Introducing adaptive community-based biodiversity management in urban areas for improved connectivity and ecosystem health for cities of Tartu, Aarhus and Riga
The EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 aims to stop the loss of green urban ecosystems and calls on cities with at least 20 000 inhabitants to develop plans including measures to create biodiverse and accessible urban forests, parks and gardens, tree-lined streets, urban meadows, etc. The strategy also foresees the improvement of connectivity between green spaces.
Objective
The UrbanLIFEcircles project will demonstrate a systematic approach to leading a biodiversity-oriented change in the management of urban greenery. The project will improve the condition of biodiversity in participating cities (Tartu, Riga, Aarhus) by creating ‘urban LIFE circles’, continuous stretches of restored valuable habitat types and green urban areas supporting biodiversity. Green corridors connecting Natura 2000 sites, valuable grasslands and urban green areas will be designed to allow species to expand their habitats from reserves towards the city centre.
The specific objectives of urbanLIFEcircles are to engage communities in cities to actively participate in conservation, to assist businesses to develop supporting products and services, to establish synergies for biodiversity-oriented governance, to deploy science-based methods for adaptive management, and to demonstrate in practice that system change is possible.
Duration and partners
Duration: October 2022 to September 2027. (TalTech contribution lasts until September 2025.)
Partners: City of Tartu, University of Tartu, Kino NGO, Rohetiiger Foundation, Tallinn Technical University (TalTech) and the cities of Riga and Aarhus.
Funding
Funding source: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, LIFE programme.
Budget: Total eligible budget 10 273 122 €, of which EU contribution: 6 163 872 €.
Sustainability and Responsibility
The project is initiated by the cities, responsible for the management of their public spaces. Accordingly, biodiversity has been identified as the key focus by the political level governance of the participating cities. Having roots in this innovative and forward-looking approach, this project helps the operational staff to solve the practicalities for how this should be done. The project also carries out a range of actions to build public awareness, support and participation in these actions, and monitors project impacts to validate the chosen approach.
The role of FinEst Centre for Smart Cities
The role of the FinEst Centre for Smart Cities in the project is to support the digital transition of biodiversity governance. FinEst Centre will set up a 3D Green Twin for selected project sites in Tartu including novel 3D models for the represented biodiversity, and develop analytical solutions that enable citizen engagement and improve virtual accessibility of nature values.
