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La conservació de la biodiversitat ha pres recentment gran rellevància per assegurar el funcionament ecològic i la provisió de serveis en territoris metropolitans. Tanmateix, la informació disponible sobre el valor, l'estat de conservació i, especialment el funcionament d'aquesta biodiversitat en l'àmbit metropolità és especialment escassa. Es mostra el cas de l'Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona, que compta amb informació relativament completa, per bé que dispersa i heterogènia, sobre la seva biodiversitat. Es presenta un índex cartogràfic -basat en un conjunt reduït de dades especialment adequades- que recull la distribució del valor de la biodiversitat, i es reflexiona sobre la contribució de les noves dades procedents de la ciència ciutadana. Es contraposen els conceptes de servei ecosistèmic i de valor de biodiversitat i es recalca la manca d'informació sobre el funcionament d'aquesta. Es presenten els casos de la dinàmica de metapoblacions de papallones als jardins de Barcelona i de l'ensamblatge de les comunitats forestals de la plana del Vallès.

This short report, referred to as Deliverable 1.6 (D1.6), is a summary of key findings, an overview of,and a comparative perspective on relevant governance, institutional and economic frameworks inChina and Europe for urban forests as nature-based solutions (UF-NBS). It bases on work realised inWP1 and on a Sino-European co-design event. In the context of UF-NBS and the CLEARING HOUSEproject, urban forest patterns, governance structures, institutional and economic frameworks areinterlocking at various spatial levels. Task 1.5 merges the key findings of the Tasks 1.1 to 1.4 togetherwith the findings of the exploratory analysis of the case studies (Task 2.1 in WP2; da Schio et al. 2021)and the inputs gathered from the co-design process (Task 3.1; De Vreese et al. 2021) into an analyticalframework for a systematic and participatory study and implementation of UF-NBS and their effectsand impacts on the urban socio-ecological system, including socio-cultural, ecological, and economicaspects. Topics addressed by the analytical framework will include ecosystem patterns andfunctioning, tree- and biodiversity, ecosystem services provisioning, impacts on human wellbeing(including socio-environmental justice, urban liveability, equality, social inclusion and gender andpublic health), climate change adaptation and the cost-effectiveness of UF-NBS in cities and their periurban surroundings. The analytical framework will highlight the contribution of different disciplinesthrough assigned thematic experts from CLEARING HOUSE and give guidance for analysing existingplanning instruments and monitoring schemes. It is preliminary structured in four streams, for thepurpose of splitting and organising the work in WP2 and in the case studies. All four streams areinterconnected, both in terms of the theme they cover and in terms of the activities planned.

Deliverable 1.2 is intended to be a guide, a structured interpretation and evaluation of the current knowledge used to collateevidence on intended outcomes and unintended impacts of UF-NBS for urban ecosystem regeneration and human wellbeing. The information reported herein is based on the compilation of a reference-recorded knowledge repository of UF-NBS and theirimpacts on urban liveability, public health, halting biodiversity loss and re-diversifying UF-NBS structures to enhance urbanresilience; specifically, Task 1.2 - Reviewing the knowledge on the importance of UF-NBS for resilient cities -and M1.3 - theRepository on UF-NBS for resilient cities in China and Europe. Sections 2 and 3 of deliverable D1.2a are intended to providea review of current UF-NBS practices in Europe and China. The in-depth coverage of these UF-NBS case studies is furtherexpanded in Appendix 1 by reviewing the grey literature, i.e. the project and official reports, planning strategies, as well asscientific publications that span the territory of EU Member States and China. This documentation highlights the main goalsand methodologies used in UF-NBS research and implementation, policy implications and NBS typology and functions, i.e.,ecosystem services, within the frame of Task 1.2, as well as case history templates (Task 1.4). In Section 4, a comparativeanalysis of case histories provides conclusive insights into common or contrasting aspects in and between these twocontinents. Final considerations drawn from the comparative analysis of the intended outcomes of UF-NBS implementationinclude lessons that can be learned and existing knowledge gaps. In Section 5, a Sino-European analysis, in the form ofamodelling exercise, was conducted of the selected case histories to explore shared themes, such as connectivity, multifunctionality and social cohesion, and macro-categories (i.e., ecological, engineering, social and economicmacro-categories) for urban regeneration and renaturing. The second part, D1.2b, presents a review of the existing knowledgeon UF-NBS through a compiled knowledge repository of cases from the academic literature as provided by both Europe andChina. This repository offers a more comprehensive understanding of the overarching goal the overall document aims for, aswell as its specific objectives, and to help satisfy the need for inquiring on the multitude of aspects that are inherent to UF-NBSand their strategic role in planning, implementation and as a response to address today’s climate change,economic and social crises. In light of the aforementioned objectives, D1.2 can be considereda valid and comprehensive aide to a variety of audiences. These include, but are not limited to,educational and scientific research institutions, NGOs, environmental planners and enthusiasts,and lastly, government authorities who are expected to devote more importance, time, andbudgets to green space management and allow for greater place-based involvement.

