Achieved impacts

The Brunton Park residential area in the northern part of Newcastle had a history of flooding as a result of urban growth in the local area and developments in the upper parts of the Ouseburn catchment. A total of 62 properties were at risk of sewer flooding whilst 74 properties were located within a flood zone. In 2014, the collaboration of the Northumbria Water, the Environmental Agency and the Newcastle City Council created the Brunton Park Flood Alleviation Scheme with the strategic objective to reduce the potential for flooding of adjacent properties from surface water and the Ouseburn, whilst also developing a sustainable, self-maintaining channel which supports environmental, social and economic purposes at the same time. (12)

The project included physical measures of embankment building, diverting part of the Ouseburn river, installation of sewage storing tank, and creating new water-dependent habitat (12)

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)

The nonprofit organisation of Groundwork North East & Cumbria is working with partners from across the region to protect and preserve the upper part of the Ouseburn River. The Ouseburn River Restoration Project includes several physical measures and a number of enhancements to the river and the surrounding environment to slow the flow of the river, restore its ecosystem and improve water quality. The Project also works with farmers and landowners about how to manage fertiliser and sediment runoff, thus decreasing water contamination. The project will improve in-river and bankside habitats and provide with more water monitoring data and analysis.” (1)

The project focuses on the conservation of a locally rare plant (Dictamnus albus L.) and the community of its natural pollinators. At present, European natural populations of Dictamnus albus are declining because of the scarcity of pollination service; in addition to this, suitable habitats (woodland fringes and clearings) are becoming rare due to land-use changes as a result of the abandonment of traditional agro-sylvo-pastoral activities. This project assesses these issues by re-introducing and monitoring the plant in its natural habitat while re-establishing a suitable habitat for the plants and their natural pollinators (1).

The "PROSIT" project aimed at undertaking a series of actions based on environmentally compatible mechanisms to protect and recover the coastal rural territory of Cinque Terre. Today, the terraced landscape is characterised by intense processes of land abandonment and disuse, caused both by practical and economic difficulties of maintenance and by social changes. There is a risk that the damage caused by land abandonment can compromise the area's delicate hydrogeological balance, especially in an area where landslides and floods are highly common (1). A demonstration project to recover abandoned terraces was carried out in five areas of the park (1).

"The National Park of Circeo, established in 1934, on the Tyrrhenian coast south of Rome, contains ecosystems of invaluable scientific interest. The site is, however, regularly invaded, during the summer season, by thousands of holidaymakers who tend to
park their cars on the sand dunes near the beach with a consequent heavy impact on the whole dune system. The LIFE project aimed to complete the preventative and natural restoration measures started under two earlier projects financed by the EU" (1).

LIFE VIMINE is a project that aimed to define and apply a new type of integrated approach to the management of the territory, based on the erosion protection of the most indigenous barns and marshes in the Laguna of Venice. These unique habitats are rapidly disappearing due to natural processes and human impacts of varying nature. The project has contributed to repair and protect salt marshes borders as soon as erosion starts, build micro soil bioengineering works that are able to absorb wave energy, reduce erosion, promote sedimentation with a low effort and cost and improve coastal resilience and protection (1).

This vertical garden was created with the aim to integrate the shopping mall in the surrounding green. A total of 44.000 plants of 200 different species were used on a surface of 1.262 square meters, making it the largest living wall in the world (now in Italy) at the time it was created. The green wall has met large positive response both by the owners of the shopping mall, who noticed a decrease in their energy expenses, and by local residents, who can appreciate the aesthetic beauty of the wall and breathe fresher and cleaner air. (2,3)

Just outside a densely built-up area in Bergen, a 6km nature-trail is being built. The trail brings citizens closer to nature and gives great opportunities for recreation. The trail runs up on the mountains and into the forest, and at selected points along the trail there are beautiful look-outs, picnic areas and places for children to play. Løvstien is being built with materials and a design that will tolerate high levels of rainfall, as Bergen is experiencing a lot of rain, and are projected to get even more over the coming decades due to climate change. (Ref. 1,3)

A previous mining site was redeveloped into the Puits Couriot Park-Museum of Mining. "A first part of the park was opened to the public in 2006. Since then, the developments have followed one another and others are to come in the near future, among others, the footbridge spanning the railway line" (Ref. 5). The park was redesigned from 2014-2017 with the intention to preserve the historical heritage of this museum of the mine. "The park Joseph Sanguedolce (or also mentioned as Couriot Park) is designed to meet the usages of all, in a gentle logic of appropriation of the site by nature, conducive to walking and relaxation. The large lawn is maintained for sporting activities or relaxing in the grass, in the sun ..." (Ref. 3).