€100,000 - €500,000

Välen is a natural area 8 km south of central Gothenburg, established as a protected nature reserve in 2013. Prior to the establishment of the nature reserve, Välen was an agricultural area that experienced environmental degradation due to pollution from a nearby sewage treatment plant. Västra Frölunda Nature Conservation Association leased the land in 1985 in order to allow cattle to graze through the overgrown meadows as a form of landscaping approach [Ref. 5].
The City of Gothenburg took the initiative to protect and manage the area as a protected reserve [Ref. 1, 2]. It is formed of wet meadows and deciduous forests and has a total area of about 68 hectares, of which 52 ha are land and 16 ha are water. Välen is situated by the sea and the mouth of a small river, and protects some of the coastal waters. Residential areas surround the nature reserve and are a popular destination for recreation [Ref. 1-3]. In creating the nature reserve, efforts were made to make the area more accessible to visit and to provide learning opportunities. New paths, entrances and signs were established [Ref. 3-4]. The nature reserve is described as contributing to several national environmental goals, particularly goals related to biodiversity [Ref. 2].

The project, implemented by the municipality of Cagliari, involves the creation of a new garden in 2021 on Via Eroi d’Italia, in the Pirri municipality, located about 5 km from the center of Cagliari. This initiative is part of a broader effort to reclaim degraded urban green spaces. The garden spans approximately 900 square meters and was previously an unused lot serving as a parking area. Its transformation required substantial groundwork, including soil scarification and leveling, to prepare the area for its new purpose. The garden is now enclosed, with pedestrian access via two gates leading to a paved walkway.
Inside, the garden is divided into two main sections: a children's play area and a landscaped green space. The play area covers about 100 square meters and features durable artificial grass, swings, a spring toy, a universally accessible table, a children's table, benches, and a multi-compartment recycling bin. The green space, approximately 200 square meters, is planted with low-water-use grass and surrounded by drought-resistant plants like albizia, oleander, and lantana, chosen for their low water consumption and resilience to environmental stress. An underground irrigation system, linked to a 5,000-liter water tank, ensures efficient water use.
The remaining 600 sqm outside forms a parking area with 1 disabled space, 2 motorcycle spaces, 1 bicycle rack, and 15 car spaces.
The garden also incorporates sustainable elements, such as LED lighting for energy efficiency and a mural by renowned Sardinian artist Manu Invisible, depicting sunlit forest undergrowth in shades of green. This project responds to citizens' requests and prioritizes resource efficiency by reducing hazardous substances and minimizing waste. The materials used, including recycled plastics, and the selection of plants were chosen to match local ecological conditions, enhancing the garden's sustainability and reducing its environmental impact (Refs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

The Phoenix Park initiative was carried out by the "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iași in partnership with the Iași Communitarian Foundation, the BorgWagner Fund, and the Municipality of Iași. It involved the rehabilitation of a green space within the university campus. Covering an area of 3,000 square meters, the renovation was based on the winning design from a student competition focused on improving campus spaces.
The park was designed to include facilities for physical exercise (calisthenics equipment), recreation (badminton court and ping-pong table), and social interaction spaces. It also serves as a buffer to reduce noise from the surrounding areas.
The total cost of the project amounted to 121,200 euros, with the university covering infrastructure expenses, the municipality providing the labor for rehabilitation, and the private fund contributing 15,150 euros. The implementation of the design was overseen by the student designer and coordinated by the NGO and the university’s Association of Student Architects.
This initiative is part of a larger urban regeneration project by the university, in collaboration with the municipality and the Communitarian Foundation, where several campus green spaces are being rehabilitated based on student designs. The overarching goal is to enhance students' quality of life and promote healthy lifestyles through the creation of green spaces during their time at the university. (1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 13, p. 92)

