Most of the project goals were achieved

The Martinican Marine Natural Park (MMNP) was established in 2018 to protect key marine habitats, including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and open waters. These areas are home to important species like sea turtles, dolphins, and tropical fish. The park’s conservation efforts focus on addressing threats from human activities such as pollution and overfishing. It also collaborates with ocean-related industries, such as tourism and fishing, by recommending, funding, or conducting research aimed at promoting more sustainable practices within the MMNP.

To support its work, the park operates a growing fleet of boats that raise public awareness, resolve conflicts, and enforce the protection of designated areas. The MMNP spans an area of 47,340 km², extending from Martinique's coast to the boundary of the French Exclusive Economic Zone. The park's management board, which includes diverse stakeholders, must be consulted for advice on development activities that impact the marine environment. Their goal is to balance competing interests within the region.

The park receives funding from the French Office for Biodiversity (OBF) to carry out initiatives that protect the marine environment, promote sustainability, and raise public awareness. Notable efforts include creating or restoring habitats for species such as sea turtles and sea urchins, managing invasive species like sargassum algae, restoring coral reefs, and training resource users such as whale-watching companies and diving clubs. Other initiatives include reducing plastic pollution through clean-ups, supporting sustainable fishing practices (e.g., artisanal coastal fishing), installing eco-friendly moorings, funding Marine Educational Areas (MEAs), and sponsoring cultural events that promote marine conservation (Ref 1; 2; 3).

Civic Space Park, located in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona, is a notable example of urban design aimed at addressing the region’s increasing urban heat. In Phoenix, rising temperatures affect health, safety, comfort, and economic growth, and this impact is expected to worsen over time. In response, the park was developed to transform an underused site into a vibrant public space that prioritizes community engagement, sustainability, and urban revitalization.
The project was realized through a public-private partnership between the City of Phoenix and Arizona State University, with strong community involvement shaping its development. This collaboration led to the “Urban Weave” concept, a design that embodies the identity and values of the local community.
Civic Space Park was designed with several goals in mind. Increasing the tree canopy was essential to help reduce the urban heat island effect and improve air quality. Creating a welcoming area for social interaction, recreation, and relaxation was equally important to enhance community well-being. Water conservation was also prioritized, achieved through innovative stormwater management techniques such as permeable paving and underground infiltration. The park incorporates renewable energy generation as well, with on-site solar power helping to reduce energy consumption.
One of the park’s unique features is its extensive use of pervious concrete paving, designed to allow stormwater to permeate directly into the subsurface. However, during installation, it became clear that placing the material over highly compacted soil limited water infiltration. To improve its effectiveness, future designs could include a plastic vapor barrier beneath the permeable paving to capture water and direct it to planting beds. This adjustment would enable the paving to act as a collection and storage system, gradually releasing water into the surrounding vegetation.
(1-6)

The Tres Rios Ecosystem Restoration Project is an ambitious initiative aimed at revitalizing a seven-mile stretch of the Salt and Gila Rivers in Phoenix, Arizona. The Tres Rios Environmental Restoration project involves the rehabilitation of nearly 700 acres in and around the Salt River, restoring a vital wetland and riparian habitat. Initially conceived in 1993 to tackle water quality issues and improve flood control, the project gained significant traction in the 2000s through a partnership between the City of Phoenix and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Funding was structured with 65 percent from the USACE and 35 percent from the City of Phoenix and the Sub-Regional Operating Group Members, including Scottsdale, Tempe, Glendale, and Mesa.
The Tres Rios project encompasses habitat restoration, flood control, and recreational development, with the primary objectives being to restore a degraded ecosystem, enhance water quality, and provide new recreational spaces. Construction involved relocating 1.6 million cubic yards of earth to shape three large wetland zones and two deep-water retention basins. Additionally, 18,000 feet of underground water lines and 600 feet of 84-inch fiberglass effluent pipelines were installed. To establish a thriving wetland habitat, the project coordinated the planting of over 300,000 aquatic and terrestrial plants.
Habitat restoration efforts re-establish native vegetation and create wetland areas that support local biodiversity. The lush and scenic Tres Rios is now home to more than 150 different species of birds and animals like muskrats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, bobcats, and beavers. By using treated wastewater to sustain the ecosystem, the project reduces dependency on natural water sources, thereby helping to mitigate water scarcity. The Tres Rios Ecosystem Restoration Project serves as a model for sustainable urban ecological initiatives, combining environmental health with community benefits. (1-8, 10-13)

