Achieved impacts

“Central Stockholm has around 12,000 planted trees in its street environment. During the second half of the 20th century, the circumstances for the city’s trees changed dramatically as competition for land increased. Concrete and asphalt were laid closer and closer to the tree trunks. This project aimed to improve conditions for trees in the city’s urban environment as they are very important to the cityscape and the air environment. They also bring residents joy and a sense of well-being. Moreover, this is a way of increasing biological diversity.” The intervention is part of the 'Environmental Billion project'. (Ref. 1, 2).

No new data found for this project in 2020. Many similar initiatives have been taken up in the city in other parts, but it is unclear whether they are part of the same project or are separate projects.

This intervention is a community garden initiated in the unused spaces of the Pablo de Olavide University campus. The garden and cultivation is open to the university community, students, professors, and faculty have the opportunity to apply for shared parcels and co-manage their piece of land from the planning stages to the planting and the cultivation. The intervention is also connected to the institution's education with certain classes and workshops using its managing model and space for learning purposes. (ref 1,5,8,9)

Pilestredet Park project was one of the largest urban ecology projects in Scandinavia and included redevelopment of a neglected inner-city quarter of Oslo while meeting high standards of sustainable construction. The project included energy efficient buildings with high quality indoor environments, plenty of green areas, as well as an extensive stormwater runoff management system for the whole site. Pilestredet Park also contributed toward the development of more sustainable construction techniques and products, much thanks to the strict requirements from the Environmental follow-up program developed by Statsbygg and Oslo Municipality's (Ref. 1)

“The Guadalquivir River offers some of the best landscape, ecological and environmental values. There is an exceptional variety of flora and fauna and the river is considered as one of the main lungs of the city and as a privileged area for the residents”. (Ref. 12) The river is an essential element of Cordoba, having been declared a natural monument in 2001. (Ref 3, p.4) There are ongoing efforts to maintain and restore the river as a natural and cultural heritage site (Ref. 1,2,5,8,9) and a space for recreational activities (Ref. 12).

Oslo municipality is underway with the large-scale project of opening up rivers that previously were running in underground pipes. Alna Environmental Park is a part of this project and includes major transformation and environmental upgrade of the river Alna. The Environmental Park runs along the river and has transformed grey structures to accessible parks and recreation areas and now acts as an important resource for Oslo's citizens. Central aims of the project are to improve the self-cleaning ability of Alna, while maintaining biodiversity in the region and to inspire future urban development. (Ref. 1, 3)

Creation of a green roof with ecological biodiversity, a place for informal meetings and recreational purposes. Is part of the Sveavägen 44 project in central Stockholm, where office space is converted into a modern and flexible meeting place with the environment and sustainability in focus. (Ref 1, 2, 3)

The park was designed to simulate a Mediterranean forest with 18 native species of Mediterranean flora. The water is being reused in order to avoid the depletion of aquifers (Ref. 1). Ecological vegetable gardens were created destined to community horticulture workshops organized by the city council (Ref. 2 and 3). The park was awarded a special prize in environmental Justice in 2010 by the Biodiversity Foundation through the "Life + European Capitals of Biodiversity"(Ref. 7 and 8), as a project that promotes environmental protection and social integration in the city. The inauguration of the park took place in 2007"(Ref. 1)

Hammarby Sjöstad is the first eco-city district in Stockholm. It is a 'town around a lake' where the planning work begun in the 1980s with an opportunity to expand the inner city of Stockholm. It is one of Stockholm's biggest urban development project and it focuses on water, energy and eco-friendly solutions. As a part of the ambition to create an eco-friendly city district, investments in e.g. green spaces, walkways and several large parks have been made. Furthermore, the Hammarby Model is the eco-cycle which describes environmental solutions used for energy, waste and water and sewage. It was established with a focus on 7 key areas: soil remediation, urban form, transportation, green buildings, energy, waste management, and water efficiency. (Ref. 1, 2, 11)

The area of Neuschönefeld where the park is located was built in the 1970s. With residents continuously leaving the area, housing fell vacant and the quality of the area decreased. Therefore, it was identified as a major regeneration area of Leipzig. The expansion and redevelopment of the Rabet park between Volkmarsdorf and Neustadt-Neuschönefeld was aimed at creating important impulses for leisure and recreation and develop a central “green switch” which contributes to sustainable urban development that also extends beyond the district (2, 3, 6).