The ninth transnational project meeting for the partners of the European Platform for Urban Greening took place in Bucharest from 21st–26th of April. With only seven months remaining of the four year project, the meeting focussed on the impact of this European-wide Urban Greening network, how to strengthen and protect the ecosystem of relationships that has developed, and what its plans are to continue making meaningful and lasting change in the field of Urban Greening across Europe beyond 2024.
Lessons Learned from Romania – Creative Perseverance
Amongst the Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) that are part of the European Platform for Urban Greening, a case could be made to champion Romania as having achieved some of the biggest strides in embarking on a culture shift towards Urban Greening over the past four years. The project meeting gave participants a first-hand insight into challenges the Romanian partners face and an appreciation for how commendable their achievements have been thus far.
Using the strength and backing of the European Platform as a lever, not only has the Romanian CoVE been able to secure an officially recognised Urban Gardener qualification (the first of its kind in the country that will elevate the status of Landscapers and Gardeners), but they have introduced key concepts such as biodiversity and climate change and promoted vocational opportunities to over 19,500 students last year alone.
Working within a system that poses significant bureaucratic challenges, the Romanian partners showed other CoVE’s what is possible using ingenuity and creative perseverance. One such example was a voluntary Urban Greening intervention to convert a public green space along one of the city’s lakes, into a Green Promenade. Although they faced many set-backs in educating and gaining cooperation from numerous government bodies and private residence, four years on, the project still stands as an teachable example of how to enhance the well-being of urban inhabitants and protect biodiversity in the city centre.
Although their work is ongoing and the culture shift is slow, the Romanian CoVE demonstrated that education is key. As stakeholders come to see the personal and public benefits of Urban Greening and understand the principles and best practices, small gains can add up to larger wins. Throughout the week in Bucharest, there were countless takeaways of how to affect change at every scale; an inspiring reminder that regardless of the set-backs or roadblocks, forward momentum is possible.
To see the change you want, sometimes you first need to create it.
IKEA Bio-garden – Bucharest
Another project that showcases the ingenuity of the Romanian CoVe is their partnership with IKEA that has turned an empty lot beside their Bucharest location into a public Bio-garden. This highly visible project, supported with funds from IKEA, allows landscaping student volunteers to maintain the garden and create a thriving bio-diverse green space that the community can learn from and enjoy. The hope is that by raising the visibility of community-led Urban Greening projects, they can educate the local municipalities and in turn draw in their support for replicating and reproducing similar projects throughout the city.
Palace of Parliament – Project Meeting Highlight
Thanks to the incredible planning of the Romanian project meeting hosts, Platform partners were able to conduct their third day of meetings in the iconic Palace of Parliament in Bucharest’s Sector 5. Known for being one of the heaviest and largest administrative buildings in the world, this impressive Neoclassical building provided participants with a symbolic perspective on the workings of government and the fortitude required to create change and generate momentum in Urban Greening in the nation’s capital. Following indoor working sessions, participants were led on a tour of the Parliament and its impressive gardens.
Metro Map – A World Class Reference Point
In establishing the European Platform for Urban Greening as a world class reference point, the project meeting provided an in-person opportunity for all the partners to make plans to finalise their collective Metro Map project. This new intuitive and interactive Metro Map will allow prospective students and life-long learners to navigate the full range of Urban Greening courses available across all of the European Platform’s Centres of Vocational Excellence. As a one-stop-shop to find the best courses available in any given subject, whether biodiversity, soil health, or green roofs, users can simply follow ‘Metro Lines’ and ‘Training Stations’ to discover the right vocational pathway for them.
The Metro Map will be going live soon… who’s ready to hop on board?
International Urban Greening Week – Collective Commitment
Although it is hoped that the European Platform for Urban Greening will be successful in its bid to secure another round of funding, the project meeting in Romania confirmed the commitment of all the partners to continue the annual International Urban Greening Week regardless. Established two years ago, the introduction of this event has proved invaluable.
Visiting the Liceul Tehnologic Cezar Nicolau (LTCN) High School in Branesti, allowed Platform participants to hear first-hand from students how impactful the event has been on a personal level. In a presentation to the meeting’s partners, students discussed International Urban Greening Week, held in the Bucharest-Ilfov region earlier in the month and emphasised how important it was to have an opportunity to meet other international students with different backgrounds, with whom they could share ideas.
Addressing Urban Greening challenges in the unique cityscape of Bucharest, students focussed on accessing, understanding and transforming green spaces within three neighbourhoods shaped by the communist era. Speaking about what they learned, one student said: “No matter how big the problem is, there is always a green solution… we learned that we can make an impact at any scale.”
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