Dublin 7, Dublin (FUA), Ireland
City population: 1894440
Duration: 2021 – 2024
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Residential
Last updated: September 2024

The NatureRx Rain Garden Pilot is a community-driven initiative aimed at addressing urban runoff and its associated challenges, implemented by Bí URBAN, a community hub and social enterprise in Dublin focused on urban regeneration. The pilot project developed in Stoneybatter, Dublin involves diverting rainwater from residential rooftops into specially designed rain gardens (1). The area is used as the first trial area by installing around 100 rain gardens (3, 11). Built to fit neatly into available spaces, these self-sustaining planters will filter rainwater through the garden, with overflow pipes in place to prevent flooding during heavy downpours (1). It is expected that these gardens will transform sterile urban spaces into green areas, enhancing biodiversity, providing habitats for pollinators, and acting as carbon sinks (1,3).

Flourishing Rain Garden
Rain Garden in Dublin
Ref. 3

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Green areas for water management
  • Rain gardens

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Improvements to water quality
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Sense of community and community engagement

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Climate-Related Hazards
  • Urban flooding (stormwater)
  • Environmental Degradation
  • Biodiversity loss

Key priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens), Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Strategy, plan or policy development, Implementation of city-wide or neighborhood initiatives focused on biodiverity protection (e.g. bee-friendly initiatives, butterfly protection, "Spring cleaning"), Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans

Project objectives

Main goals of the intervention: To transform urban spaces into green areas (100 rain gardens), therefore enhancing biodiversity, providing habitats for pollinators, and acting as carbon sinks (1,3). To offer residents a connection to nature, promoting well-being and community engagement, participation, and capacity building (1). To address urban water problems in Dublin by collecting rainwater and reducing storm drain overflow, which helps prevent flooding and watercourses pollution. (3)

Implementation activities

The project involves placing these gardens adjacent to downpipes, where they harvest and filter rainwater to manage urban runoff. The gardens are designed with plants that thrive in both dry and damp conditions, making them largely maintenance-free. Overflow pipes are included in the design to handle excess water during heavy rainfall. Additionally, Bí URBAN collaborates with University College Dublin to monitor the effectiveness of these rain gardens. The project is further supported by Dublin City Council, which provides a "How-to Guide for Rainwater Planters" to encourage community participation. As part of the project's ongoing development, Bí URBAN and Workhouse Union are creating a NatureRx publication to share insights and guidance from the pilot, making the process accessible to other communities (1).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater

Climate change mitigation:

  • Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
  • Create new habitats
  • Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
  • Means for conservation governance
  • Public engagement
  • Capacity building

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Non-government organisation/Civil Society
  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Researchers/University
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Social enterprise

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
  • Co-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The founder of this project, Bi URBAN social enterprise, is responsible for implementing rain gardens in Stoneybatter (3). The Bonneville Environmental Foundation (nonprofit), DCC, and LAWPRO further finance this project. It is being executed in collaboration with the Civil Engineering Department at University College Dublin (UCD) and has been supported by two private companies, Wavin Ireland and Version 1. Specifically, Wavin Ireland provides the pipes needed for these rain gardens to function (11). Meanwhile, the scientists at UCD are examining data from measuring planters' water inflow and outflow (3). Currently, Bi URBAN has moved on to the review phase of the project in collaboration with Workhouse Union (1). The community is responsible for the maintenance of gardens (13).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (Water Framework Directive (6);)
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown (National Tree Week (14, p.25) belongs to Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022 (14, p.93))
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Dublin City Draft Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) Guidelines (14, p.58); Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2025 (14, p. 8) National Tree Week (14, p.25) as part of the Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022 (14, p.93))

Type of enablers

Capacity-building projects, City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city, NBS research project (e.g., H2020, Urban Living Labs, national research projects), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • Corporate investment
  • Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget
  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
  • Donations

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of land
  • Provision of labour
  • Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
  • Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
  • Other

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved stormwater management
  • Expected improved stormwater management
  • Green space and habitat
  • Reduced biodiversity loss
  • Expected reduced biodiversity loss
  • Enhanced support of pollination
  • Expected enhanced support of pollination

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Improvement in people’s connection to nature
  • Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature
  • 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

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

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.
Bí URBAN (n.d.). Introducing the Naturerx rain garden PROJECT. Bí URBAN, Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Bí URBAN (n.d.). Bí URBAN IS A NATURE-BASED SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN THE HEART OF STONEYBATTER. Bí URBAN, Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
3.
O'Flynn, M. (2022). Rain garden roll-out expands in Dublin's inner city. RTÉ, Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
4.
National Heritage Week (n.d.). BUILDING YOUR OWN NATURE BASED SOLUTION - What do you need to know?. National Heritage Week, Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Kenny, E. (2022). Is Stoneybatter the coolest neighbourhood in Ireland?. District Magazine, Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Stack, J., Gannon, A., & Hurson, S. (2021). A how-to-guide for Rainwater Planters. Dublin City Council , Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Bí URBAN (2022). NatureRx Rain Garden. Bí URBAN, Accessed on August 10, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Bí URBAN (2021). Bí URBAN Today! DUBLIN CLIMATE ACTION WEEK. Bí URBAN, Accessed on August 10, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Bí URBAN (2023). SPRING HAS ARRIVED on KIRWAN STREET. Bí URBAN, Accessed on August 10, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Bí URBAN (2023). NatureRx Rain Garden Research. Bí URBAN, Accessed on August 10, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Barrett, R. (2022). Harvesting rainfall thanks to Wavin. Dublin Gazette, Accessed on August 11, 2024, [Source link];
12.
Bell, M. (2021). Rain boxes making a splash in Stoneybatter. The Liberty, Accessed on August 12, 2024, [Source link];
13.
Corrigan, D. (2021). To Keep Storms from Overwhelming City’s Sewerage System, Pilot Project Asks Dubliners to Install “Rain Gardens”. Dublin Inquirer, Accessed on August 12, 2024, [Source link];
14.
Dublin CIty Council (2021). Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2025. Dublin CIty Council, Accessed on August 12, 2024, [Source link];
15.
Wavin (2022). Wavin Ireland joins forces with Urban Rain Garden Pilot Project. Wavin, Accessed on August 16, 2024, [Source link];
16.
Bonneville Environmental Foundation (n.d.). Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Accessed on August 16, 2024, [Source link];
17.
Local Authority Waters Programme (n.d.). Local Authority Waters Programme. Local Authority Waters Programme, Accessed on August 16, 2024, [Source link];
One of the Rain Gardens that is monitored in collaboration with University College Dublin.
Rain Garden in Dublin
Ref. 10
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.