Urban Greening Plans (UGP) are taking Europe by storm as a tangible and actionable strategy both for mitigating and adapting to environmental challenges by improving air quality, storing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and reducing temperatures. UGPs are an opportunity to mainstream nature-based solutions (NBS) by explicitly and intentionally integrating biodiversity-enhancing practices and structures into legally binding urban plans and policies.
Belgrade, a participant in ICLEI Member Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities of Serbia, offers an exemplary model for cities tasked with drafting a UGP. With support from local experts, such as the Centre for Experiments in Urban Studies (CEUS), Belgrade has created a UGP for a Linear Park along a former railway corridor in the urban municipalities of Stari Grad and Palilua. The park will stretch from the Beton Hala along the Danube to the Pancevo Bridge. The development process was driven by joint input from many stakeholders, and is a promising pilot for NBS integration in a Serbian context.
The process began in 2019 with a survey for local residents on urban nature. 570 residents responded, clearly indicating a desire for more pristine natural areas in the city. The survey provided essential input for participants in a subsequent landscape architecture design contest. In total, 28 teams (127 people) submitted proposals for the Linear Park. 10 outstanding teams were invited to submit more detailed proposals, which formed the basis of the city’s official strategy for the area.Construction on the park began in 2022.
The impact of the UGP will extend beyond the park itself– novel for Belgrade, the plan listed green roofs and green walls as obligatory elements of any new construction adjacent to the park. Belgrade’s UGP was supported by the CLEVER Cities Horizon2020 project and benefited from learning acquired through ICLEI’s UrbanByNature Programme.
Register for the upcoming European Week of Regions and Cities: Urban Greening Platform Launch to learn more!