The Urban Nature Atlas is a collection of more than 1000 inspiring nature-based solutions from European cities and beyond.
Use the Quick Filter by selecting an icon or the Advanced Filter to identify specific nature-based solution projects of your interests. The map will be updated to show the results of your search, and a list of all relevant projects will be displayed below. Click on the title of the nature-based solutions to see further information. If you would like to remove a selected quick filter, click on it to reset.
Key challenges
Nature-based solution
LOADING
Greening of the Bega channel
Timişoara, Romania
The greening of the Bega channel is a project which dates from 2008 and which aims at cleaning and revitalizing the channel on a distance of 44 km, in order to improve water quality, increase economic activities related with the river, and avoid future floods of the area. Since the channel has not been revitalized from 1945, the 2008 project is seen as an important step in improving not only the life quality of the Timisoara's inhabitants but also a major step in including environmental issues on the official agenda of the municipality. (1)
Greening of the square on Marat street
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Once empty paved area between the houses on Marat Street in St. Petersburg now has been turned into a cosy green garden [4, 5, 6]. The project was developed by a group of students and initiated by the Green Petersburg Foundation, Plants for Friends, "Vladimirsky" Municipal District and others [1, 3, 4, 5]. The square landscaping project contributes to the city's adaption to climate change, a need to increase urban green zones, reducing excessive heat and rainfall levels, and the creation of habitat for birds, among others [3]. The square acquired the concept of a harmonious combination of natural motives and the mood of the Russian landscape [4].
Greening Office for Citizens
Munich, Germany
In 2014 a counselling office of the NGO Green City was established, entitled The Greening Office (Begrünungsbüro), with the objective of better engaging citizens in green adaptation measures, such as green roofs, green façades, green walls or green courtyards (Reference 1, 5). Financed by the City’s Department of Health and Environment, the project addresses climate change adaptation through greening private properties, achieved through counselling citizens and companies, with diverse outreach and networking activities. The NBS recognised the potential of the many unused private spaces, such as south-facing facades and flat roofs to better adapt to climate change across the entire city (Reference 1).
Greening the Historical Canal
Utrecht, Netherlands
The historical canal that was disconnected by a road in the 1970s is currently being restored by the municipality, creating a lively atmosphere allowing for water recreation, a boulevard and green spaces (ref. 1). A small element of this restoration is the addition of green elements by a citizen group, which entails improving ecological, aesthetic and historical quality of the canal by implementing eco-friendly riverbanks, green connecting zones and floating vegetation islands (ref. 3,9,11,12).
Greenroof, Office Building Münchener Rückversicherung
Munich, Germany
This office complex at 10 Gedonstrasse in Munich was completed in the spring of 2002 with a pre-grown Ceratodon purpureum green roof and living green wall panels. It uses a special technique called BRYOTEC Technology, which enables the producing of (plant) mosses for revitalization. The biological crusts of mosses which it produces play a very important role in engineered soil media stabilisation, accelerating the development of depleted soils/substrates for vegetation establishment.
The extensive green roof is built up from mosses that require minimum maintenance. (Reference 1, 4)
The extensive green roof is built up from mosses that require minimum maintenance. (Reference 1, 4)
Greenspace at Sovereign Square
Leeds, United Kingdom
Green public space in the city with 60 new trees, large lawn areas, two water features and a rain garden that manages the site’s surface water. (2) This diversely planted area will manage surface water for the northern half of the space, improving the city’s flooding resilience and establishing an ecologically rich habitat in a part of the city that is still recovering after the banks of the River Aire burst in December 2015. (3, 4) The space serves as a gathering place for workers and visitors, providing a place for rest and reflection among natural elements. (5)
Grémillon stream flooding control planning
Nancy, France
"Renaturation and flood control works on the Grémillon stream are being undertaken in the Nancy agglomeration. The stream is subject to overflows and was highly artificialized during the urban development of the Nancy agglomeration, which caused a slow degradation of the natural environment during strong storms. In order to solve these problems, Grand Nancy has decided to implement a set of measures designed to protect the populations from overflowing of the stream and to support the regaining quality of the natural environment"(Ref. 1).
Grey to Green project
Sheffield, United Kingdom
'Grey to Green' is one of the most invested projects in Sheffield, to transform the Riverside Business District. In Phase -1 this project will transform a 1.2 km unused road to attractive new public space, which will include innovative perennial flower meadows, an interlinked sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS), rain gardens, public art and high quality paved footways (ref 2). The whole project and landscape have been designed by the City Council, partnership with the University of Sheffield Landscape School, Amey and Robert Bray Associates. The SUD was designed by leading national experts on landscaping, and it is believed that SUD will help in flood relief in this part of the city by soaking up run off to the river within the ‘flood zone’ (ref 2). In Phase-2, the scheme will link Castlegate to the under-used Victoria Quays area and transform the almost redundant former inner ring road with sustainable drainage, floral meadows, segregated cycle lanes and public art. (ref7)
Groene Mient - Sustainable Neighbourhood
The Hague, Netherlands
'Groene Mient' (Green Commons) is a citizen initiative that realized an exceptional social-ecological residential project consisting of three housing buildings of energy neutral homes and a 3,500 m2 communal garden (1,6). Storm water is captured from the roofs of the buildings into bioswales, permeable paving is applied, the shared garden is 'eatable' and houses run on sustainable energy (1). The houses do not have a gas connection and have three different sustainable energy systems: heat pump with heat-cold storage, solar boiler or electric heating (6).
Grow up - Intercultural Garden
Augsburg, Germany
Interkultural Garten was founded in 2009 as an initiative of the Society for the Promotion of Occupational and Social Integration. The aims of the project are social integration between migrants and locals from the same neighborhood, healthy and free-off-charge food supply for those who are in need, as well as the improvement of the natural environment in the neighborhood. The garden plot is located on the former Reese barracks ground (Ref. 1).
