Networks and cities' news

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.

Vila Nova de Poiares: Small City, Big Environmental Ambitions

Vila Nova de Poiares, the smallest city in the GreenPlace URBACT network, with a population of around 7.000, is taking ambitious steps to address significant environmental challenges. Despite its size, this municipality in the Coimbra Intermunicipal region of Portugal has become a model for sustainable practices and community engagement, especially through its collaboration with the local URBACT Group (ULG) and its active role in the GreenPlace network.

How to re-connect and transmit complex histories to the new generations?

The city of Permet has organized a big cultural event in the Congress Hall Building, dissonant heritage from the communism regime.