Governance, institutional and economic frameworks in China and Europe are considered to be decisive forthe design, implementation and impacts of urban forests as nature-based solutions (UF-NBS). Several linesof inquiry were established to focus the analysis; these were developed in a co-design process with projectpartners. To provide an evidence base for the analysis, case histories of 22 existing projects were collected:16 in Europe and 6 in China. The selection of case histories and countries was motivated by the ambition ofcovering different bio-geographical regions and planning families based on the modified ESPON approachused in the GREEN SURGE FP7 project. We found that governance, institutional and economic frameworks for UF-NBS are still under development.Support was found from the findings of Xie & Bulkeley (2020) who reported that whilst local planningprocesses are assumed to be the instigator of urban (NBS), for European cities project-based actions arepresently preeminent. We concluded that for this to move up the agenda to city strategic developmentplans, which are generally guided from the national, regional, and city level, there is a case for an EU-NBS strategy (including UF-NBS) to influence national thinking. In China, city masterplans set out the high-levelpolicy of the city and all other local plans are subordinate to it. Unlike for its immediate predecessor, theabsence of urban forestry from the Chinese 14th five-year plan is offset by the robust structure of the China National Forest City Development Plan (2018 - 2025). We found that the design, implementation and management of UF-NBS depend on the social, cultural andeconomic context, but that there is added value in the promotion of good practices and successful stories,as well as innovation. Key informants in the case histories were interested to learn from elsewhere. Thecase histories are being uploaded to the NetworkNature/OPPLA platform and shared via networks, notablythe European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) and the International Forest City conference. The engagement of civil society (i.e., social groups, citizens) in UF-NBS is still relatively low. This links to the top-down approach described in the majority of the case histories, with the leading role embedded withinmunicipalities. We have identified a need for widening the scope of the co-design processes involving localresidents and citizen groups. The engagement of the private sector also seems to be falling short ofexpectations. Indeed, the funding of UF-NBS relies to a high degree on municipal funds. This has multipleconsequences in respect of governance arrangements where citizens are recipients, not co-owners and comakers of proposed solutions, and may also reduce the scope of economic innovations. We have also identified that long-term planning should always be considered in the case of UF-NBS, since funds can berestricted to the duration of project inception leading to a loss of NBS functionality if UF-NBS managementdeclines.

This document reflects the results of a quick scoping review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature and is not intended to be comprehensive. It explores the multiple dimensions of impact that naturebased solutions projects may have when implemented at different scales, from building to regional. To meet this objective, an impact assessment framework was formulated, which is intended to be used to guide an assessment of the effectiveness of nature-based solutions projects. It is the first step in the process, and is likely to be refined by other expert working groups in 2017. The designation of geographical entities in this report, and the presentation of the material, do not represent the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Commission or other participating organisations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

