€10,000 - €50,000

The winners of Smogathon 2016 suggested building a large green wall in the centre of Kraków. Based on the modern technologies the artificially placed wall made of metal and moss would clean local air, lower the temperature, retain water, increase biodiversity and serve as a decoration for the city centre [1,2]. The project was not completed due to lack of scientific data on its effectiveness and the weak price and outcomes balance; the city is still searching for more economical and practical solutions [6].

After more than one 100 trees were slaughtered in a few months upon order of the city in 2016, the association "Défenses des Arbres en Pays d'Aix" was created by multiple NGOs with the purpose of saving the plant heritage of Aix-en-Provence. Their main goal was to encourage the city's council to establish a "Charter for trees" dedicated to the city of Aix en Provence (Ref. 1). The work of the association was useful as the city decided to engage in a new charter, and prepare a new planting season with 64 trees (in 2016) (Ref. 4). The Charter was developed in 2017 (Ref. 6) and an environmental management plan for activities was developed in 2018 (Ref. 7).

The initiative aimed to create a layout of flowers and perennials in the green belt at Ogrodowa Street in the urban area where historically gardens were located. The initiators also took care of the existing tree crowns. The project has created a green enclave in the very heart of the city, a place for walking and relaxation. It has improved the image and increased the attractiveness of the area. The local community is involved in planting and maintaining the flowerbed [1,2].

As an open root space, climbing plants usually only need a small floor area. Such planting areas can be cut out in a semicircular shape
directly on the facade, for example in the eaves strip of the roof overhangs (irrigation may be necessary). The city department for urban development initiated a funding programme for green facades and walls on private property in the city district of Wolbeck. It formed part of the proposed measures of the urban redevelopment programme for the district to improve its attractiveness and enhance green spaces. It included the reimbursement of up to 70 per cent of the arising material costs provided that the owner commits to maintaining the green façade for ten years. Although only three parties participated in the programme, public awareness of the multiple benefits of green space were raised (ref. 1, 2, 3 and 4).

In 2015, 20,000 British Pounds have been raised to help wildlife in the Elba Park in Sunderland. The funding was granted to create new habitat for priority species in Shiney Row in Elba park. Community groups and schools were one of the major parts of the project. People were engaged to enhance their learning experience. This project was partly crowd-funded (Ref 1).

Grace House is a charity that provides care to children with disabilities. The staff has created a Sensory Garden and a fruit and vegetable patch to improve the neglected surrounding area. The project is seen as an opportunity for local people to engage in gardening activities as well as a source of health, social and learning benefits. Volunteers have been involved in the execution of the project (Ref 1).

The project seeks to plant a 300 square meters flower meadow in the Lublin city centre, in an area between two busy roads. The field would increase biodiversity in the urban ecosystem, function as a habitat for the pollinators, produce oxygen, absorb pollution and serve an aesthetic purpose.
As one of the first initiatives of this type in Lublin, the project would be monitored on an on-going basis. It serves as a pilot study for the following projects alike [1,2].

The Tineretului Park is a special vegetation and touristic area, a forest park stretched over an area of ​​over 60 hectares, on the left bank of the Jiu River. It was rehabilitated in 2009 by the municipality and it is the second-largest park in the city. Before its rehabilitation, it was seen as a dangerous area, high in petty crimes. Its rehabilitation was also much needed since Craiova is one of the Romanian cities with the lowest number of green spaces (1,2) .

In 2014, a high school in the center of Craiova decided to transform a part of its space into a vegetable garden, National Pedagogical College "Stefan Velovan". The initiative is the only one implemented in the region and aims not only at teaching children about the benefits of bio food but also aims to save consumption costs (1, 3).

The first external green wall in Lublin was installed at the University of Natural Sciences in September 2015, and it was later followed by two smaller installations inside and outside in 2017 [5]. Apart from their decorative and aesthetical functions, the walls serve educational and research purposes, as the suitability of the chosen plants for the Polish climate conditions will be evaluated for similar urban projects in the country. Finally, the project promotes urban greenery and certain offsetting for grey infrastructure [1, 2, 3, 5].