BiodiverCity

Building on the significant awareness-raising and innovation potential of cities, the BiodiverCity URBACT Action Planning Network will work out community-based approaches to valorise and measure biodiversity and related ecosystem services, enabling communities to plan robust nature-based solutions and foster pro-environmental behaviours, also contributing to the achievement of the EU Biodiversity Strategy. The 10 BiodiverCity partner cities will study and work on – among others – new and climate adaptive ways of planting and managing urban trees, organisation of bioblitz events, job description of a biodiversity officer, establishment of natural playgrounds, elaboration of the sponge city concept, installation of green roofs and walls, transformation of school yards to green oasis, biodiversity-driven park management and elaboration of forest bathing walks. Together with local stakeholders they will also analyse the possibility of implementing the City Biodiversity Index initiated by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. As partner cities of an URBACT Action Planning Network, they will co-produce integrated action plans tackling local challenges in connection with green and blue infrastructure and nature-based solutions.