Last updated: October 2021
“Xarxa de Sendes Urbanes de Alacant(Catalan)/Red de senderos urbanos (Spanish)” (Red of Urban Trails) is a network project developed by the city council consisting of urban trails classified into three types: environmental or natural trails, cultural or heritage trails and city trails, the latter as network connectors. The NBS focus on the first type (environmental and natural trails). (Ref 1) With the implementation of interconnected trails system and signage, the trails offer walks, educative explanation on the different species found in the area and provide leisure, relaxing and physical (running, hiking) opportunities to visitors and citizens. (Ref 2)
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Other
- Blue infrastructure
- Coastlines
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Tourism support
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
Focus
Coastal landscape management or protection, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Protection of natural ecosystems
Project objectives
“The objective is to facilitate a walking access to all the citizens of Alicante and tourists who visit the City; Taking advantage of the special characteristics of Alicante: Coast, beaches, wide green areas and mountainous elevations near the urban centre, as well as the climatology and urban distribution.” (Ref. 3)
Implementation activities
Implementation of interconnected trails system and signage. The trails offer walks, educative explanations on the different species found in the area and provide leisure, relaxing and physical (running, hiking) opportunities to visitors and city citizens. (Ref 2)
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
- Dissemination of information and education
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Within the urban trails program in the city of Alicante, the Department of Environment of the City of Alicante published and designed a series of brochures / guides (Ref 2) The city itself is managing the trails in order to "facilitate walkable accessible trails to all the citizens of Alicante and tourists who visit the City" (Ref. 3) The Department has developed a network of trails of environmental component, but also joining patrimonial and urban aspects, so that users can choose between different alternatives, even on the same spaces." (Ref.2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The urban trails program in the city of Alicante. (Ref 2) )
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased number of species present
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- More sustainable tourism
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Fair distribution of social, environmental and economic benefits of the NBS project
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Protection of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Achieved 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. ABC (2013). "La red de senderos urbanos permite conocer el patrimonio y la naturaleza". Source link. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
2. Anon. (2014). "Senderos urbanos de la ciudad de Alicante". Source link. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
3. Alicante Municipality (2016). "Red de senderos urbanos". Source link. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
4. Facebook page: "Red de Senderos Urbanos" (no date). Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
5. Alicante Municipality (2013). "Red de Senderos Urbanos de Alicante". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
6. Alberola, P. (2018). "Senderismo sin salir de la ciudad de Alicante". Diario Información. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
7. Alicante Press (2019). "Un sendero para ver la puesta de sol sobre la bahía de Alicante". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
2. Anon. (2014). "Senderos urbanos de la ciudad de Alicante". Source link. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
3. Alicante Municipality (2016). "Red de senderos urbanos". Source link. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
4. Facebook page: "Red de Senderos Urbanos" (no date). Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
5. Alicante Municipality (2013). "Red de Senderos Urbanos de Alicante". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
6. Alberola, P. (2018). "Senderismo sin salir de la ciudad de Alicante". Diario Información. Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)
7. Alicante Press (2019). "Un sendero para ver la puesta de sol sobre la bahía de Alicante". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 16, 2020)