Idea and goals
Wrocław’s nature-based solutions projects tackle the dual risks of flooding and heat stress. The idea is to embed blue-green infrastructure in the long-term city planning, development and management to adapt to the climate change. The ongoing projects helped pursue these objectives, we would like to present two of them. First the Horizon 2020 project “GrowGreen”, which aims at creating climate and water resilient, healthy and livable cities by investing in nature-based solutions. Within this project, some courtyards located in the Olbin district were greened with the use of blue-green infrastructure. This was accomplished in a way that increases resilience and biodiversity and helps to manage rainwater. The other, the "Grey into Green" programme, which was designed to transform grey, concrete surroundings of schools and kindergartens into oases of greenery, with the use of blue-green infrastructure elements. This is also a great opportunity to teach children about these topics and affect the way they interact with the environment.
Implementation
A series of courtyards between tenement buildings have been redesigned and renovated. They include several nature-based solutions – swales and raingardens help rainwater to soak into the soil, and trees provide shade. Community gardens and natural play areas give more space for the local people to socialise and produce their own food. Biodiversity also benefits from the improved habitat, birdhouses and insect hotels. In addition, various forms of greenery were added to create a “green street”, shading pedestrians, cars, and passengers waiting at the tram stop. These included trees, “parklets” in wooden structures, and climbing plants on buildings. The process of greening the yard was conducted through co-creation with the neighbours of the courtyards. Information boards throughout the area and a media campaign have helped local people to understand the benefits of the nature-based solutions. In this way, both, the citizens and the project objectives, could be met.
Vision
In November/December 2019 seven renovated courtyards and a green street were completed. Furthermore, during a heavy rain event in June 2020, the raingardens and swales in the yards proved their worth and successfully stored runoff. Local residents contributed to the designs of the nature-based solutions, which are now broadly accepted and welcomed.