[cat] Utilitzem un conjunt de mètriques del paisatge per estudiar l'evolució a llarg termini seguida en una típica zona costanera del Mediterrani des de 1850 fins a 2005, que mostren una greu deterioració del medi ambient entre 1950 i 2005. Les principals forces motores d'aquesta degradació del paisatge han estat el creixement urbà experimentat a les antigues zones agrícoles situades a les planes litorals, juntament amb l'abandonament i la reforestació dels vessants dels pujols interceptats per àrees residencials de baixa densitat, carreteres i altres infraestructures lineals. Duem a terme una anàlisi estadística de redundància (RDA) amb la finalitat d'identificar els que considerem com alguns agents rectors socioeconòmics i polítics d'última instància d'aquests impactes ambientals. Els resultats confirmen les nostres hipòtesis interpretatives, que són que: 1) els canvis en les cobertes i usos del sòl determinen canvis en les propietats dels paisatge, tant estructurals com funcionals; 2) aquests canvis no es produeixen per atzar, sinó que estan relacionats amb factors geogràfics i forces socioeconòmiques i polítiques., [eng] We use a set of landscape metrics to study the long-term environmental transformation of a typical coastal Mediterranean area from 1850 to 2005. Our figures show a dramatic environmental deterioration between 1950 and 2005. The main proximate drivers of this landscape degradation are the effects of urban sprawl on former agricultural areas located in the coastal plains, together with the abandonment and reforestation of hilly slopes intercepted by low-density residential areas, highways, and other linear infrastructures. We carry out a statistical redundancy analysis (RDA) to identify certain ultimate socioeconomic and political drivers of these environmental impacts. The results confirm our interpretive hypothesis that: 1) land cover changes determine changes in landscape properties, both structural and functional; 2) these changes are not at random, but related to geographical endowments and socioeconomic or political drivers.

Recent comprehensive data provided through the DAISIE project (www.europe-aliens.org) have facilitated the development of the first pan-European assessment of the impacts of alien plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates – in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments – on ecosystem services. There are 1094 species with documented ecological impacts and 1347 with economic impacts. The two taxonomic groups with the most species causing impacts are terrestrial invertebrates and terrestrial plants. The North Sea is the maritime region that suffers the most impacts. Across taxa and regions, ecological and economic impacts are highly correlated. Terrestrial invertebrates create greater economic impacts than ecological impacts, while the reverse is true for terrestrial plants. Alien species from all taxonomic groups affect “supporting”, “provisioning”, “regulating”, and “cultural” services and interfere with human well-being. Terrestrial vertebrates are responsible for the greatest range of impacts, and these are widely distributed across Europe. Here, we present a review of the financial costs, as the first step toward calculating an estimate of the economic consequences of alien species in Europe.

The paper provides the first estimate of the composition and structure of alien plants occurring in the wild in the European continent, based on the results of the DAISIE project (2004-2008), funded by the 6th Framework Programme of the European Union and aimed at >creating an inventory of invasive species that threaten European terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments>. The plant section of the DAISIE database is based on national checklists from 48 European countries/ regions and Israel; for many of them the data were compiled during the project and for some countries DAISIE collected the first comprehensive checklists of alien species, based on primary data (e.g., Cyprus, Greece, F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, Slovenia, Ukraine). In total, the database contains records of 5789 alien plant species in Europe (including those native to a part of Europe but alien to another part), of which 2843 are alien to Europe (of extra-European origin). The research focus was on naturalized species; there are in total 3749 naturalized aliens in Europe, of which 1780 are alien to Europe. This represents a marked increase compared to 1568 alien species reported by a previous analysis of data in Flora Europaea (1964-1980). Casual aliens were marginally considered and are represented by 1507 species with European origins and 872 species whose native range falls outside Europe. The highest diversity of alien species is concentrated in industrialized countries with a tradition of good botanical recording or intensive recent research. The highest number of all alien species, regardless of status, is reported from Belgium (1969), the United Kingdom (1779) and Czech Republic (1378). The United Kingdom (857), Germany (450), Belgium (447) and Italy (440) are countries with the most naturalized neophytes.

This document represents the CLEARING HOUSE screening tool (D1.5). The screening tool encompasses analytical questions for the guidance of the exploratory case study analysis for T2.1 in the 10 case study cities and regions in China and Europe and identifies responsibilities. The screening tool includes questions on the locality of the case study areas, geography of urban forests in the case studies, governance of urban forests as nature-based solutions (UF-NBS), and strategic objectives in relation to UF-NBS in the cases

This document represents the CLEARING HOUSE screening tool (D1.5). The screening toolencompasses analytical questions for the guidance of the exploratory case study analysis for T2.1 inthe 10 case study cities and regions in China and Europe and identifies responsibilities. The screening tool includes questions on the locality of the case study areas, geography of urbanforests in the case studies, governance of urban forests as nature-based solutions (UF-NBS), andstrategic objectives in relation to UF-NBS in the cases &nbsp

