Preservation of historic traditions

In 2005, local farmers in the sub-urban area of Luang Prabang combined their lands and founded The Living Land Farm, a rice farming community that runs an organic farm and an educational centre. The farm comprises of rice fields, vegetable gardens, homestay, and a restaurant. The aim of the farm is to preserve traditional rice-growing techniques, practice organic farming while also adopting new ways of grain selection and planting, and share rice farming knowledge with others. The products from the farm have been used in the local restaurant and are distributed to hotels and other restaurants in Luang Prabang city. The farm also serves as a training site for students of the Northern College of Agriculture and it offers ‘Rice Experience’ package for anyone who would like to learn about rice growing and the local Laos culture. The homestay and restaurant are run by local people of the village nearby and they are open to the public. The farm supports various community projects, such as village improvement and teaching English for local children. (Ref. 1,2,3)

The Rajakori lake rejuvenation project aimed at reviving an existing lake using a natural and sustainable treatment system, the "Scientific Wetland with Active Biodigester (SWAB)". SWAB technology uses a two-step process involving (i) a sedimentation tank equipped with a biodigester and (ii) a constructed wetland system. The untreated sewage waste is passed through this two-step process that uses microbes and plants to reduce pollutant levels. The project also involved redeveloping the public space around the lake for community use (Ref 1,2). Before 2017, the lake was overfilled with sewage and waste from nearby neighbourhoods due to a lack of proper sewage management. Initiated by the Delhi Government, the project aimed at using low-cost natural methods rather than conventional techniques involving concretized bases and chemicals to treat water (Ref 1, 4). Due to its success and cost-effectiveness, this project now serves as an excellent example for other projects within Delhi (Ref 5).

Bangladesh is a country prone to floods and waterlogging, which results in two-thirds of this nation's land being transformed into wetlands each year. As such, much land becomes unavailable and the restricted access to it causes food insecurity as well as severe environmental pressure on the flora, fauna and ecosystems. The impact is even more serious as agriculture is one of the most important contributors to Bangladesh's GDP (1).
To respond to most of the climate challenges and food insecurities, in 2007 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the humanitarian agency Care International, alongside other partners (including the Bangladeshi government), launched floating gardening (artificial islands, that simply rise and fall with the swelling waters) pilot project in the peri-urban area of the Gopalganj and other close by districts (1,2).
Floating gardens known locally as Baira are an old practice of crop cultivation in the wetlands of Bangladesh, the previous agricultural land, which got destroyed by the floods. The practice consists of piling together a number of dense layers of aquatic weeds like water hyacinth, duckweed, or paddy stubs and letting them decay. Afterwards, they're combined with silt and cow dung and inserted with plant/vegetable seeds left to flourish. On these beds, farmers cultivate fruits and vegetables like turmeric and ginger as well as okra, bitter gourd, snake gourd, spinach, and brinjal. In addition to veggies, rice seedlings can occasionally be raised. As a result, floating gardens are available to everyone, affordable, dependable, and completely in harmony with nature. (2,3) Furthermore, this aquatic farming practice has been shown to be highly effective in tackling the consequences of climatic variability and climate change like prolonged water-logging (3). The intervention has benefited approx. 2,000 families in the district of Gopalganj and it has opened the route for further projects that supported the practice of floating gardens (4).

The green belt was created not only as an aesthetic element but also to serve as the lungs of the city. The forest planting works around Nur-Sultan have been carried out since 1997 [6, 7]. The area of ​​the green belt of Nur-Sultan is 100 thousand hectares, of which 15 thousand hectares are planted within the city limits. The main idea of the project was to provide comfortable conditions for the residents of Nur-Sultan city, which would serve as a mechanism for improving air quality, mitigating climate and as a natural barrier to protect the city from dust winds and snowstorms [2, 4, 5, 6, 7]. An important aspect that was taken into consideration are the animal species of the forest, as the territory of the green belt is inhabited by foxes, hares, corsacs, white and grey partridges, roe deer, wild boars, etc [1, 2, 7, 8]. The primary importance of biodiversity efforts is assigned to the breeding of birds, especially pheasants [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], as pheasants are an element of local cultural heritage, and on the territory of the green belt, traditions and cultural events related with the pheasants are organised every year [2, 4]. The young forest should turn into an improved recreation area, a favourite pastime for city residents at any time of the year [2,7].

