Welcome to the Atlas

Located in downtown Bandung, with an area of 3.8 hectares, Babakan Siliwangi (more commonly known as Baksil) has been declared The World City Forest on September 27, 2011, by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is part of the green belt of Bandung and is a place of recreation for residents and features a canopied walking path. Declaring the forest as part of the urban green belt of the city has not been an easy task for the management team of Baksil as in 2011, there was a plan to build privately-owned multistories building at the site, which would greatly reduce the environmental quality of the area. In response to this challenge, the team initiated a series of awareness actions as well as a planting campaign to raise the profile of the forest, as well as to address several environmental challenges such as emissions reduction, noise pollution, soil degradation, and fauna and flora conservation. The intervention proved to be very successful as it established the Baksil forest as a new public space that enabled people to get to know and better appreciate their city forest. Several communities have been holding events in this area to activate the idle space, while inviting more people to interact with the forest, making it to be invaluable for the local community and the city of Bandung. (1,2,3,4,5)

Creation of an additional spot for a vegetable garden, which is a utility of the charitable society for inclusive employment (Gesellschaft für integrative Beschäftigung mbH) in Bremen. With the land provided by the city and with the financial help of Aktion Mensch organization the initiative aimed to establish an additional area for the gardening and horticultural activities that will involve disabled people. The project aims to increase social inclusion of the disadvantaged groups as well as promote urban subsistence and sustainable solutions in food production. The initiative also involves educational activities (Ref. 2, 3).

The 40-storey mixed-use skyscraper will serve as an economic catalyst for the French city’s central business district and comprise offices, a hotel, a restaurant, and residences. The tree-covered areas of the tower will give the building its iconic appearance and a portion of that green space will be open to public use (Ref. 1). Trees will line the platform of the building and a ribbon of gardens will curl around the glass facade to its full height (Ref. 2).

The aim of the project was to plant many varieties of vines on flood embankments of the southern tip of Ostrow Tumski on a stretch of 1 km. Grapes would be free of charge, as the idea of the project was to set up a community garden where the effects of the citizens’ work would be available long-term and publicly accessible [1]. In 2014 the project was in a pilot stage which resulted in a successful application for funds from the participatory budget in 2016. Despite the awarded money, the project has never been implemented, hence the applicants (Foundation “Vineyards of Poznan”) pressed charges against City Hall. Today, the project is still in the initial form from its pilot phase [9].

The development of the sustainable district of the Haute Deûle River Banks, associated to Euratechnologies TIC center, leans on recognition of water as an element of its foundation. The current innovation is about the water garden. It is a part of the bigger project, building an eco-district on the banks of the Haute Deule river. The water garden, which plays the role of storage (stormwater) and of phytoremediator, evolves with the rhythm of rain and becomes the emblematic place for this work with water. Its vegetation improves every year and the natural seeds of young willow trees contribute to the establishment of a dynamic ecosystem (Ref 1).

The Water of Leith is home to a wide diversity of plants and animals. The river performs an important flood control function in the city. A management plan envisions to create a healthy river that flows through a green corridor from the hills to the sea and is a haven for wildlife, is enjoyed and managed by the public, and is valued for its built and cultural heritage. The current intervention is about an extensive Flood Prevention Scheme. Walls and other flood defence measures have been constructed from Murrayfield downstream to Bonnington. A re-modelling exercise is being carried out to include the impact of climate change on the river system and the efficacy of the flood prevention scheme. The Water of Leith Conservation Trust works to conserve and enhance the river, its heritage and wildlife. It also promotes education and recreation and works with volunteers and community groups (ref 1, 2, 3).

The city of Malmö works for a sustainable urban environment, e.g. through planning the city's new construction, working on existing buildings and at the same time striving to reduce the environmental impact. Västra Hamnen (Western harbour) is a new and ultra-modern district in Malmö. It is located on a former shipyard area right beside the sea, only less than a kilometer north-west of the medieval old town of Malmö (ref. 10). In the Western Harbour where land was available after the shipyard’s closure, high sustainability has been sought from the beginning. In dialogue with builders and other actors, Malmö City has developed guidelines for energy use, green structure, waste solutions and a healthy indoor environment. (Ref. 1)

A multi-sensory garden designed and built especially for people with dementia and their carers has been opened in Doncaster at St. Catherine's mental health hospital. The Garden is the result of multiple charities and organisations coming together to push the project forward. The aim was to create a stimulating, relaxing and safe environment for people living with dementia, as well as their carers, to enjoy. The garden has been designed to be multi-sensory to prompt memory recall by appealing to senses such as sight, smell, touch, sound and even taste that come with the different seasons (Ref 1 & 2).

A formerly derelict area, part of a 19th-century estate, the Zurich Square is a park, whose whereabouts are relatively new, and whose main function is to serve as the only park for the 700 children of the neighbourhood. Its location makes it also valuable, meaning that this park is situated in an industrial area and it contains trees planted in the 19th century (1).

Located in the Eastern part of Tanzania's mainland, the city of Dar es Salaam has been a fast urbanising centre in Sub Saharan Africa. A steady population increase represents implications related to increased human activities, such as encroachment of hazardous land, poor urban planning, as well as lack of infrastructure, placing considerable pressure on the good functioning of the city and causing a rapid loss of green areas and of trees. In counterbalancing these aspects, peri-urban agriculture, artisanal fishing, and nature-based tourism contribute substantially to the well being and livelihoods of the inhabitants of Dar es Salaam. Understanding that nature plays a significant role in the sustainable development of the city and to address the issues above, the municipality of Dar es Salaam, alongside several stakeholders, elaborated a so-called "Thematic Atlas of Nature’s Benefits to Dar es Salaam", tailored specifically for the city. One of the aims of the atlas is to tackle climate change effects that are threatening Dar es Salaam by keeping urban and peri-urban ecosystems intact while implementing nature-based solutions. It is a balancing act coupled with the fact that Dar es Salaam is located in a globally important biodiversity hotspot, the ‘East African Coastal Forest’. (1,2,3)