International audience; The paper provides the first estimate of the composition and structure of alien plants occurring in the wild in the European continent, based on the results of the DAISIE project (2004–2008), funded by the 6th Framework Programme of the European Union and aimed at “creating an inventory of invasive species that threaten European terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments”. The plant section of the DAISIE database is based on national checklists from 48 European countries/regions and Israel; for many of them the data were compiled during the project and for some countries DAISIE collected the first comprehensive checklists of alien species, based on primary data (e.g., Cyprus, Greece, F. Y. R. O. Macedonia, Slovenia, Ukraine). In total, the database contains records of 5789 alien plant species in Europe (including those native to a part of Europe but alien to another part), of which 2843 are alien to Europe (of extra-European origin). The research focus was on naturalized species; there are in total 3749 naturalized aliens in Europe, of which 1780 are alien to Europe. This represents a marked increase compared to 1568 alien species reported by a previous analysis of data in Flora Europaea (1964–1980). Casual aliens were marginally considered and are represented by 1507 species with European origins and 872 species whose native range falls outside Europe. The highest diversity of alien species is concentrated in industrialized countries with a tradition of good botanical recording or intensive recent research. The highest number of all alien species, regardless of status, is reported from Belgium (1969), the United Kingdom (1779) and Czech Republic (1378). The United Kingdom (857), Germany (450), Belgium (447) and Italy (440) are countries with the most naturalized neophytes. The number of naturalized neophytes in European countries is determined mainly by the interaction of temperature and precipitation; it increases with increasing precipitation but only in climatically warm and moderatelywarm regions. Of the nowadays naturalized neophytes alien to Europe, 50% arrived after 1899, 25% after 1962 and 10% after 1989. At present, approximately 6.2 new species, that are capable of naturalization, are arriving each year. Most alien species have relatively restricted European distributions; half of all naturalized species occur in four or fewer countries/regions, whereas 70% of non-naturalized species occur in only one region. Alien species are drawn from 213 families, dominated by large global plant families which have a weedy tendency and have undergone major radiations in temperate regions (Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae). There are 1567 genera, which have alien members in European countries, the commonest being globally-diverse genera comprising mainly urban and agricultural weeds (e.g., Amaranthus, Chenopodium and Solanum) or cultivated for ornamental purposes (Cotoneaster, the genus richest in alien species). Only a few large genera which have successfully invaded (e.g., Oenothera, Oxalis, Panicum, Helianthus) are predominantly of non-European origin. Conyza canadensis, Helianthus tuberosus and Robinia pseudoacacia are most widely distributed alien species. Of all naturalized aliens present in Europe, 64.1% occur in industrial habitats and 58.5% on arable land and in parks and gardens. Grasslands and woodlands are also highly invaded, with 37.4 and 31.5%, respectively, of all naturalized aliens in Europe present in these habitats. Mires, bogs and fens are least invaded; only approximately 10% of aliens in Europe occur there. Intentional introductions to Europe (62.8% of the total number of naturalized aliens) prevail over unintentional (37.2%). Ornamental and horticultural introductions escaped from cultivation account for the highest number of species, 52.2% of the total. Among unintentional introductions, contaminants of seed, mineral materials and other commodities are responsible for 1091 alien species introductions to Europe (76.6% of all species introduced unintentionally) and 363 species are assumed to have arrived as stowaways (directly associated with human transport but arriving independently of commodity). Most aliens in Europe have a native range in the same continent (28.6% of all donor region records are from another part of Europe where the plant is native); in terms of species numbers the contribution of Europe as a region of origin is 53.2%. Considering aliens to Europe separately, 45.8% of species have their native distribution in North and South America, 45.9% in Asia, 20.7% in Africa and 5.3% in Australasia. Based on species composition, European alien flora can be classified into five major groups: (1) north-western, comprising Scandinavia and the UK; (2) west-central, extending from Belgium and the Netherlands to Germany and Switzerland; (3) Baltic, including only the former Soviet Baltic states; (4) east-central, comprizing the remainder of central and eastern Europe; (5) southern, covering the entire Mediterranean region. The clustering patterns cut across some European bioclimatic zones; cultural factors such as regional trade links and traditional local preferences for crop, forestry and ornamental species are also important by influencing the introduced species pool. Finally, the paper evaluates a state of the art in the field of plant invasions in Europe, points to research gaps and outlines avenues of further research towards documenting alien plant invasions in Europe. The data are of varying quality and need to be further assessed with respect to the invasion status and residence time of the species included. This concerns especially the naturalized/casual status; so far, this information is available comprehensively for only 19 countries/regions of the 49 considered. Collating an integrated database on the alien flora of Europe can form a principal contribution to developing a European-wide management strategy of alien species.