As an industrial city under climate change, Birmingham has been confronted with multiple environmental risks such as air pollution, fluctuating precipitation and flooding (Ref 3). The Big City Plan is a 20-year city center regeneration plan to support Birmingham’s sustainable transformation, where the delivery of the Eastside City Park was prioritized (Ref 1, 2). Completed and opened to public in 2013, this first new park in Birmingham for 130 years is a linear site which connects the city center along the frontage of Millennium Point eastwards towards the Digbeth canal. (Ref 1, 4, 5). Providing 2.73 ha of urban green spaces, the multi-award winning development features more than 300 trees, a 110 meter canal water feature and a public square with 21 jet fountains, and offers “a moment of green in a journey through the city” (Ref 1, 6).

The "Gardens in Schools" project (September 2021 to December 2022) aimed to establish gardens in 15 schools across four municipalities within the Communauté d'Agglomération du Centre de la Martinique (CACEM), including Fort-de-France. The goal was to provide educational and technical resources for teachers to conduct workshops on sustainable development, pollution, and agroecology. The project encouraged schools to maintain these gardens autonomously as long-term educational tools. Students were involved in greening their schools and growing their own fruits and vegetables, while teachers received three training sessions and ongoing support through the community-based "Koudmen" tradition (Ref 1; 3). The project also involved distributing 45 gardening kits to schools across the island.( 1; 2; 3).

The project was led by the Ypiranga da Pastinha Popular Cultural Center (CCYPM) in collaboration with the STE2D academic mission on sustainable development education (a joint effort of the Martinican School Rectorate and CACEM). Financial support came from the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, and the Forest (DAAF) and CACEM (Ref 1; 3).

The project was designed to promote sustainable development education, enable self-sustaining school gardens, and raise awareness about pollution and agroecology among students and teachers.

The project supported the municipal strategy to develop urban gardens and aimed to integrate environmental education into school curriculums and it aligned with the urban gardening strategy "Jaden l’anmou," which included the municipality of Fort-de-France (Ref 1; 2; 3). (Ref 1; 2; 3)

The project features a vertical garden, or "living wall," on the facade of a residential building in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district. Constructed in 2016, the building replaced a WWII-damaged plot situated between two existing structures. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, the project minimizes its ecological footprint in various ways. The 660-square-meter plot retained original elements of the location’s history: the two surviving sections along Glogauer and Reichenberger Strasse were restored after the war, while the rubble from the destroyed corner was used to fill in the basement. This approach allowed the new construction to be built over the original foundations, preserving historical integrity while reducing construction costs and material use.
At the core of the building’s design is a green agenda, embodied in the vertical garden that helps absorb noise and pollution from the bustling street below, improving air quality for residents and passersby. The selection of winter-hardy plants ensures that the facade remains green year-round, while also cooling the surrounding area and mitigating the urban heat effect, which is especially valuable in densely populated neighborhoods. The greenery contributes to the local microclimate, providing both environmental and aesthetic benefits.
For residents, the garden is made accessible through rectangular box balconies that project from the green wall, allowing them to engage closely with the plants and enjoy the immersive garden atmosphere. The plants grow on a support structure that is securely anchored in the brickwork, receiving water and nutrients through an integrated, precision-controlled irrigation and fertilization system. Maintenance of the plants occurs twice a year, with new additions planted each spring to maintain the garden’s health and visual appeal.
The building itself, privately owned, contains a mix of holiday rentals and residential apartments. Architect Sarah Revière designed the project. (1-6)

Ireland’s native trees have developed over thousands of years, forming a vibrant ecosystem alongside surrounding plants, animals, fungi, and microbes. These trees provide critical habitats for plants and wildlife, offering essential food and shelter while producing oxygen vital to animals and humans alike. Historically, native trees supplied early Irish communities with fuel, food, shelter, and building materials. Today, they play a modern role in filtering dust, reducing pollution, and enriching urban spaces.
To highlight these benefits in Dublin, the Native Tree Trail in St. Anne's Park was created by DCC Parks and Landscape Services in 2008. This trail, featuring 15 different types of native trees, invites visitors to explore and appreciate the natural and cultural heritage of Ireland's native trees, underscoring the value of green spaces for both biodiversity and community well-being.
Strategic tree placement contributes to Dublin’s sustainability by reducing soil erosion, sequestering carbon, and mitigating urban heat. A green city is a healthy city, and preserving open spaces enhances its appeal as a place to live, work, and visit. The trail also plays an essential role in environmental education and community engagement. Over the years, St. Anne's Park has hosted multiple tree-planting events, including a 2019 collaboration with local schools for National Tree Week and National Tree Day, in partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland. The NGO has also offered family-friendly guided walks along the trail, helping to instill an appreciation for nature in visitors of all ages (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, p.93).

