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The Eagle Reef Project was launched to restore the health of Mobile Bay in response to habitat loss and declining fish populations due to the degradation of oyster and seagrass beds [REF 1, REF 6]. Originally planned in 2022 as an Eagle Scout service project by John Shell of Boy Scout Troop 147, the project has grown into a regional environmental initiative supported by Partners for Environmental Progress (PEP), the University of South Alabama’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, and municipalities such as the City of Fairhope [REF 3, REF 4, REF 7].
The project deploys preassembled mini reefs—constructed from plastic and PVC—beneath docks and piers across Mobile and Baldwin counties. These reefs, once colonised by filter feeders like oysters and barnacles, can filter up to 20,000 gallons of water daily and serve as habitats for fish, shrimp, and crabs [REF 1, REF 4]. The initiative aims to improve water quality, sequester nutrients, reduce algae, and restore marine biodiversity [REF 1, REF 6].
The Eagle Reef Project addresses critical coastal hazards, including water pollution, fish habitat loss, and the legacy of environmental disasters such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill [REF 4]. It combines scientific monitoring, civic engagement, and scalable design to enhance the region’s climate resilience and ecological health [REF 1, REF 6, REF 7].

The Rimac River Special Landscape Project, developed by the Municipal Programme for the Recovery of the Historic Centre of Lima (PROLIMA), is a municipal proposal that arose as a response to the significant degradation of the Rimac River as it passes through the historic centre of the Peruvian capital. The river has lost its character as a green corridor and potential public recreational space for citizens (1, 3). The main problems affecting the river are related to the erosion and risk of flooding of the river space, the ecological degradation of its channels and banks, the disconnection and low quality of adjacent public spaces and the urban fragmentation caused by car-oriented mobility (2). To recover its essence as an ecological green corridor, it was proposed to give back to the Historical Centre its riverside identity and to recover the water, environmental and scenic landscape. This project aims to restore the Rímac to its role as a geographical heritage and backbone of the city of Lima, creating a system of accessible and sustainable public spaces that will help to recover this water, urban and historical landscape, as well as providing a better quality of life for the residents and users of the Historical Centre (1).
The project consists of 4 stages of intervention: Puente del Ejército - Puente Santa Rosa / Puente Santa Rosa - Puente Balta / Puente Balta - Límite
of the CHL to the east (5). Among the interventions that make up the Special River Landscape Project are: the renaturation of the 4 km of the Rimac River as it passes through the city, the construction of 14 parks, 7 squares, 1 tree planting project, 24 street renovation projects, 7 bridges/pedestrian walkways, 10 building rehabilitations and 2 new public facilities (4). It is planned to start implementing the project by the end of 2024 (4).

In 2020, the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB) launched the Trees of Friendship project, which plants over 400 trees annually across six Western Balkan capitals, known to be some of the most air-polluted cities in Europe (Ref. 5). Tirana has been involved from the start, having planted over 110 trees in locations such as Great Lake Park in 2020 and Farka Park in 2022 (Ref. 1,2).
The project is carried out with the support of local municipal and civil society partners, including Tirana's Parks and Recreation Agency and the Environmental Territorial Management Institute, along with activists and volunteers (Ref. 1,2). The initiative was planned in 2019 when the EFB board decided to mitigate its CO2 emissions from business-related flights and enhance local and regional cooperation on air pollution (Ref. 3,4,5). Despite challenges in citizen engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trees of Friendship project continues to raise awareness about the role of trees in mitigating the impact of air pollution on health and well-being (Ref. 2). Its strong and well-established local and regional partnerships have facilitated the project's implementation in the past and continue to benefit in scaling the project (Ref. 1,5).

The Recovery of Cienaga Juan Polo project is primarily aimed at reopening the natural mouth of the Manzanillos to restore water flow between the sea and the Juan Polo coastal wetland, which has been affected by human activities leading to high salinity and water stagnation issues (ref 2). The project is led by Fundacion Serena del Mar. Environmental and social sustainability are core components of the project design, which has included extensive community consultations since 2013. These consultations have resulted in agreements covering employment opportunities, education, and infrastructure development (ref 2). Key implementation activities include the reforestation of mangroves and targeted interventions to address ecological degradation, such as increased salinity, water stagnation, and biodiversity loss (ref 2). The project also seeks to enhance the quality of life for surrounding communities by restoring traditional economic activities, particularly fishing, and integrating sustainable urban planning elements such as canals, sluices, and navigable waterways. These features are designed to support the development of a "blue corridor" for aquatic mobility within Serena del Mar (ref 2, 3). In addition, it also contributes to local capacity building through environmental education programs that engage community members, researchers, and NGOs in biodiversity monitoring and sustainable practices​ (ref 1).

