Environmental quality

Nancy has the most community gardens in France. While these gardens are generally designed at the initiative of associations or collectives of inhabitants, in Nancy, they are part of the urban development plans.
This demonstrates a real desire from the city to bring the inhabitants closer to sustainable development while providing them with the means to create greenery in the heart of the city (Ref. 1). The Plateau-de-Haye district, where green space was recently created, allowed the emergence of many plots (Ref. 2).

"Nancy Grand Coeur" is the name of an urban renewal planning project in Nancy, which included several blue and green interventions. This area of Nancy received in 2009 the "EcoQuartier" (Eco-District) French label even though the renewal planning works started later, and are still ongoing. "Completely remodeling this district to make it an engaging "facade", adapted to the lifestyles of the time and to the evolutions of modern town planning (diversity of activities, fluidity of travel, sustainable development ...): that is all aims of the Nancy Grand Coeur operation" (Ref. 3).

In their application for funds from the city’s participatory budget, the citizens introduced the cleaning of the river Glowna (riverbed and riverbank) in Poznan along the entire length of the river within the city area (excluding private and inaccessible areas). The initiative aimed to clean the stream and to increase the attractiveness of the riverside. The action was implemented with the voluntary help of the residents as a way of promoting ecological behaviours [1].

In Frankfurt, on the banks of the Main, visitors are surrounded by a breath of the Mediterranean. In the Park called "Nizza”, Mediterranean plants thrive on 4.42 hectares thanks to its south-facing position, sheltered from the wind, the favourable solar radiation and the heat storage of the Main (2).
Between 1999 and 2006, the Mediterranean park was reconstructed based on a historical model (6). The renovation project was carried out by the Green Space Office of Frankfurt according to the concept of Rainer Gesell-Schulte as part of the green development project of the inner city (1,6). The Frankfurt Green Spaces Office has been in operation since 1999 with urban qualification and refurbishment entrusted to the banks of the Main. The project aim was to transform the inner city area called Mainufer into a contiguous open space system. The project comprises many different sub-area developments that have different uses, especially on the central promenade and include green spaces, museums, sports and leisure facilities. The spatial anchor point of the project was the “Nizza” Mediterranean Park.
As part of this redevelopment, the "Nizza" was redesigned and renovated. This process included the plantation of winter-resistant Mediterranean plants and other plants with a migration background that have been delighting walkers and visitors to the Main metropolis ever since. (2).

The project revitalized beaches around three lakes near Poznan: Kierskie, Strzeszynskie, and Rusalka. Over 1000-ha of forest and three lakes located within the city borders make this a unique recreational area for the inhabitants of Poznan and its surroundings. The project aims to modernize the neglected beaches and build basic infrastructure and communication paths. The plans involved cleaning of the area, planting greenery, regulation of the lake beachline, introducing environmentally friendly solutions (e.g. solar lamps), open-air playgrounds and gyms, and renovation/installation of the new bridges over the lakes [1].

In 1995 the city of Munich decided to implement a new green residential district in the derelict area of the former Munich-Riem airport which was closed in 1992. (Reference 9) The area was designed to have an intensively used residential area in the north and an extensively used green recreational area in the south. The project was completed in 2005. It is 210 hectares large, making it the third-largest public park in Munich. (Reference 1) The park includes a 10-hectare large artificial lake, a 15-hectare large forest and two 20 meter high artificial observation and toboggan hills made from the demolition material of the former airport. (Reference 9) The park is appreciated by people but concerns about the loss of biodiversity have been raised. Citizens use the park for walking, cycling, swimming in the lake or simply for relaxation. (Reference 4)

The Green Belt in Frankfurt am Main spans in the inner area of the city and covers almost a third of the city's wider area which is around 80 square kilometres, around half of which is the city forest (6). In 1991, as stated in the city council's Green Belt Constitution, the Belt has been declared a protected open space while it also outlined the long term goal of securing and developing it (1). The green belt with its landscapes, excursion destinations and the large network of paths is important for the quality of life in Frankfurt and at the same time offers a place of retreat for plants and animals. It is essential for a good urban climate (1).

The Desjoyaux ZAC in the Crêt-de-Roc district, was created in 2005. Since then, this three-and-a-half-hectare site, which is involved in the process of receiving the "eco-district" national label certification since 2015, has metamorphosed (Ref. 1). Some works aim to renew and embellish the public spaces located near the residences of the street and the impasse Desjoyaux to preserve biodiversity in the city center of Saint Etienne and for the well-being of citizens. (Ref. 1, 2 and 3). Community gardens, park, ephemeral gardens, swales and sustainable water filtration system are being developed in this project (Ref. 1, 2 and 3).

In 2007 the Lisboa City Hall began the development of a strategy for urban agriculture, having created in 2011 several allotment parks. Beyond the provision of plots, the Council also provided the fences, shelters for storage, water irrigation, training and technical support. In 2011 there were already 56 plots of 150 m2 at a location named Granja Farm (2)

"On June 1st 2017, Saint-Etienne Métropole officially committed itself to the implementation of measures to promote the circulation of wildlife between the different green spaces with important biodiversity in its territory" (Ref. 3). "Saint-Etienne Métropole has signed with 13 partners a new contract called "green and blue". It is a new blue and green framework for the whole territory, a regulatory tool for the protection of biodiversity" (Ref. 2). "It aims to continue and reinforce the actions already undertaken with a transversal and urban dimension" (Ref. 2).