Soil quality improvement

EPAEM (Euromediterranean public development establishment) launched the development a new park of 14 hectares. Located in former industrial area at the gates of the northern districts of Marseille, it is considered to be one of the poorest districts in France (Ref. 1). The planned park Aygalades is divided into two parts: the southern part of 4 hectares called Bougainville Park and the northern part of 10 hectares which runs along the Aygalades river (Ref. 1). Development work on Bougainville Park is set to begin in September 2020 with completion in 2023 (Ref. 12). The park is described as "the first step of a large project to restore a highly degraded industrial site" (Ref. 12).

This NBS refers to a curtain protection forest that was planted 6 km out of the city of Iasi in 2015 by the mayor of a commune next to the city. The benefits of this NBS embrace also the city of Iasi as a method to prevent flooding and to avoid strong winds in the area. Afforestation was seen also as a response to the existence of arid soil and abandoned crop fields in the area due to a large population movement of immigration towards Western countries (1)

The Development of the Garden of the Schloessel project is part of the Natural Urban Park project undertaken by the City Council in consultation with the Strasbourg Urban Community (Ref. 3). The project aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the area by installing and redeveloping green spaces in the garden as well as providing the site with stormwater management infiltration (Ref. 1).

The Garden Janine (formerly called Jardin Nouveau) group is participating in the "Aix en Transition" initiative, which wants to increase food and energy resilience in order to better prepare for the future. This group initiated and supported the establishment of a vegetable garden benefiting homeless people, hosted in the Humanitarian Division of the "Jas de Bouffan" district (Ref. 1). A garden was previously cultivated on the area, but had become dilapidated. In 2019, much of the area was repurposed as an orchard as the vegetable garden was deemed to require too much continual presence/labour (Ref. 6).

Most of the open spaces around Munich are designated as green belt areas and are being used mostly for agricultural purposes. As a lead project of its green strategy, the city now aims to protect these areas and to upgrade their quality by cooperating with local farmers and promoting a shift to extensive and ecological farming, developing habitats, corridors as well as a network of cycle tracks and footpaths for recreation (Reference 3, 4). The city supports the farmers with advisory services, but also with the organization of the implementation of the ecological projects. The farmers are motivated to join by being able to use labels such as "Potatoes from the Greenbelt of Munich" on their products. (Reference 3) The initiative also includes herb gardens, provided by farmers and rented by citizens. (Reference 1) A further project included in the initiative is the "Münchner Ökokonto, a biodiversity offsetting principle by which the former low moor complex of the West of Munich is being renaturalized on 28 areas with a total area of 67 ha. (Reference 5)

The Garden Factory ('Tuinfabriek') is an exceptional urban agriculture project on a roof of the central station that aims at becoming the largest food-producing roof of the Netherlands. The project is a self-sustaining vegetable garden located on the roof of a busy mall in the centre of Utrecht (ref. 5). On the roof, citizens, students, company employees and schools work together to grow vegetables and keep bees and chicken. The Garden Factory reflects an ecological 'self-sustaining factory' as the chickens, worms and bees 'work' in the garden as being part of the decomposing system and pollination and a system is built for rainwater retention that allows for irrigation (ref. 1). Eating, composting, sowing, growing, harvesting, cooking form the production process of this Garden Factory (ref. 4).
The main elements of the roof garden are in place, such as the crop bins, the chicken coop and the decomposing machine are completed. However, it is an ongoing developing project as some elements are still in development stage such as some elements of the Soup Kitchen and the aim is to integrate the Garden Factory more with the central station shopping mall in multiple ways (ref. 1).

"This 26-hectare park, the largest in Clermont-Ferrand, offers a privileged view of the city. Several wooded areas serve as shelters for permanent and passing wildlife. For the last two years, gardeners in the park have no longer used pesticides to maintain Montjuzet Park, the effects are already measurable on the enrichment of flora and fauna." "During the development of the Parc Montjuzet, the choice was made to keep 9 hectares without intervention. These hectares could be a source of some ecological richness. Hives have been established near this area since 2009." (Ref. 1) This park has the Refuge LPO label. (Ref 2)

In 2011 the Municipality of Lisbon promoted a project for urban gardens in the Horticultural Park of Telheiras (Ref.4).
The park is an allotment garden with the objective of supporting the urban agricultural practice for its own consumption. The residents of the locality had the possibility of renting at a symbolic price, one of the plots made available by the municipality (ref.5).
Beyond the provision of plots, the Council also provides fences, shelters for storage, water irrigation, training and technical support (ref. 1).

The Willem Alexander Park is the first roof park of Utrecht and is built on a highway tunnel (the A2 highway) and includes meeting areas, sports and activities and a community garden that contributes to social cohesion. It also allows for cultural development by creating spaces for art and culture and includes a sustainable drainage system (ref. 1, 2). In addition, the Willem Alexanderpark is the first park in which almost two hectares consists of prairie plantings (ref. 2).
The park is intersected by the roads between the City road and Leeuwenstein-North. Each segment between the roads has its own thematic program, appropriate to the size and location in the urban context. The themes are:
– connect & meet
– art & culture
– sports & games
– nature & education
– food & drinks (ref. 4)

In an effort to improve the Holásecká lakes for both recreation and local natural conditions, the revitalization project has modified areas on the shores of the Holásecké lakes reconstructed culverts between the lakes, and removed the panel which fortified the Opleta and Lávka lakes (Ref. 4). The largest restoration activity includes removal of mud from the lakes (which can be repurposed due to low contamination) for the sake of ecologically restoring the area (Ref. 4). Plans also include improving recreation by installing wooden piers and developing a paved footpath with benches (Ref. 1). The ecological restoration will be important for wildlife, especially birds and amphibians (Ref. 8).