Last updated: May 2025
The project aims to restore green spaces in the neighbourhoods of San Francisco and 7 de Agosto. Led by Aguas de Cartagena, in partnership with other organizations, the initiative focused on environmental recovery, social integration, and reducing inequality through the revitalization of community spaces. Activities included planting native species, maintaining community infrastructure, and promoting environmental education, contributing to climate change mitigation and fostering a healthier, more sustainable environment (ref 4). As part of a collaborative effort between Aguas de Cartagena and SACSA, a synthetic grass sports field named El Wio was constructed with an investment of around 60 million pesos. The project aimed to foster community integration and provide safe spaces for sports and recreation, and it also included improving drainage systems, installing solar-powered lighting, and creating green spaces around the field (ref 5). Additionally, the Biblioparque, a community library and park in San Francisco, was rehabilitated to restore the library infrastructure, including terraces, reading rooms, and green spaces. The initiative provides a vital cultural and educational space for the community, especially for children, youth, and the elderly, fostering a culture of reading and community engagement. It also addresses previous safety concerns after a fire incident and aims to promote arts and cultural activities( ref 3). In parallel, a long-term initiative, in collaboration with the local government, provided educational tools and resources to over 1,000 children and youth in San Francisco (ref 2).
maintenance activities in the park
https://caracol.com.co/2023/10/18/aguas-de-cartagena-avanza-en-la-ruta-hacia-la-transformacion-ecologica-de-la-ciudad/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Institutional green space
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Environmental education
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
- Other
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Updated management structure of existing green spaces (e.g. parks), Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs
Project objectives
To contribute to social integration, environmental conservation, and the reduction of inequalities in vulnerable neighborhoods (ref 4).
To foster community integration and provide safe spaces for sports and recreation, promoting social values such as teamwork and tolerance among the youth. (ref 5)
To rehabilitate and enhance the infrastructure of the community library park to promote a culture of reading, arts, and social cohesion among children, youth, and adults (ref 3).
Increase green spaces and oxygen production in Cartagena by planting native species to help reduce the impacts of human activity and climate change. (ref 4).
Implementation activities
- Key implementation activities are the recovery of green areas, the planting of native species, the maintenance and painting of community furniture, and environmental education. ( ref 4)
- Two forest nurseries are established, located at the El Bosque water purification plant and the Villa Estrella Wastewater Pumping Station to provide plants to the park (ref 4)
- Rehabilitation of the library and community park, including the development of terraces, reading rooms, and other facilities. (ref 3)
- Reinforcement of the walls around the sports field, drainage improvements, installation of a solar-powered lighting system and creation of ornamental green spaces around the sport field (ref 5) .
- Distribution of educational materials and resources to children and youth (ref 2).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The initiative is led by Aguas de Cartagena (Acuacar), a Public Limited Company responsible for water supply and sewerage services, in partnership with the Social Transformation Collective (Traso), the Sociedad Aeroportuaria de la Costa (Sacsa), and the Mayor’s Office of Cartagena (ref 2). The project is the result of a strategic alliance established over five years ago between Acuacar and Sacsa, aimed at fostering social inclusion and reducing inequality in neighborhoods such as San Francisco, 7 de Agosto, Canapote, and Crespo (ref 4). The initiative also benefited from the active involvement of volunteers from Actuar por Bolívar, Traso, and the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) (ref 4). In parallel, residents of San Francisco have been engaged in ongoing efforts to enforce a judicial ruling requiring the clean-up and long-term protection of local water bodies (ref 6).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
€50,000 - €100,000
Source(s) of funding
- Corporate investment
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
Type of reported 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
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
www.comunicandonoticias.com (2021). Aguas de Cartagena reconoce la importancia de sembrar árboles y fomenta está práctica en la Ciudad.. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Cartagena Al Dia (n.d.). Aguas de Cartagena por los niños y niñas del barrio San Francisco. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Noticias Vital (2022). Adecuan biblioparque del barrio San Francisco de Cartagena con nuevas obras. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Caracol Radio (2023). Aguas de Cartagena, avanza en la ruta hacia la transformación ecológica de la ciudad. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Aguas de Cartagena (n.d.). San Francisco estrena cancha deportiva con grama sintética. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Revista Metro (2016). Comunidad de San Francisco exige que se cumpla fallo de Acción Popular. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Baltar-Moreno; Guerrero-Palencia; Silva-Herrera; Feria-González (2023). Memorias ciudadanas de un barrio de Cartagena. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
photo of the park
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Parque+De+San+Francisco/@10.4357957,-75.515043,3a,75y/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipOC-7wVh1a36TnaATvTnwSjlSNDaw-slAB0X_k9!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOC-7wVh1a36TnaATvTnwSjlSNDaw-slAB0X_k9%3Dw203-h114-k-no!7i3264!8i1836!4m7!3m6!1s0x8ef6256f42468791:0xfb5dcc8cbee3c469!8m2!3d10.4357957!4d-75.515043!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F11fx8c8bz_?hl=es&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkwOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
planting activities in the park
https://www.comunicandonoticias.com/2021/04/30/aguas-de-cartagena-reconoce-la-importancia-de-sembrar-arboles-y-fomenta-esta-practica-en-la-ciudad/
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.