Grass

The Ville Forests covering the hills between Bonn and Cologne are an example of a rare and highly endangered forest habitat type in Europe giving a home for many threatened animal species (1). The protection and conservation of these 'oak-hornbeam forests on hydromorphic soils and the forest-dwelling species was the main objective of the Villewälder: LIFE+ Project for Kottenforst and Ville project which includes four Natura 2000 areas with 4.378 hectares of forest. The conservation measures of the project focused on water balance restoration, habitat improvement and preservation, and the extension and connection of protected areas (1,2).

The largest rain gardens in Sweden (thus far) has been created in Göteborg (Kviberg park). Kviberg's multisport arena was completed in the summer of 2015 in the northeastern part of Göteborg. Around the facility, there are parking spaces with a capacity for 500 cars. In order to handle the rainwater flowing from the parking area, approximately five per cent of the total area has been used for rain gardens, which both clean and store the rainwater. (Ref. 1, 2)

The restructuring of the main road Gran Via Fernando el Catolico has seen a rehabilitation of its green areas in two distinct plots: one occurring at its intersection with Calle Lagasca, and one at its intersection with Corona de Aragon. The intervention is connected to relieving the heat island effect that occurs in the city center, increase greenery with the planting of 114 new trees and making the main traffic artery more accessible and pleasant to pedestrians. (Ref. 1-5)

The project opts for switching to more sustainable and organic ways of handling natural parks in the urban areas of the city of Bologna. The project was launched in 2008 and focused on 100 hectares, meaning 10 parks (out of the 1.100 total in the city). The goal is to develop maintenance techniques with low impact on local flora and fauna, stimulating biodiversity and an equilibrium with the surrounding urban environment, as well as the reduction of toxicity impacts for vulnerable residents (i.e. children and elderly people) (1 and 2).
This NBS solution focuses on changing maintenance of Bologna public urban parks from conventional techniques to biological ones (1 and 2).

The park will have a surface of 100.000 sqm. It is designed to be the beating heart between municipality offices, fashion and culture related buildings, vital train connections and residential areas. The paths generate a mosaic of irregular plots. Each with specific groups of plant species, grasses or lawn. Circular tree groupings are superimposed on these plots, and together they will form a botanic library. The vegetal patches alternate with water and hard materials, thus creating a series of public spaces that house cultural and recreational program (1).

Bjerkedalen is a recently constructed park around the Hovin creek in Bjerke District. It is situated in the middle of a settlement block, which used to have few public spaces. The park now acts as a recreational area with lots of green space, a river and several facilities for outdoor activities. The construction of Bjerkedalen park incorporated the installment of several important blue-green structures and features such as planting native trees and plants along the river, providing open grassy areas as well as reopening the Hovin river from underground pipes, with the aim of improved water quality and flood prevention.(Ref. 2)

On a yearly basis, the city of Zagreb, Zagrebački holding plants new trees and bushes to maintain Zagreb as a green city with 114 hectares of green spaces (Ref 2). Also includes maintenance of green surfaces, such as grass in public parks along with tram tracks and planting new trees and maintaining existing ones next to kindergartens and schools (Ref 2). Maintenance of city parks, lawns and tree lines includes cleaning, mowing and collecting grass and garbage from green areas, restoration of trampled lawns, maintenance and pruning of trees, shrubs and hedges, maintenance and care of seasonal and permanent flower beds, maintenance of paved and dune areas in parks and installation and maintenance of urban equipment in parks and children's playgrounds (Ref 1).

Newcastle Helix - Science Central is Newcastle’s flagship project aiming to create a global centre for urban innovation. The 24-acre site has been at Newcastle’s industrial heart for 200 years. The site is transforming into an exemplar of urban sustainability, a ‘living laboratory’ where it will trial innovative urban technologies. (1, 2)
The Core is the first building on the 24-acre Newcastle Helix - Science Central development with a 27m-high green wall construction on its side functioning as a vertical garden of ivies, seagrass, thyme, primulas, euphorbia and nesting boxes (5)

”Gothenburg is now greener and more beautiful. Urban farming is the name of the investment that Göteborgs Stads Fastighetskontor (The property office) makes to stimulate small-scale and residential/urban farming. The goal is to get new crops, crops in unconventional places, plants/farming that provide joy and help to spread knowledge and create contact between generations and people from different parts of the city and the world. But also to develop the already existing cultivation and colony areas.” (Ref. 1)

The project involved the redevelopment of old military infrastructure at the periphery of the Zagreb city (Boronaj) into a green and carbon-negative university campus. The Boronaj campus has planned to be the green campus of the university and includes the use of renewable energy (biomass, geothermal and solar), treatment cell for wastewater and a huge green area (with trees and shrubs). The buildings (constructed and to be constructed) are planned to be carbon negative (Ref 1). A significant portion of the campus is the green areas (with trees and shrubs). This was created with the aim to contribute and maintain the native species diversity (Ref 3, 4). In addition to increasing the biodiversity of the city, the tree species has improved the air quality of the area and reduced the local air temperature. The project is partially completed. Some buildings are yet to be constructed. The Campus was officially opened on October 12th 2007 and for now, it hosts 4 university units: Centre for Croatian Studies, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Traffic Engineering and Faculty of Economics and Business (only vocational study programmes in economics and business). Five other faculties are also planning to relocate to the Campus in the next few years. Besides the (re)construction of university buildings, campus will be home to a sports centre, student residence hall and a number of institutes. The project is partially completed, some of the buildings are completed while some are yet to be constructed. (Ref 1, 3, 7).