The last large-scale park in Iași was opened in 1923, and since then, the city has lacked any significant new green spaces. With the European Union recommending at least 26 square meters of green space per resident and the city's increasing urban density, the need for a new park is undeniable.
To address this, the Municipality of Iași is launching its first major park project in over a century. The project aims to transform the current CTP depot (tram station) into a 4.5-hectare, accessible green space in a densely populated area with strong development potential. This new park is envisioned as a green oasis that will enhance residents' quality of life while promoting environmental sustainability and urban renewal.
The initiative has received widespread public support, with citizens proposing the creation of a local museum to honor the tram station’s historical significance—one of the oldest in the city, with over 100 years of history. A consultation process has been established, involving local residents, NGOs, and a group of experts, including urban planners, architects, and mobility and environment officials, all contributing to the planning stage. Public suggestions for the park include underground parking, recreational and exercise facilities, and a diverse range of vegetation. Ensuring accessibility for all citizens and visitors is also a key priority in the park's design.
The municipality has allocated 300,000 euros for a solutions contest to finalize the approach to redeveloping the tram station. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9)

Historically, the area of San Paolo in Cagliari has suffered from environmental degradation and illegal dumping, making it an unsightly entrance to the city. In 2022, the Città Metropolitana di Cagliari, initiated a project to transform this degraded area into a urban park featuring 7,000 new plants, including olive trees, junipers, lentisks, myrtle, rosemary, tamarisks, and Aleppo pines. Managed by the municiplaity of Cagliari, and funded by a €500,000 grant from the Ministry of Ecological Transition, this initiative will cover 4.7 hectares between Via San Paolo and the Santa Gilla Lagoon, creating a natural corridor connecting the city to the lagoon. The project aims not only to restore the land but also to enhance both metropolitan and municipal environmental requalification plans.
A multidisciplinary team, including a forestry technician, agronomist, and biologist, developed the project to ensure it is environmentally sustainable and suited to the local ecosystem.
The work on the project began in June of 2022 with land preparation, removal of invasive species, and waste collection, resulting in the clearing of over 5 tons of rubbish. By December, around 3,000 plants had already been planted, with the remaining work, including the installation of an irrigation system, scheduled for completion by January 2023. The selected plant species are fast-growing, and within two years, the shrubs are expected to reach a height of about two meters. The park is planned to open to the public in 2024, providing a new green space for walking and outdoor activities.
The San Paolo urban park project has encountered obstacles, mainly due to the expropriation of buildings, leading to legal disputes, permit delays, and a temporary halt caused by a tender-related issue. The site is currently overgrown and unused, showing clear signs of neglect. (Refs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5).

In 2017, many public parks in Iași were in poor condition, suffering from neglect and inadequate maintenance. Parks like Barboi were left unmanaged, with deteriorating infrastructure and overgrown vegetation. In response, the municipality of Iași initiated efforts to revitalize these green spaces.
The Barboi Park revitalization focused on rehabilitating 8,200 sqm of a degraded area (1 & 6, p. 106). Accessible pathways were repaired, and benches were installed to create a relaxing environment (1 & 4). Existing trees and vegetation were pruned, new trees and ornamental plants were introduced, and the soil was enhanced with more fertile layers to correct uneven levels (1 & 4). The primary aim of the new vegetation was to improve the park’s aesthetic appeal and boost biodiversity (1).
The project was led by the Municipality of Iași through its Public Services Department (Servicii Publice Iași), which oversaw the improvements (1 & 6, p. 106). It was part of a larger urban plan to expand and enhance the city’s green spaces (6, p. 106 & 7, p. 336). This plan aimed to improve the city’s visual appeal and increase livability for residents (6, p. 106). The project’s total cost was approximately €260,450.45 (6, p. 107). Later that year, the park was renamed "Woodrow Wilson" to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. mission to Iași during WWI, with a small monument erected to mark the occasion (5). The initiative also aligned with national guidelines on green space regeneration, per capita green space, and accessibility (7 & 9).