The COVID 19 pandemic is transforming our society. All the basic elements of living together have radically changed in the past weeks: Where and how we work, whom we spend time with, whom we care about, what tasks and activities keep us busy. During the lockdown those that can, have been flocking into green spaces and urban forests for physical exercise and mental calming. At least this applies to those who are not locked down totally. Recent charts by Google, for instance, show an impressive increase of mobility toward places like national parks, public beaches, marinas, dog parks, plazas, and public gardens, amidst a general fall in mobility trends (e.g.the case of Germany). Isolation and prevention measures are putting the critical importance to society of urban green spaces in a completely new light, intensifying existing dynamics and creating new ones. Discussions are underway about the quantity and type of urban greenspace needed, social equity and access for the least financially able, ratio of space to population; but also about their function as a social space, their role in gentrification and the relationship between open space and health services… Trees in particular are showing their full potential in improving our lives as individuals and societies. The many services they offer to natural ecosystems and society were proven long before the pandemic exploded (e.g. regulate temperature and provide shade, filter air pollutants, sequester carbon, manage and filter rainwater, stabilize soils & maintain soil health, provide food and shelter for living organisms, improve mental, physical, and well-being, improve recreation and aesthetics…). During the pandemic, this became ever more visible: trees are key amenities and a source of enjoyment during locked-in routines; they contribute in preserving and improving people’s mental and physical health; and people of all ages and conditions hold on to them as an actual lifeboat for carrying on. In these challenging times, green spaces have become an image of inequalities and injustice that characterize our societies and cities. To begin with, not everybody looks at public green spaces and forestry the same way – it is not only a question of availability of green space in the neighbourhood but also one of each individual living situation. Rooftop apartments, with a lot of insolation or with green views are the top winners during the ordered pandemic home rests. Vis-a-vis the #stayathome imperative, the need of the healing potential of trees becomes particularly pronounced for people whose home is small, overcrowded or insalubrious; people who do not have their own garden; people who have a flat without a balcony; people who have a flat on the ground floor with a limited view outside and lack of direct sunlight; people with specific needs for outdoor physical activity or for people requiring a break from the stay-at-home routine. Secondly, not everybody has (visual or physical) access to the same amount and quality of public green spaces, with the geography of green spaces often reflecting and reproducing patterns of socio-economic disparity, resulting in environmental injustice: What is probably most worrying is the fact that those who today find themselves in the greatest need for green spaces are the ones that face the greatest deprivation in a multiple sense: low income, children, elderly, disabled, etc. More so, as “social distancing” measures were seemingly not respected in green spaces, many governments have been locking down parks and other accessible greenspaces. Examples of places where green spaces were closed include Vienna’s city centre, where most public parks are fenced and now completely locked, and Spain or Italy where going into parks was prohibited, because it was not considered a necessary activity.In Belgium,where forests are few and far between,only some people are allowed to travel to a forest by car (e.g.parents of children of 5-year or younger,people with lower mobility due to age or handicap). All others have to find their green spaces within a walking or biking distance. Furthermore, the greenspace visits are meant only for movement – stopping to sit on a bench by the side of the road has been banned for most people. Such policies are clearly socially divisive, possibly favouring those with access to private green such as gardens or those living in nearby rural environs whilst creating disadvantages to people who live in high rise apartments often in ‘hard urban’ areas and who already suffer from multiple deprivation. If we look at the future, amidst the legitimate worries about what needs to be done and how to deal with the social and health emergency, we need to start thinking about reconstruction: Greenspaces and urban forests will have to play a key role in the debate about how we want to, as society, return to “normal” life and how we want to ensure that urban green spaces are accessible for everyone. The corona pandemic, with all its drawbacks, could also be the starting point for a much-needed debate on a social contract about the future role of green spaces where we live and work&hellip