Last updated: October 2021
The company running the Zabalgarbi waste disposal site manages a solid waste–to-energy plant and also houses a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant, a composting plant, a landfill and a leachate treatment plant. During construction of the first plant, Zabalgarbi regenerated and recovered the entire Artigas-Arraiz area covering 108 hectares. The area was degraded by shaft mining activity and an opencast quarry. The project aimed at the reforestation and landslide mitigation of this degraded area. Today the area has been reforested, trails were built and space provided for people to enjoy themselves in gardens, picnic areas and along forest tracks. (Ref 1)
Source: Ref. 1
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- 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, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Ecological restoration of ecosystems
Project objectives
Recover and reforest an area of 108 ha and plant more than 41.000 trees (Ref 1, 2). Other aims of the project included:
1. Restoring and preserving endangered species
2. Preventing and treating soil erosion while reinstalling watersheds
3. Improving the air quality of the region
4. Lowering surface temperature
(Ref 1,2)
Implementation activities
The city council supported the reforestation of the slopes at whose feet the city lies. Since 2007 more than 41,000 trees have been planted. The city made sure that the varieties of species were also mixed and ready to withstand a changing climate. (Ref 2)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore endangered species
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Zabalgarbi company: regenerated and recovered the Artigas-Arraiz area during construction of the first plant (Ref 1)
City Council: supporting reforestation measures (Ref 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(This NBS refers to Ley 2/2006, de 30 de junio, de Suelo y Urbanismo (Law no.2/2006 in regards to Soil and Urbanism) in which the Basque Government has formulated and implemented its own policy on urban planning, based on and in accordance with the general legislation on land management and urban planning. (Ref 3) )
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(This NBS is part of the Arraiz-Artigas Plan (Plan Especial AOR “Arraiz-Artigas” ) which was designed in 2008 when the plant of Zabalgarbi was erected and emphasized on the mediation between environment and the plant, per se (Ref 3) )
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved stormwater management
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Type of reported impacts
Expected 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. Zabalgarbi S.A. (n.d.). Zabalgarbi and its environment. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 6 October 2020].
2. RESIN. (n.d.). City Assessment Report, Bilbao. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 6 October 2020].
3. Ramirez, S. (2008). Ecología y capitalism. Rebelion. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 6 October 2020].
4. Arraiz Artigas Igorritako Antolamendu Areako Plan Berezia. (2008). Plan Especial del Area de Ordenación Remitida “Arraiz-Artigas” BILBAO. [Not available in 2020].
2. RESIN. (n.d.). City Assessment Report, Bilbao. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 6 October 2020].
3. Ramirez, S. (2008). Ecología y capitalism. Rebelion. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 6 October 2020].
4. Arraiz Artigas Igorritako Antolamendu Areako Plan Berezia. (2008). Plan Especial del Area de Ordenación Remitida “Arraiz-Artigas” BILBAO. [Not available in 2020].
Source: Ref. 1
Source: Ref. 1