In Phoenix, access to native, traditional foods prepared by Indigenous communities is scarce. This disconnection is rooted in the legacy of colonization and the forced assimilation of Indigenous peoples through practices such as mandatory residential schools. The Phoenix Indian School, which operated until 1990, is a stark reminder of these injustices, and deep-rooted systemic inequalities continue to persist today. In response, Indigenous food activists have worked tirelessly to promote traditional foodways and advocate for food sovereignty.
One such initiative is led by Native Health, an urban Indian health program that provides primary medical, dental, behavioral health, WIC, and wellness services in Phoenix. In 2019, Native Health launched a community-based garden initiative to reconnect urban Indigenous communities with their traditional life ways. The Native Health Traditional Garden was initially established on a 15-acre plot of vacant land, which sat atop the remnants of a notorious boarding school. However, when an investment firm purchased the land, the garden was displaced and forced to relocate. It downsized to less than an acre of space within a larger community garden project known as the "KeepPhoenixBeautiful Garden."
Despite these challenges, the Traditional Garden continues to thrive, drawing from Indigenous agricultural techniques such as Akimel O’odham canal irrigation, Zuni waffle beds, and Diné dry farming. The garden focuses on cultivating traditional, Indigenous, and desert-adapted plants, including corn, beans, squash, gourds, peppers, sunflowers, melons, and medicinal plants. In addition to growing these vital crops, the garden provides interactive learning opportunities for all ages, including workshops, youth clubs, pick-your-own events, and monthly community workdays.
The goal of the Traditional Garden project is to offer the urban Indigenous community opportunities for hands-on learning, and increased access to harvested produce. (1, 2)

Terres Sainville is one of Fort-de-France's priority neighborhoods, known for the precarious living conditions of its residents and the prevalence of illicit activities. Many plots of land in the area have been abandoned and are used as informal dumpsites. In response, the City of Fort-de-France developed the "Jaden Lanmou" (Garden of Love) program, which aims to revitalize neglected spaces across the city’s 145 neighborhoods, Terres Sainville being one of them.
With support from the Terres Sainville town hall, neighborhood associations (such as the Terres Sainville Citizens' Council and local schools), and the Ypiranga Martinique association, the community has been working to transform these wastelands into shared gardens. Since 2021, Ypiranga has created 10 productive gardens, designing each based on the land's configuration, soil quality, and the preferences of local residents, including options for market gardening, medicinal plants, fruit trees, and above-ground containers (Ref 1; 7).
This initiative prioritizes the development of city-owned land and strategic transit sites, while also encouraging private landowners to maintain their abandoned plots or share them with the community. Additionally, the program seeks to enhance existing flowerbeds, create new ones, and incorporate artistic elements like street art and graffiti. Public meeting spaces are being developed to foster community interaction.
The city aims to involve residents by providing equipment, training, workshops, and advice on best practices. Ultimately, neighborhood representatives and residents will be responsible for maintaining these new communal spaces and ensuring they are respected (Ref 2).

Eliseo Collazos is located in the coastal desert ecosystem of the Lomas or ‘fog oasis’, an area that receives less than 10 mm of rainfall per year. Vegetation cover is of particular importance in the hills surrounding Lima, as it provides critical solutions to erosion, landslides and soil degradation in the ecologically degraded ecosystem of the Lomas. However, this ecosystem is facing risks from urbanisation, illegal mining and agricultural practices, resulting in the lack of the delicate mist-fed greenery for which the Lomas are known (2). This has led to increased particulate matter in the air due to exposure to sand and wind, aggravating respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis, which is prevalent in Lima's informal communities (2).
Low-income communities have inhabited this area, forced to migrate from the rainforest, highlands and city to the desert slums (4), who have only been able to settle in these landscapes with little access to resources, prone to disaster risk, little public investment in infrastructure and little access to green spaces (2). As a result, these communities live in poor conditions (1). For this reason, in 2013, the University of Washington, under its Urban Informal Communities Initiative programme (1), initiated a participatory project that sought to address the challenges faced by the inhabitants of this area (1, 2). In a series of participatory workshops, residents identified greenspace and food security as top priorities in their community; the Gardens, Greenspace and Health project responds to these priorities as an initial step towards the expansion of greenspace, agriculture and ecological restoration in and around the Eliseo Collazos community (2, 4).
Although individual families constructed them, the front yard gardens contribute to a shared public realm and community greening (4). The general project also involved the installation of fog catchers and the creation of common recreational spaces (4).

