"I Have A Bee" Organisation
‘I have a bee’ (IHAB) is an organisation for hobby beekeepers. It contributes to a sustainable and long-term solution to the bee colony collapse phenomenon by popularizing bee keeping as a hobby. It was founded by 3 hobbyist beekeepers back in 2014. The idea originated from their passion for beekeeping and the desire to breed and keep bees as pets. The group has engaged in research about the roots of traditional beekeeping and designed a new top bar hive which has the advantage of being usable in backyards or on city terraces. (Ref 1) Their 1,000,000 beehive initiative aims to ignite 1,000,000 people around the world to watch at least one beehive. (Ref 3) No information found on status of project as of September 2020.
Beekeeping in Audi Hungaria
The idea of beekeeping originated from AUDI AG, Audi Hungaria's parent company. In 2015, Audi Hungaria was in the midst of implementing its flora and fauna protection plan thus the beekeeping idea was in line with ongoing developments, and was quickly taken up by management. 6 bee colonies with 270,000 bees were installed in September 2015. The bees produce 200-240 kilograms of honey each year, which is branded as Audi Hungaria Premium Honey, and gifted to visitors, as well as purchasable in the gift shop. The income is used for nature conservation programmes. The company also cooperates with the University of Sopron in a biomonitoring project which uses the bees as bioindicators of environmental pollution. (Reference 1)
Renaturalization of the Weser river's coast
A local government-led project of the renaturalization of the part of the Weser river shore. The initiative aimed to restore part of the river bank to its natural state and to create habitats for the typical local flora and fauna. Additionally, a sand beach for the public was created. The project aimed to increase biodiversity, increase the river shore protection and water management, as well as to improve public access to the recreational area at the water and the attractiveness of the river landscape (Ref. 1, 2, 5).
Beach park in Bremen
A project of the local government developed with EU and federal funds that aimed at the development of the green and beach area in the course of the refurbishment of the flood protection system. The initiative sought to provide a model project for urban flood protection, which can showcase that flood protection measures do not require a separation between city and water and new recreational spaces at the water and shore can be created instead. The project involves redevelopment of the shore area, enlargement of the public space at the shore with additional sand deposit and greenery planting (Ref. 1, 2). The bank area with a beach and recreational facilities opened in May 2019 (Ref. 5).
Butterfly booths in the city
The project of building 100 butterfly booths in different locations of the city developed by BUND Bremen in cooperation with the Botanical Garden, Stadtgrün Bremen and implemented jointly with the citizens. The project additionally involved plantings of flowers and educational activities. It aimed at increasing biodiversity, increasing the protection of the endangered butterfly species as well as providing care instructions for the care of butterflies for the residents of Bremen (Ref. 2, 3).
The First Delicious Bio-Garden in Sofia
A pilot educational garden was created by Foundation Zaedno in Sofia in 2011 in the city kindergarten Slaveyche. The initiative was carried out with the financial support of Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and volunteers. The aims of the garden were to turn a derelict site into an attractive place for learning about and practicing gardening, playing games, learning about healthy nutrition, conservation, and promoting the creation of other Delicious Bio-Gardens. The garden has herbs, vegetables, and a rainwater harvesting system. Events connected to this initiative were taking place till 2013-14 (Ref. 1; Ref. 2; Ref. 4)
Green roofs on buses
Green roofs were created on vehicles in the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Girona, Córdoba, Valencia. This initiative is based on the project of Marc Grañén, who developed PhytoKinetic a project for the development of moving gardens. (ref 1) The city of Palma de Mallorca was also considering its introduction as a measure of sustainability. (ref 1) The intervention, however, remained in the pilot stage (ref 1 and 4).
Bees in Hannover
The “Animal Species Aid Program”, also a part of “More Nature in the City” project of the Department of Environment and Urban Green, mapped out the occurrences of wild bees in Hannover including Leineaue, Alte Bult and the area of Berggarten and Leibniz University. With this program, 244 wild bees and wasp species were detected in Hannover in 2013/2014. In addition to the inventory, the program has also provided care instructions tailored to the individual species (like frequency and timing of lawn mowing) in order to protect their habitat.
The “Wild Bee of the Year” was launched in 2013 by the Baden-Württemberg Wild Bee Cadastre Working Group in cooperation with the State Institute for Bee Science and the beekeeping associations of Baden-Württemberg to draw attention to the danger to native wild bees throughout Germany. The program is part of the city of Hannover’s activities on biodiversity. As an example, in 2012/2013, occurrences of the endangered nightingale were recorded, extremely rare and highly specialized tree beetles were mapped, and amphibians and dragonflies were stocked in selected small waters. Specific care measures for individual biotopes were provided along with an overall overview of the ecological qualities of the city of Hannover.
(Reference 1 as of 2015. No information was found with regards to the current status of the project)
The “Wild Bee of the Year” was launched in 2013 by the Baden-Württemberg Wild Bee Cadastre Working Group in cooperation with the State Institute for Bee Science and the beekeeping associations of Baden-Württemberg to draw attention to the danger to native wild bees throughout Germany. The program is part of the city of Hannover’s activities on biodiversity. As an example, in 2012/2013, occurrences of the endangered nightingale were recorded, extremely rare and highly specialized tree beetles were mapped, and amphibians and dragonflies were stocked in selected small waters. Specific care measures for individual biotopes were provided along with an overall overview of the ecological qualities of the city of Hannover.
(Reference 1 as of 2015. No information was found with regards to the current status of the project)
Greening Hannover
The project "Sustainable Support Program for Greening Buildings and Minimizing the use of space using the example of Hanover" was established jointly by BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) and the state capital of Hanover. The goal of the project is to transform as many barren house walls and dull grey roofs and asphalted areas into green oases throughout the city. Since May 2013, all house and landowners, housing associations and building communities have been able to apply to the BUND for a subsidy for green roofs and facades. On 2017, the project was expanded to include unsealing of areas like inner courtyards, driveways, etc, thus creating new green areas. Advice on the correct greening measures and on professional unsealing have been also offered by BUND.
The project is funded by the state capital of Hanover, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the Sparkasse Hannover and by proKlima. The "Green Hanover" funding program will end on December 31, 2020. (Reference 1)
The project is funded by the state capital of Hanover, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the Sparkasse Hannover and by proKlima. The "Green Hanover" funding program will end on December 31, 2020. (Reference 1)
Forest Recovery of Tapada do Mouco
A group of companies, coordinated by Citigroup and framed by the Sintra-Monte da Lua and Naturlink Parks, met to promote the environmental recovery of the Tapada do Mouco by rehabilitating the plant diversity in the area and removing invasive species in 2001.
The action took place when more than a hundred volunteers from the sponsoring companies triggered Tapada's recovery work” “selective cleaning of invasive alien species and afforestation with native trees and shrubs, such as oaks, ash, willows, arbutus, hazelnuts and holm oaks.” (1,2)
The action took place when more than a hundred volunteers from the sponsoring companies triggered Tapada's recovery work” “selective cleaning of invasive alien species and afforestation with native trees and shrubs, such as oaks, ash, willows, arbutus, hazelnuts and holm oaks.” (1,2)

