Networks and cities' news

Gender aspects in planning urban green spaces

For us humans, gender largely determines how we use public space and to what extent we appropriate it. Yet it is a lagging issue in design. Public spaces are supposed to connect us, but we see a clear divide from our early years, which is really only based on assumptions rather than needs. BiodiverCity’s ad-hoc expert, Marieke Muilwijk explains that gender sensitive urban planning methods are not about feminism, but about doing things better.

The Municipality of Vratsa organized the second meeting of ULG under the "BiodiverCity" project

On 09.08.2024, the second meeting of the local group URBACT is being held in the Municipality of Vratsa within the framework of the project "BiodiverCity: Measuring Urban Biodiversity and Accounting for Ecosystem Services for Verification, Design and Engineering of Nature-Based Solutions". The meeting is connected with the preparation of the Urbakt festival, which is going to be organized by the Municipality of Vratsa and is part of the project. The meeting was attended by representatives of the interested parties from REWI, CCI Vratsa, Youth Center and experts from the Municipality of Vratsa.

The Sarajevo Process and nature-based tourism: new ways to engage people to value nature-based solutions

Our connection to nature, deeply rooted in cultural values, attitudes, and norms, plays a key role when we intend to increase the size and quality of urban green spaces and plan nature-based solutions (in our cities and beyond). The BiodiverCity partnership went to Sarajevo to learn about new methods to engage residents, enabling them to understand and plan nature-based solutions. Read the full case study by clicking on the link below!

Urban permaculture: helping residents reconnect to nature - Case study

The BiodiverCity partnership visited the Dole Self-Reliance Training Ground, a permaculture garden with educational facilities in Poljčane, Slovenia, to learn about permaculture, the importance of soil diversity, and discussed the implications for urban areas. The case study explains why it is so important to deal with permaculture in urban areas too.

You can read the whole case study HERE.

BiodiverCity: beehive therapy

Have you ever tried beehive therapy?

Hundreds of European cities are experimenting with biodiverse grassland management
and pollinator-friendly initiatives. Engaging residents is an - evergreen – challenge in these
sensitive, often culturally-driven questions. For them, operating a beehive therapy house in
a controlled way can be an interesting and rather attractive engagement tool, getting
people closer to nature.

BiodiverCity Project Mid-Term Meeting Day 2

The second day of the BiodiverCity project's mid-term meeting unfolded in the vibrant city of Guimarães, Portugal, with a deep dive into innovative examples of cultural and natural heritage promoting urban biodiversity. The day's agenda combined engaging discussions with hands-on exploration, allowing project partners to witness and learn from the city's unique approaches to nature-based solutions (NbS).