Towards the green Barcelona, city of well-being
Urban greenery represents vegetal wealth, quality of life and greater well-being for all. Because of this, the city is moving towards a greened-up model for its parks and gardens which favours natural processes and more balanced ecosystems. The Museu de Ciències Naturals has opened its living roof terrace, a space of 7,100 square metres for research and the dissemination of Barcelona’s autochthonous vegetation. Generating greenery is also one of the areas in the new grant call for climate-related group projects, along with energy savings, sustainable mobility and waste management.
Green spaces provide ecological values which are essential for the city, such as naturalness, variety and connectivity, as well as socio-cultural values such as health, well-being, beauty, landscape, culture and social relationships. It also helps foster animal biodiversity in the city and is often the only chance people get to be in touch with nature.
Greening up public space
Measures to green up the city’s parks and gardens:
- Switch from lawns to natural meadows and long grass.
- Low-intensity sowing in flower meadows of special interest for biodiversity.
- Creation of mixed-vegetation fencing of interest for biodiversity.
- Enrichment of allotment margins with plants to favour biodiversity.
- Rows of bushes and fruit trees on lawns.
- Elimination of invasive plants from some areas and replacement with species of interest for biodiversity.
- Adaptation of vegetation along the coast.
Green rooftops
Living terraces and green rooftops also help boost greenery and biodiversity, cut energy demands and promote energy production using natural resources. The Museu de Ciències Naturals, located at the Fòrum, has installed an experimental living terrace of 7,100 square metres. It’s the first green rooftop of this type in the city, enabling visitors to discover what type of autochthonous vegetation is most suitable for the city and which species grew in Barcelona before industrialisation and the urban spread of the municipality.
Climate subsidies
The city’s green spaces help mitigate the effects of climate change and achieve the goals set out in the Declaration of the Climate Emergency and the Climate Plan. To strengthen people’s involvement in this sphere, the second subsidy call for climate-related group projects in 2020 is now open. Interested organisations have until 26 July to present their proposals. Full information on the subsidies can be found on the Barcelona for Climate website.