Thammasat Urban Rooftop Farm (TURF) is Asia's largest organic rooftop farm, which unites principles of modern landscape design with traditional agriculture of rice terraces, to transform wasted space into productive land. By mimicking traditional rice terraces, Thammasat University Urban Farming Green Roof has become an all-in-one solution–as a public green space, urban organic food source, water management system, energy house, and outdoor classroom–which serves as an adaptation model for anticipated climate impacts that can be implemented and developed across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Additionally, the mountain-shaped Thammasat University Green Roof utilizes its vast space as an infinite source of clean energy, not only in terms of organic food but also solar power for the community. [1, 2, 3]

The Water Forest region covering around 250,000 hectares in the hinterland of Mexico City provides 70% of the city's urban water demand through the aquifers located below the forest. It consists of forest fragments and grasslands, encompasses four mountain ranges, and two adjacent Mexican states – Morelos and Mexico State with national parks (2). However, as native grasses are replaced by human settlements and poorly sited tree-planting projects, water available to recharge the aquifers declines and their loss contributes to flooding in densely populated urban areas downstream (1, 2). The Water Forest Initiative initiated by a non-governmental NGO aims to develop and implement "a regional conservation strategy to provide water and other ecosystem services to Mexico City (CDMX), Mexico State, and Morelos through the protection and rehabilitation of the Water Forest Area" (1 p6).

"In Winnipeg, there are several downtown neighbourhood groups (such as the Spence Neighborhood Association, and the West Broadway Community Organization) that make use of vacant urban space for the benefit of indigenous communities, and encourage them to maintain green spaces, ‘tot lots’, and a network of dozens of community gardens. There are also community-led indigenous ‘healing lodges’, Indigenous gardens, medicine gardens, as well as a land-based education programs (e.g. Marymound) using gardening to help at-risk indigenous youth heal from trauma and build resilience in these neighbourhoods." (1 p41).
One such community gardens are the Chief Grizzly Bear’s Garden (in its official, Anishinaabe name: Ogimaa Gichi Makwa Gitigaan) focusing on increasing the visibility of the indigenous community in the Spence Neighbourhood and providing public space for gathering and traditional indigenous ceremonies honoring their connection to nature. The garden is also the place for cultivating native plants significant for traditional medicine practices (1).

Another NBS initiative supporting the indigenous community in Winnipeg will be the Clan Mothers Healing Village and Knowledge Centre (CMVH) initiated by The Elders of Winnipeg. The CMVH will be located in rural Manitoba and provide a land-based, nurturing community living environment for indigenous women and youth who have been victims of intergenerational trauma, sexual/domestic violence, or human trafficking and support their reintegration into society. (1,2)

The Xochimilco borough of Mexico City is a World Heritage and Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System wetland site, with significant cultural and ecological importance in food cultivation and water ecosystem (1). Due to the deterioration of the area and lack of top-down initiatives for the restoration and conservation of the area, a number of grassroots initiatives trying to revive the traditional chinampa cultivation and restore the natural state of the ecosystem function and its native species such as the Xochimilco axolotl through reinvigorating sustainable practices that produce quality food and foster water supply. This NBS introduces 3 such grassroot intiatives: (a) Cooperativa Chinampayolo (b) Restauración Ecológica y Desarrollo A.C. (REDES) with its EcoQuilitl producer-consumer network and (c) Umbral Axochiatl A.C. (local community organisation). (1)

Initially the park was created in 1903 as a summer residence for the royal family and had a no-visitor’s policy. For over 40 years the park collected 821 trees, shrub and, grass species from all over the world on less than 100 ha. After the estate was given back to the successors of Tsar Boris III, they partially donated the park to Sofia municipality and in 2013 the park-museum ‘Vrana’ was opened for visitors. Due to its rare species, well-preserved wilderness and historical significance, the park enjoys great interest from tourists as well as scientists as a biodiversity hotspot. (Ref 1)

‘I have a bee’ (IHAB) is an organisation for hobby beekeepers. It contributes to a sustainable and long-term solution to the bee colony collapse phenomenon by popularizing bee keeping as a hobby. It was founded by 3 hobbyist beekeepers back in 2014. The idea originated from their passion for beekeeping and the desire to breed and keep bees as pets. The group has engaged in research about the roots of traditional beekeeping and designed a new top bar hive which has the advantage of being usable in backyards or on city terraces. (Ref 1) Their 1,000,000 beehive initiative aims to ignite 1,000,000 people around the world to watch at least one beehive. (Ref 3) No information found on status of project as of September 2020.