Last updated: October 2021
In 2019, the public initiative "Let's return the rivers to the city" campaign united public forces around the Podborenka river, which flows through the territory of Izhevsk along its entire length [1, 4, 5]. In an urbanised environment, the river was abandoned due to water pollution, poor treatment of stormwater, road and industrial runoff, soil erosion, and due to presence of landfills in the valleys [1, 4, 7]. Therefore, the project's primary goal is to increase the efficiency of urban resources and the creation of new scenarios for resource use on the example of the space of the riverbed of a small river [3]. The project implementation contributes to improving the ecological situation of the Podborenka River, its embankment zone and biodiversity [1, 9]. Also, the project implementers paid particular attention to the education of young people, the development of volunteer movements, and raising the level of the ecological culture of the population [1, 2, 6, 7].
Podberenka river in winter
https://rekigorodu.ru/#oproekte
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Green space creation and/or management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
- Environmental education
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems
Project objectives
In 2019, the public initiative "Bring rivers back to the city" set the following goals:
- Research, monitoring, stabilization and improvement of the condition of the Podborenka river [7];
- Sustainable development and environmental protection of the natural complex of the Podborenka River, its flora and fauna, as well as the adjacent territory of the river [10];
- Development of an economic model for the development of the territory [1];
- Organization of cleaning the Podborenka river bed [1, 9];
- Implementation of improvement activities in the embankment zone (greening and creation of natural recreation zone)[1, 7, 9];
- Dissemination of information among the population about the ecological, recreational and socio-cultural significance of small rivers and coastal areas, existing problems and opportunities for their solution [1, 7];
- Organization of public and city cultural events within the framework of the project with the involvement of schoolchildren, students and city activists [1, 7, 9];
- Organization of training sessions for city leaders, activists and stakeholders in the tools to protect small urban rivers and coastal areas in the event of violations of legislation on the rivers adjacent to them [1, 7].
Implementation activities
Activities implemented during 2019-2020 [3]:
- Research Workshop "Exploring the River"
- Design workshop "How to return the river to the city?"
- City educational lectures on sustainable development of small rivers of the city
- Citywide project seminar
- Saturday clean-ups for 3 months
- 3 cultural events
- Opening of health trails along the river
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Capacity building
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Non-government organisation/civil society
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Citizen monitoring and review
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The process of uniting public forces around the city to revitalize the territory of the Podborenka River was launched in Izhevsk. The new movement, initiated by representatives of the public, business and government, was named “Let's return the rivers to the city” [9]. Its creation was aimed at solving problems and unlocking the unrealized potential of green areas and urban rivers [1].
Target groups [7]:
- Middle and high school students;
- Students of universities and colleges;
- People involved in the prevention and management of environmental problems;
- Residents of houses located near small rivers;
- City activists;
- Scientific and pedagogical workers;
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Corporate investment
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
- Crowdfunding
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Donations
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Reki Gorodu (n.d.). Let's return the rivers to the city. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
2. OLab (n.d.). Explore cannot be designed. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
3. Lomayeva N. (2021). Izhevsk: Development of the Public Initiative "Let's Return the Rivers to the City". Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
4. Local Initiatives Support Fund (n.d.) Special project: Let's return the rivers to the city. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
5. Kamenskaya U. (2019). "Let's return the rivers to the city": how Izhevsk residents came up with the future of Podborenka. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
6. Kamenskaya U. (2019). "Let's return the rivers to the city!": Podborenka reboot started in Izhevsk. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
7. Presidential Grants Fund (2020). The scientific and practical program "Friends of small rivers". Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
8. Bondarenko N. (2020). The embankment of the Podborenka river will be landscaped in Izhevsk. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
9. Official site of the city of Izhevsk (2019). The first open meeting on the project "Let's return the rivers to the city" - Izhevsk residents united to transform the Podborenka river. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
10. School of Urban Planning and Master Planning (2019). Masterplan: development scenario, a tool for
agreement on the image of the desired future of the Podborenka River. Accessed on October 5, 2021, Source link
11. Agency for Strategic Initiatives (n.d.). Collection of Projects of the "100 City Leaders" Program. Accessed on October 5, 2021, https://100Source link
2. OLab (n.d.). Explore cannot be designed. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
3. Lomayeva N. (2021). Izhevsk: Development of the Public Initiative "Let's Return the Rivers to the City". Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
4. Local Initiatives Support Fund (n.d.) Special project: Let's return the rivers to the city. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
5. Kamenskaya U. (2019). "Let's return the rivers to the city": how Izhevsk residents came up with the future of Podborenka. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
6. Kamenskaya U. (2019). "Let's return the rivers to the city!": Podborenka reboot started in Izhevsk. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
7. Presidential Grants Fund (2020). The scientific and practical program "Friends of small rivers". Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
8. Bondarenko N. (2020). The embankment of the Podborenka river will be landscaped in Izhevsk. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
9. Official site of the city of Izhevsk (2019). The first open meeting on the project "Let's return the rivers to the city" - Izhevsk residents united to transform the Podborenka river. Accessed on October 2, 2021, Source link
10. School of Urban Planning and Master Planning (2019). Masterplan: development scenario, a tool for
agreement on the image of the desired future of the Podborenka River. Accessed on October 5, 2021, Source link
11. Agency for Strategic Initiatives (n.d.). Collection of Projects of the "100 City Leaders" Program. Accessed on October 5, 2021, https://100Source link
Podberenka river project - public event
https://www.izh.ru/i/promo/55307.html
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the UNA global extension project funded by the British Academy.