The Urban Nature Atlas is a collection of more than 1000 inspiring nature-based solutions from European cities and beyond.
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Key challenges
Nature-based solution
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Greenbelt
Munich, Germany
Most of the open spaces around Munich are designated as green belt areas and are being used mostly for agricultural purposes. As a lead project of its green strategy, the city now aims to protect these areas and to upgrade their quality by cooperating with local farmers and promoting a shift to extensive and ecological farming, developing habitats, corridors as well as a network of cycle tracks and footpaths for recreation (Reference 3, 4). The city supports the farmers with advisory services, but also with the organization of the implementation of the ecological projects. The farmers are motivated to join by being able to use labels such as "Potatoes from the Greenbelt of Munich" on their products. (Reference 3) The initiative also includes herb gardens, provided by farmers and rented by citizens. (Reference 1) A further project included in the initiative is the "Münchner Ökokonto, a biodiversity offsetting principle by which the former low moor complex of the West of Munich is being renaturalized on 28 areas with a total area of 67 ha. (Reference 5)
Greened-over urban railway tracks (grass tracks)
Stuttgart, Germany
Greened-over urban railway tracks (grass tracks) is a city-wide program in Stuttgart which assumes the construction of tram lines with grassed-over tracks. This applies not only to planning and construction but also long-term maintenance (ref 1).
Greener Grangetown scheme
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Grangetown is the site for a flagship environmental programme to tackle flood risk and water waste (ref 5). This scheme catches, cleans and diverts rainwater directly into the River Taff instead of pumping it over 8 kilometres to the sea. It will make Grangetown a greener, cleaner place and enhance local biodiversity (ref 2). Every year more than 40,000m³ of rainwater is diverted from entering the combined sewer network (ref 1). Interventions include planters, swales, bio-retention ponds, permeable paving and curb drainage, making use of the existing streetscape. 108 rain gardens have been created, and 130 trees have been planted; the area has been deemed the 1st "bicycle street" in Wales (ref 8). Wider benefits include education, health, well-being (ref 1).
Greener Sofielund
Malmö, Sweden
Sofielund invests in a sustainable area. Carpool/joint recycling centre were some of the proposals discussed when property owners, Malmö city and some experts discussed how Sofielund could become more sustainable in the future. The idea is that the environmental days in Malmö (e.g. a workshop) will lead to an action plan to make Sofielund greener. Property owners Sofielund has been at the forefront of a local sustainability work that can be a model for the rest of the country. In February 2017, a memorandum of understanding was signed about concrete efforts to strengthen the Sofielund area (Ref. 1, 2). There is a strong political support for the work that is being done in Sofielund and the BID concept is now upscaled to a sixth project area called Case Sofielund. (Ref. 6).
Greenery Planting at Dolnozemská Street
Bratislava, Slovakia
The planting of trees and shrubs in Dolnozemská Street is part of the Bratislava zelenaj project and Bratislava’s gradual implementation of NBS to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on its inhabitants. (1, 3, 9)
Greening and Conserving Pirojshanagar’s Mangroves
Mumbai, India
Pirojshanagar Township is an industrial and residential establishment of the company Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co Ltd (G&B), located in the Vikhroli suburb of Mumbai city along Thane creek, with diverse natural and human-made habitats (1,2). Of the 16 km2 area of the Township, approximately 12 km2 is occupied by the mangrove ecosystem and its associated habitats (1,2). Upon recognizing the importance of this ecosystem, G&B decided to prioritize the conservation of the mangroves that grew along the banks of the newly acquired land (along the Thane Creek west bank) (1,2). Pirojshanagar, with its biodiverse mangrove forest, is sandwiched between two solid waste dumping grounds of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which only increases its importance in the landscape and makes it a green oasis that acts as a carbon sink (1). It was a research-based project and the first successful mangrove conservation project in Mumbai, now serving as the Mumbai Metropolitan's green lung (1,2).
Greening facades
Karlsruhe, Germany
The intervention was supposed to be implemented by the project group "Green Facades" consisting of the urban initiative "SchwarmFarm", the research project Quartier Zukunft and citizen volunteers. Greening facades in the Oststadt district of Karlsruhe with hops (climbing plant) to contribute to the cooling of the urban microclimate was their primary goal. Additionally, the harvested hops were envisioned to be used by local breweries for brewing (Ref. 1) Although the project group dedicated to the project was cancelled, there are plans to continue the project in private. (Ref. 2)
The leaders of the project have cancelled it, but it may still be implemented privately in a different form. (Ref. 2)
The leaders of the project have cancelled it, but it may still be implemented privately in a different form. (Ref. 2)
Greening Hannover
Hannover, Germany
The project "Sustainable Support Program for Greening Buildings and Minimizing the use of space using the example of Hanover" was established jointly by BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) and the state capital of Hanover. The goal of the project is to transform as many barren house walls and dull grey roofs and asphalted areas into green oases throughout the city. Since May 2013, all house and landowners, housing associations and building communities have been able to apply to the BUND for a subsidy for green roofs and facades. On 2017, the project was expanded to include unsealing of areas like inner courtyards, driveways, etc, thus creating new green areas. Advice on the correct greening measures and on professional unsealing have been also offered by BUND.
The project is funded by the state capital of Hanover, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the Sparkasse Hannover and by proKlima. The "Green Hanover" funding program will end on December 31, 2020. (Reference 1)
The project is funded by the state capital of Hanover, the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the Sparkasse Hannover and by proKlima. The "Green Hanover" funding program will end on December 31, 2020. (Reference 1)
Greening in Laval
Laval, Canada
A greening project in Laval aimed to replace impermeable surfaces such as asphalt with vegetation. This process would allow water to infiltrate the soil on a surface area of 3000 square meters and plant 7200 plants on land located near or inside urban heat island zones of the city (Ref. 1,2,3,7). The project takes an integrated approach to mitigate the impact of urban heat islands, which make up 12-13% of the territory in Laval (Ref. 1,7). Particular focus of this project is placed on planting on sites of vulnerable communities (Ref. 1,3).
Greening Kampala
Kampala, Uganda
Kampala called ‘The Green town’ its capital and the most important city in Uganda. The town nearing the Lake Victoria into the South, depicts both colonial and contemporary architecture and has a population of approximately 2 million people, spread over 21 slopes. The city also has a continuous flux of human capital (caused by the effects of climate change- e.g. droughts, erratic rains) from the country's rural regions which puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the environment, through inefficient resources and unstastainable settlement patterns. As a response, the city of Kampala tried to address climate change mitigation by initiating a large tree planting project in Kampala and its outskirts. (1,2) The plan identified “proper management of urban natural assets” and the planting of 500,000 trees as ways for Kampala to become a lower carbon and more climate-resilient city. One of its desired impacts was “increased green spaces and trees in households for improved health and income”. (3)
