Palma, Spain
City population: 405584
Duration: 2017 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Project area: 17000 m2
Type of area: Previous derelict area
Last updated: October 2021

The Urban Forest project represents an increase of urban trees in the city. There will be two phases of this project. In the first, it consists of a transformation of an eye-sore and abandoned space, around previous Canodrome, into a large urban forest (Ref 1, 9). The second one will be located in the land of the velodrome of Es Tirador. This projec has been delaid due to unforeseen costs (Ref 10).

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Conversion of former industrial areas

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Transformation of previously derelict areas

Project objectives

- Regeneration of an urban space abandoned for 30 years in contribution to efforts against climate change (ref 2); - Planting of 18 000 m2 of green forest space, with Mediterranean trees to be planted (ref 1); - Creation of a meeting place for citizens from two different neighbourhoods, and connection of the city to nature. (ref 2); - Use of recycled water, as per conditions against drought (ref 1); - Rehabilitation of a section of a ditch from the XIII century. (ref 3).

Implementation activities

Preparation and finalization of the plans by April 2017; Spring 2017, begin the intervention actions- planting of Mediterranean species of trees; 2018, finalize phase 1 the intervention early in the year (ref 2); Phase 2 consists of the rehabilitation of an adjacent space into an urban forest, it is planned to be finished by 2019. (ref 1); In 2019 there was a delay in the project (ref 8).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change mitigation:

  • Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
  • Implement sustainable forest management measures to increase carbon sinks/ improve carbon storage

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Create new habitats
  • Protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect native species

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Government-led

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The City Government is leading the plans for the intervention, in consultation with the neighborhood councils of the affected area. (ref 1)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The project "Bosc Canodrom" is part of the actions of the city council, and the City, Urbanism, and Habitat office. Although no specific document is mentioned, it is said that the plans for the project have been developed within these bodies. (red 2) )

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • Other

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget
  • Unknown

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Improved soil quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Restoration of derelict areas

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Improvement in people’s connection to nature
  • Increased appreciation for natural spaces

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. Moreno, Maitane. (2017). Palma tendrá un bosque urbano de 17.000 metros cuadrados en el antiguo canódromo. Radio Mallorca. Available at: Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
2. Ayuntamiento de Palma. (2017). El bosque urbano del canódromo será una realidad antes de final de año. Available at: Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
3. Galan, Raquel. (2017). Las obras del bosque urbano de Palma comenzarán en septiembre. Available at: Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
4. J.L.C. (2017). El proyecto de ejecución del futuro corredor verde de sa Riera estará listo en diciembre. Mallorca Confidencial: Available at: Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
5. Vallespir Palma, Aitor F. (2016). Los vecinos del Fortí piden opinar en el diseño del futuro bosque urbano de Palma. Diario de Palma. Available at: Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
6. Universidad de Malaga. (2017). Bosques Urbanos Foro de Innovacion Social. Available at:, Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
7. Última hora. (2020). Vecinos del canodromo pala hartos de ver el deterioro. Mallorca: UH Noticias. Available at : Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
8. UH Noticias (2019). Inauguración del Proyecto del bosque urbano retrasa hasta otoño. Mallorca: UH Noticias. Available at : Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020)
9. Diario de Mallorca (2018). El futuro bosque urbano de Palma en Marcha. Available at : Source link
10. Palma de Mallorca. (n.d.). Image of the Greyhound Track Project. Palma de Mallorca: Ayuntamiento de Palma. Available at: Source link (Accessed 16/July/2020).
11. Gonzales, M. (2020). Inauguración del proyecto del bosque urbano se retrasa hasta el otoño. 9 de julio de 2020. Palma de Mallorca: Última Hora. Available at: Source link (Accessed 06/August/2020)-