Environmental quality

The "Ciobarciu wetland" project resulted in the creation of a wetland area of ​​about 224 hectares near the city of Iasi (30 Km distance). The area of ​​nature thus became in spring and autumn a significant resting place for migratory birds, and the specific types of natural vegetation are growing again, constituting a natural habitat for the locales specific to these places. The project was developed by the National Administration of the Romanian Waters alongside the Dutch Government in order to restore the area and to include it in the ecosystem of the place (1)

The medieval style Shared Garden Of Sainte-Madeleine Place development - situated in between two nearby schools - in 2009 was quickly claimed by the Association des Habitants Bourse Austerlitz Krutenau (Association of Inhabitants Bourse-Austerlitz-Krutenau) (AHBAK) neighborhood association because of its historic environment. The project turned the space into a shared garden, involving a collective composting area for organic waste, installing a rainwater recuperator, and planting local plant and vegetable species and new trees (Ref. 1, 2, 3).

This NBS is a part of the "Horta à Porta" (allotments at the door) programme which enhances the economic, environmental and social dynamics of the Porto region through the creation of community organic gardens and the promotion of active involvement which empowers local people and institutions. The program is led by the Greater Porto Metropolitan Waste Management Service, LIPOR. Implementation of vegetable gardens began in 2003. In the Metropolitan Region of Porto, there are 23 of these community gardens totalling four hectares, and the forecast is for a large-scale increase in the near future(1)

This NBS is Porto’s largest green roof, sometimes referred as the "Fifth Façade Urban Rooftop Garden", the "Olive Trees Garden" is an oasis of 50 olive trees and lush grass on top of a semi-open gallery of shops, restaurants, and cafés with an underground parking garage.
It’s an urban park escape for city workers, tourists, and university students. Located on top of "Praça de Lisboa" (Lisbon square), this is a fantastic concept of urban planning done right: green space co-existing with commerce and vehicles below street level. This project was completed in 2013 as an effort to improve an area in decline in the middle of the cultural centre of Porto by creating a green space for the community (Ref. 1, 2).

The Pré Muché garden is part of the AJONC, Amis des Jardins Ouverts et néanmoins clôturés. This is the community garden of the St-Maurice Pellevoisin neighbourhood. Located behind the church of St-Maurice des Champs and the new Maison de quartier, Pré Muché has been in existence since 2007 on the initiative of the inhabitants. The garden is arranged according to the principles of the natural garden, a space that combines a place of life, cultivated plots and more wild areas. Its maintenance is ecological. It is a living garden where the pond meets the flowered meadow and the regional shrubs (Ref 2).

The water treatment station in Marquette-lez-Lille had a makeover in September 2014. The facility was renovated and rebuilt with cutting-edge technologies and included a new energy production unit. The plant serves 37 municipalities with treated water. The renovation project enabled the station to be integrated into an urban environment. Almost 17 acres have been transformed into a wetland with the planting of more than 20,000 trees and shrubbery. Encircled by a high-speed road, the Deûle canal, a forest and homes, this classified site is marked by exceptional biodiversity. The Marquette station is recognized as a leader in its industry and was nominated by Global Water Intelligence (GWI) as one of the four projects of the year worldwide for 2014 (Ref 1).

The Eco-District at the Banks of the Bohrie Ostwald is structured around water with the Bohren pond, the river Ostwaldergraben and the seasonal and permanent wetlands (Ref. 2). The project covers 50 hectares and was initiated by Strasbourg Eurométropole with 2 developers: CM CIC SAREST and Nexity-Foncier Conseil (Ref. 1, 7). The district will integrate its structures into the surrounding water land and vegetation to provide for agricultural water management and flood preventing procedures (Ref. 2). It will also have green roofs, public green spaces, (Ref. 4) vegetable gardens, (Ref. 7) and composting, while on-site vegetation will participate in the deployment of green infrastructure (Ref. 5). "An eco-district of 48 hectares (17 urbanized hectares) is being created" (Ref. 11).

The 100-hectare site that is situates in the socially disadvantaged neighbourhood and river island called Wilhelmsburg was designed for the IGS 2013 (International Garden Show) and was opened to the citizens of Hamburg in 2014. On the 9-hectare large area that was a former brownfield site, mostly free or inexpensive outdoor leisure facilities were planned. The new park, named “Island Park” aims to attract people of all ages to do sport, including recreational and professional sports outdoor. Among others, the park is equipped with a high-rope course, a climbing wall, a canoeing canal a running track, a boules pitch and a garden for meditating (Reference 1, 2). The park also offers additional services, such as workshops and hands-on activities for people who want to experience a sport under expert guidance. (Reference 3)

Since the decay of the former DDR, the lignite industry had a major downturn. Most of the mines were closed and its remaining craters re-naturalized and flooded with ground- or rainwater to be revived as recreational lakes. In the Leipzig area of "Neuseenland" up to 23 artificial lakes were created since the nineties by the respective mining company "Lausitzer und Mitteldeutsche Bergbau-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH" which has the obligation to securely and sustainably redevelop the area into forestry, agricultural, natural or recreational areas and reintegrate it into the adjacent landscape. The lakes have become important recreational areas for citizens (4, 8).

Hamburg decided to increase the number of trees in the city, however, the budget was not enough to completely fulfil this goal. Therefore, the city not only tripled the municipal budget dedicated to tree planting and but began encouraging the citizens to contribute to greening the city through the donation campaign "My tree - My city”. The project was launched in 2011 as part of the European Green Capital programme of Hamburg. Citizens can donate and by using an interactive map, can choose a site and a tree species to be planted, and follow-up the implementation of their tree. (Reference 1, 3) The City of Hamburg gave for each tree that reached donations of 500 Euro the same amount on top to cover the average costs of 1.000 Euro per tree, which includes the preparation of the planting pit, the planting itself and maintenance. (Reference 4) The campaign was so successful that it continued even after Hamburg’s year as the European Green Capital and is still going on in 2020. (Reference 2, 7)