS) aims to create an inclusive environment that welcomes individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. More than a site for cultivating plants, flowers, and vegetables, the garden serves as a hub for fostering social connections, enhancing well-being, and offering valuable educational opportunities.
The garden provides individuals with the chance to engage in social horticulture, exploring the connections between food, health, biodiversity, and global issues such as climate change. It operates on organic and regenerative principles, with all tasks and harvests shared by volunteers. Additionally, the garden will support youth gardening projects and public workshops on topics such as growing food, composting, water harvesting, and waste management. Beyond its environmental benefits, the garden helps people connect with one another, positively impacting social, physical, and mental well-being.
Rooted in a successful template developed by Global Action Plan in Ballymun, this initiative promotes social and cultural inclusion alongside environmental education. The Green Living & Sustainability Community Garden (GLAS) aims to create an inclusive environment that welcomes individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. More than a site for cultivating plants, flowers, and vegetables, the garden serves as a hub for fostering social connections, enhancing well-being, and offering valuable educational opportunities.
The garden provides individuals with the chance to engage in social horticulture, exploring the connections between food, health, biodiversity, and global issues such as climate change. It operates on organic and regenerative principles, with all tasks and harvests shared by volunteers. Additionally, the garden will support youth gardening projects and public workshops on topics such as growing food, composting, water harvesting, and waste management. Beyond its environmental benefits, the garden helps people connect with one another, positively impacting social, physical, and mental well-being.
National Botanical Garden
Peru is classified as one of the 17 most biodiverse countries in the world, so biodiversity and its conservation are important national aspects (2, 3, 4). However, one-third of the native flora currently assessed is threatened (3, 4). Thus, the creation of the Botanical Garden represents the opening of a space to learn about, study and conserve the national flora by strengthening Peruvian society's awareness of its value (4, 5).
The Botanical Garden is in its early stages of development and is not open to the public yet, but its development and implementation have the support of several associations such as the British Council, Concytec, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Culture, the British Embassy and the Asociación Pro Jardín Botánico Nacional de Lima (1). The initiative has been incorporated as part of the Bicentennial City project of the Ministry of Environment in Ancon (6).
The implementation began in 2021 on a 10-hectare plot of land donated by the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (UNALM) in Lima (3), and it will be carried out in several stages. An Inter-Institutional Committee has been established to oversee its development (3). In addition, it is planned to extend the idea of botanical gardens to other regions of the country, creating a network that will allow the conservation and study of flora in different contexts (4, 5), as the purpose of its development is to condense in one place all the biological richness of the country (7).
With this project, they aim to strengthen the conservation of plant species, the generation of inputs for education, and as a source of cultural spaces and for the well-being of its citizens, among others (1, 2). The Botanical Garden is intended to house a select sample of the more than 25,000 species in Peru, emphasising those that are endemic, threatened and of social, cultural and economic relevance (8).
The Botanical Garden is in its early stages of development and is not open to the public yet, but its development and implementation have the support of several associations such as the British Council, Concytec, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Culture, the British Embassy and the Asociación Pro Jardín Botánico Nacional de Lima (1). The initiative has been incorporated as part of the Bicentennial City project of the Ministry of Environment in Ancon (6).
The implementation began in 2021 on a 10-hectare plot of land donated by the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (UNALM) in Lima (3), and it will be carried out in several stages. An Inter-Institutional Committee has been established to oversee its development (3). In addition, it is planned to extend the idea of botanical gardens to other regions of the country, creating a network that will allow the conservation and study of flora in different contexts (4, 5), as the purpose of its development is to condense in one place all the biological richness of the country (7).
With this project, they aim to strengthen the conservation of plant species, the generation of inputs for education, and as a source of cultural spaces and for the well-being of its citizens, among others (1, 2). The Botanical Garden is intended to house a select sample of the more than 25,000 species in Peru, emphasising those that are endemic, threatened and of social, cultural and economic relevance (8).