Fjärdingsparken is a city park that has been constructed in two phases, the second finishing in 2023 [Ref. 1]. The initial phase of the plan focuses on building a new kindergarten, and it includes developing the park surrounding the kindergarten to increase locals' access to green space and recreation. The first phase also involved building a football field at the park's edge [Ref. 1, 4, 5]. The second phase continued the park's development focusing on rain water management and biodiversity. The park was constructed so that up to 900 m3 of rainwater can be managed in the park during a 100-year rain, protecting the surrounding area from flooding. This is part of a flooding strategy for the city. The park includes a meadow, aiming to provide habitat for flowers and plants supporting pollinators and butterflies. It also contains amenities such as an outdoor gym, a dog park, and a "play forest" designed for children. The climate impact of constructing the park was evaluated in an attempt to reduce GHG emissions [Ref. 1-3].

Salines Beach, a popular destination for over a million visitors annually (Ref 9), is facing severe erosion due to rising sea levels and poor coastal management. Since 1995, the beach has lost more than 20 meters in width. This loss has been worsened by vehicle traffic and the introduction of coconut trees in the 1950s, which reduced the native root systems that once helped to stabilize the coast (Ref 5). Now, the encroaching sea threatens to swallow the road that runs along the beach.
In response, the Salines Conservation Committee—comprised of concerned community members and environmental groups—has been advocating for urgent action to halt the erosion. They have called for a renaturalization of the area through the replanting of endemic species and restrictions on car traffic, both aimed at restoring the beach’s natural resilience.
When part of the road collapsed in July 2022, the committee took immediate action, organizing community-based interventions. These efforts included blocking traffic, raising public awareness, and planting over 60 endemic plants in the damaged area. The aim was to reestablish a root network capable of anchoring the coastline and capturing shifting sands (Ref 1; 2). The intervention was described as "a response to the urgent need to rebuild the root network, an ecological engineering solution recognized as the most effective method for retaining beach sand and slowing coastal erosion" (Ref 2; 1). The intervention on this section of the coast was first completed, then discarded by the municipality of Sainte-Anne (Ref 2). Regional and National agencies are currently undertaking the restoration works but it is unclear the stage of completion (See Ref 3).

Sourced from Northern Worcestershire, the River Stour has played a significant role in the industrial heritage of Birmingham and the Black Country (Ref 1). It consists of 11 Water Framework Directive water bodies and multiple tributaries, spanning 200 km in length (Ref 2, 3). Once a pristine Salmonid river that powered the Industrial Revolution, rapid industrialization severely impacted the river, leaving it heavily polluted with sewage (ibid.).
Initiated by the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust (BBCWT) in 2021, the Love Your River Stour (LYRS) project focuses on Dudley and Wolverhampton, aiming to transform the River Stour and its surrounding green spaces into a beautiful, wildlife-rich source of pride for local communities and to create a corridor for wildlife to thrive through the heart of the Black Country (Ref 4).
Phase 1 of the project was completed in June 2023, bringing significant improvements along the river (Ref 5, 6, 7, 8). In Phase 2, the project will extend to a stretch running through Cradley Heath and Lye (Ref 7, 8). This initiative is funded by the UK Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

Dudley, a historic market town in England and part of Birmingham's metro area, is reported to have some of the lowest rates of public access to nature in the country, ranking in the bottom 10% of governmental statistics for available greenspace relative to population density (Ref 1). To address this issue, the Dudley's Path to Nature Recovery project was launched in 2024 by the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust (BBCWT). The initiative aims to reduce inequalities in access to nature and create a greener future for local residents (ibid.).
Funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority, the project seeks to reconnect local communities with nature through five key activities: conservation work, community engagement, citizen science, partnership development, and the creation of new walking routes (Ref 1, 2, 3).
Among the project's activities, conservation efforts will include community engagement and focus on woodland improvement, heathland creation, and more. Additionally, the project will bring together key partners and community groups to explore collaboration models and identify potential sites for joint projects. Lastly, new walking routes will be created across the project’s landscape (Ref 1).