Last updated: October 2024
In 2017, many public parks in Iași were in poor condition, suffering from neglect and inadequate maintenance. Parks like Barboi were left unmanaged, with deteriorating infrastructure and overgrown vegetation. In response, the municipality of Iași initiated efforts to revitalize these green spaces. The Barboi Park revitalization focused on rehabilitating 8,200 sqm of a degraded area (1 & 6, p. 106). Accessible pathways were repaired, and benches were installed to create a relaxing environment (1 & 4). Existing trees and vegetation were pruned, new trees and ornamental plants were introduced, and the soil was enhanced with more fertile layers to correct uneven levels (1 & 4). The primary aim of the new vegetation was to improve the park’s aesthetic appeal and boost biodiversity (1). The project was led by the Municipality of Iași through its Public Services Department (Servicii Publice Iași), which oversaw the improvements (1 & 6, p. 106). It was part of a larger urban plan to expand and enhance the city’s green spaces (6, p. 106 & 7, p. 336). This plan aimed to improve the city’s visual appeal and increase livability for residents (6, p. 106). The project’s total cost was approximately €260,450.45 (6, p. 107). Later that year, the park was renamed "Woodrow Wilson" to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. mission to Iași during WWI, with a small monument erected to mark the occasion (5). The initiative also aligned with national guidelines on green space regeneration, per capita green space, and accessibility (7 & 9).
View of the park
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Soil degradation and loss
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Mental health issues (stress, anxiety)
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Remediation activities of sites with very poor environmental quality, Ecological restoration of existing green spaces, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat conservation
Project objectives
To enhance the aesthetic appeal of both the park and the city overall and provide a space for recreational activities (1 & 6, p. 106).
To improve accessibility to the park and its infrastructure (1 & 4).
To maintain existing trees and vegetation, while introducing new plant species, removing invasive vegetation aimed at boosting biodiversity (1).
To enhance the park's soil quality (1 & 4).
To provide a relaxing environment and foster a favorable living climate for citizens (1 & 6, p.106).
To achieve 26 sq.m. of green space per inhabitant (7, p. 336).
To ensure every citizen is within a maximum of 10 minutes from a green space (7, p. 336).
Implementation activities
The project included several key improvements to Barboi Park aimed at enhancing its accessibility, infrastructure, and natural environment. Access pathways were created or repaired, including pedestrian walkways, to improve the overall accessibility of the park (1). Infrastructure dedicated to relaxation, such as benches, was either newly installed or upgraded (1).
The maintenance work involved clearing unmanaged trees, removing wild shrubs, and eliminating construction debris and stones that had accumulated over time (1). New trees and ornamental plants were introduced, including species such as Acer platanoides Royal Red, Canna indica, Lavandula angustifolia, Magnolia liliiflora nigra, and others, to enhance the park’s greenery and aesthetic appeal (1 & 4).
Additionally, the existing soil was improved through milling, leveling, and the addition of fertile soil, covering a total area of 8,200 sq.m. (6, p.107). Lastly, in recognition of historical significance, the park was renamed "Woodrow Wilson" to honor the 100th anniversary of the U.S. mission to Iași during WWI (5).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- The project didn't involve any form of stakeholder participatory activities
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The municipality of Iasi was the main initiator and provided the land, funds, and carried out the implementation activities with the necessary resources through its department of Public Services (1 & 6, p. 106).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(ORDONANŢĂ DE URGENŢĂ nr. 114 din 17 octombrie 2007, which stipulates 26 sq.m. per inhabitant (7, p. 336 & 9)/National green space regulation.)
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Strategia Integrata de Dezvoltare Urbana 2015-2030 (7, p. 336)/Integrated Urban Development Strategy 2015-2030)
Type of enablers
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€100,000 - €500,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Expected improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Expected enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
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.
Servicii Publice Iasi (2017 ). Descriere proiect Parcul Barboi _ Servicii Publice Iasi SA. Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Servicii Publice Iasi (2018 ). Servicii publice Iasi_raport2017. p. 8 & 51. Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Cristi Tanasa (2017 ). ReporterIS - Unde vor avea loc lucrări de modernizare și amenajare a spațiilor verzi din Iași. Reporter IS, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Alex Andrei (2017 ). Fata noua pentru parcul din zoa Targu Cucu-Biserica Barboi. Ziarul de Iasi , Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Primaria Iasi (2017 ). O piațetă din centrul Municipiului... - Primăria Municipiului Iași _ Facebook. Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Primaria Iasi (2018 ). Raportul de activitate al Primarului Municipiului Iasi pe anul 2017. p. 106-107. Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Primaria Iasi (n.d. ). Strategia Integrata de Dezvoltare Urbana 2015-2030. p. 336. Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
8.
STORIA (n.d.). Trai Storia Centru. Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Ministerul Justiției (2007). OUG 114 17_10_2007 - Portal Legislativ. Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link];
View of the park grass and trees
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Ornamental flower from the park
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Parc
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Parc
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Parc
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Parc
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Parc
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Parc
https://spiasi.ro/module/portofoliul/2017/04/01/descriere.php
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.