PON Metro Cagliari - Green Areas
In January 2024, the municipality of Cagliari inaugurated three new green areas in the city, adding five and a half hectares of green spaces for residents to enjoy. These areas are located between Keplero, Avicenna, and Parigi streets, not far from the city center (Refs. 1 & 2).
The primary goal of this initiative is to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly rising temperatures. The green areas are designed to reduce the city's heat island effect and contribute to carbon sequestration. The planting of new trees will also help maintain ecosystems and improve environmental conditions in targeted areas . Special attention was given to soil quality, with most projects incorporating walkways equipped with drainage systems (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Additionally, the new infrastructure aims to foster social engagement and attract more citizens, who will benefit from these improvements. (Refs. 1 & 2).
This initiative is also expected to boost the local economy by encouraging the development of small complementary services (Ref. 3). It is part of a larger municipal project co-funded by the EU.
The primary goal of this initiative is to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly rising temperatures. The green areas are designed to reduce the city's heat island effect and contribute to carbon sequestration. The planting of new trees will also help maintain ecosystems and improve environmental conditions in targeted areas . Special attention was given to soil quality, with most projects incorporating walkways equipped with drainage systems (Refs. 1, 2, & 4). Additionally, the new infrastructure aims to foster social engagement and attract more citizens, who will benefit from these improvements. (Refs. 1 & 2).
This initiative is also expected to boost the local economy by encouraging the development of small complementary services (Ref. 3). It is part of a larger municipal project co-funded by the EU.
Dublin’s Darndale Park
This project aimed to create an urban forest that will grow within Dublin’s Darndale Park, which is popular among students and sports clubs. The objective is to offer the community a green area where they can gather, appreciate nature, and enhance their knowledge about it. The new forest will act as a windbreak for the nearby fishing pond and aims to address challenges related to heatwaves that endanger the lives of young and elderly people. To foster a sense of inclusion and unity, the forest is designed in a doughnut shape, consisting of 3,000 native species like oaks, birch, willow, and hazel, with the trees forming the outer ring (1, 2). This urban forestation initiative is a component of the Uforest project, which is funded by the European Commission and supported by Etifor (environmental consulting company established within the Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry of the University of Padua) and Ersaf (an instrumental body of the Lombardy Region) . The Uforest project seeks to enhance Europe's innovation capacity by fostering collaboration among universities, cities, and businesses to develop a novel approach to urban forestry (1).
Grangegorman Community Garden
The Grangegorman Community Garden is a collaborative project involving several stakeholders in restoring a neglected space within the TU Dublin campus and transforming it into a community garden. The project emerged from a partnership between academic and service departments of the university, a primary school, a land development agency, a multinational organization, and a property estate agent.
The project's ultimate goal is to establish a permanent community garden with strong investment, ensuring ongoing support for current users and welcoming a new, diverse group of participants. (1,6)
Launched at the start of 2024, the project focuses on rejuvenating the space, with restoration efforts continuing until December 2024. The garden features four allotment-style beds separated by gravel paths and is surrounded by 12 foliage beds (Ref 1). The initiative aims to provide educational opportunities centered on sustainability and horticulture, while also developing a sustainable, collaborative governance framework for the garden (Ref 6). It aligns with various national, local, and inter-organizational frameworks, strategies, and plans related to community engagement, biodiversity, and climate action (Ref 1).
The project's ultimate goal is to establish a permanent community garden with strong investment, ensuring ongoing support for current users and welcoming a new, diverse group of participants. (1,6)
Launched at the start of 2024, the project focuses on rejuvenating the space, with restoration efforts continuing until December 2024. The garden features four allotment-style beds separated by gravel paths and is surrounded by 12 foliage beds (Ref 1). The initiative aims to provide educational opportunities centered on sustainability and horticulture, while also developing a sustainable, collaborative governance framework for the garden (Ref 6). It aligns with various national, local, and inter-organizational frameworks, strategies, and plans related to community engagement, biodiversity, and climate action (Ref 1).