Phoenix is one of the hottest cities in the United States, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C (104°F) for more than 90 days each year. The urban heat island effect is severe here, posing a significant health risk. Many communities in Phoenix lack equal access to shade cover—often, the impact of extreme heat disproportionately affects low-income neighborhoods that lack resources for tree planting and maintenance. In contrast, wealthier areas tend to have more trees and are visibly greener, which helps reduce the heat residents experience.
To address these disparities, the City of Phoenix partnered with SRP, a not-for-profit public power utility, to launch the "Right Tree, Right Place" program in 2018. This initiative aims to bring shade relief to areas most in need, such as parks, public transit stops, and schools, while replacing older trees that interfere with SRP power lines. SRP and the city work together to identify trees that pose risks to overhead power lines, and for each tree removed, three new trees are planted—either in a different location or with a species better suited to coexist with power lines.
One of the program’s notable projects took place in West Phoenix’s Cortez Park, where 24 drought-tolerant trees from four different species were planted. This diversity helps protect the trees against pests and other natural threats, ensuring their longevity and resilience. Through initiatives like these, the "Right Tree, Right Place" program contributes to Phoenix’s larger goal of developing a robust, biodiverse urban forest. By expanding green infrastructure, the city aims to reduce local temperatures, improve air quality, and create cooler, healthier neighborhoods for all residents. (1-8)

The BASIC Cartagena Project is an applied research initiative focused on developing tools for integrated coastal water resource management in Cartagena, Colombia (ref 4). It is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, and EAFIT University leads it in collaboration with the University of Los Andes, the University of Cartagena, the Foundation H.E.O., and the Regional Corporation CARDIQUE (ref 4). The goals are to reduce pollution, conserve ecosystem services, and implement climate change adaptation strategies in the coastal area (ref 3). The studies focus on Cartagena Bay (Recognized as the most polluted body of water in the Caribbean), the Dique Canal and the Magdalena River watershed, the local communities in the areas surrounding Cartagena Bay, principally the communities of Ararca and Barú (ref 5). During its first phase (2014-2017), the project concentrated on diagnosing pollution levels and sources. This included extensive monitoring of water quality and the socio-economic conditions of local communities (with a public health focus). The second phase (2018-2021) focused on developing early warning systems for pollution, educational programs, and knowledge transfer through community engagement. The third phase (2023) plans to expand the same activities from phase 1 & 2 to the Rosario and San Bernardo Islands, with continued collaboration among scientists, authorities, and local communities​ (ref 2, 3). Among its most significant achievements are the production of high-level scientific knowledge and the training provided to communities and environmental authorities. A notable impact of the project is its contribution to the formulation of seven policies, including the creation of an intersectoral committee for the environmental management of the Bay of Cartagena. This committee, for the first time, brings together various stakeholders, including fishing and tourism communities, to make decisions about environmental management (3)

Liquid 3 is the first urban photo-bioreactor in Serbia, developed by an interdisciplinary team at the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research at the University of Belgrade (Ref. 1,2,3). Prompted by an appeal of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the team was eager to find novel approaches to combat the city's severe air pollution issues while being space efficient and providing year-round benefits (Ref. 3). The key to the bioreactor are algae which are very efficient in sequestering carbon and filtering heavy metals from the air (Ref. 2). A Liquid 3 feature can be quickly set and occupies a plot of only 3 m². Some of its benefits include its ability to withstand high levels of air pollution and its ease of installation on surfaces like walkways and other sealed infrastructure (Ref. 2,3). Additionally, by design, Liquid 3 integrates amenities such as power outlets, a bench, and nighttime lighting (Ref. 1). The selected strain of algae can tolerate temperatures between 5-35°C making it deployable all year. However, monthly maintenance is required, during which the water and algae are replaced—both of which can be repurposed, for example, as fertilizers (Ref. 6).The project has received global media coverage as well as a prize for the best innovative and climate-smart solution in Serbia. Its success has prompted the installation of two more such bioreactors in Serbia, with interest coming from other countries such as Hungary and the UAE (Ref. 1,4).