The Heat Action Planning project in the Lindo Park-Roesley Park Neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona, specifically addresses the heat-related challenges residents face in this area. Phoenix is particularly vulnerable to extreme heat events, and this project aims to provide both mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce the direct impacts of heat and help residents cope more effectively with these conditions. As part of the city’s broader Heat Action Plan, the Lindo Park-Roesley Park initiative is one of three target areas, including Edison-Eastlake, just east of downtown Phoenix, and the Water Tower Improvement District in the City of Mesa. The project focuses on heat hazards such as extreme temperature events and the urban heat island effect, which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
This project is a collaborative effort, uniting a range of stakeholders including The Nature Conservancy, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, the Central Arizona Conservation Alliance, the Urban Resilience to Extremes Sustainability Research Network, Arizona State University’s Urban Climate Research Center, and the local residents. Together, these partners are working to develop comprehensive heat mitigation and adaptation strategies that address social equity and strengthen community engagement. Furthermore, the Heat Action Planning process was designed to serve as a model for future heat resilience efforts and create a local, contextual, and culturally appropriate vision of a safer, healthier future. The iterative planning and engagement method used by the project team strengthened relationships within and between
neighborhoods, community-based organizations, decision-makers, and the core team, and it combined storytelling wisdom and scientific evidence to better understand current and future challenges residents face during extreme heat events.The ultimate aim is to foster a more resilient and equitable neighborhood (1-7).

The Bahlui Forest project consists of a tree-planting initiative along the banks of the Bahlui River, which flows over a distance of 11 km through Iasi, practically dividing the city in two (1, 2, 6). The project aims to reduce the high levels of air pollution prevalent in the city, increase green spaces along the river and in the urban area, and enhance the aesthetic appeal of the surroundings, thereby improving the quality of life for local residents (1–3, 8, p. 188). The initiative was planned by the Municipality of Iași in collaboration with the Prut-Bârlad Water Basin Administration, the regional authority responsible for the river’s proper management (1–6). Furthermore, the "Ion Ionescu de la Brad" University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Iași provided the technical expertise needed to select and plant appropriate species (1–3, 7).
The planting completed in 2024, covers the river section between the Sf. Ioan bridge and the Stone Bridge (3–5). In total, 1,200 native species were planted, including four tree species—Willow, Malin, Red Maple, and Birch—and three shrub species (3–6).
This initiative is part of a broader municipal strategy to revitalize the riverbanks and address key issues (8, 9). Due to its natural geomorphology, the river represents a barrier in terms of accesibility between different parts of the city, and infrastructure and improvements need to be carried out to manage this problem (8 & 9). Therefore the areas around the river are sought to be revitalised to fullfil its touristic and recreational potential, ultimately becoming a green corridor and representing a new axis of development for Iasi (8, p. 344). Improving its green surfaces would also support efforts to increase green space sq.m. per inhabitant in the city, which falls short of the national requirement of 26 sq.m. per inhabitant (8, p. 189).

Lafayette Greens is a transformative urban green space and community garden located in downtown Detroit, occupying a parcel of 1720 sqm that once housed the historic Lafayette Building. Following the building's demolition in 2010, the site, situated near Compuware headquarters and the Detroit Federal Building, was re-imagined through a public-private partnership into a productive urban garden (Ref.1, 6). The garden was designed in 2012 for a local software company, Compuware, which after completion gifted it to a local NGO, The Greening of Detroit, in 2014. Lafayette Greens serves as a green oasis in a bustling urban environment, offering city workers, residents, and visitors a space to relax and engage with nature. The garden produces chemical-free fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, and since 2019, has focused on cultivating a certified pollinator habitat, essential for supporting urban biodiversity. The garden also provides educational programming, including classes on pollinators like bees and birds, and the DIG - Detroiters in the Garden series, in collaboration with Fort Street Presbyterian Church’s Open Door program, fostering community involvement and environmental stewardship. (Ref.2)