When researchers become citizens: community gardening at the Parc Raspail, Brussels.

19 July 20210

On July fourth I participated on a day of community gardening at the Parc Raspail: together with some 15 neighbours and friends we spent the day inside of this green spot in the south of the region, collecting garbage, clearing the paths from nettles and wild branches, opening some spaces for picnics and games, and letting some other wild to allow nature to remain undisturbed. That day is the last step of a journey of almost two years where neighbourhood residents joined hand to make their parc again available to everyone.

Blog, Nature-based solutions, Urban forests

Spatial accessibility to urban green spaces in Brussels Capital Region and its surroundings

29 June 20210

The benefits of urban green spaces (UGS) are significant for increasing the rate of physical activities, general improvement of health and ensuring an improved socialization culture in a society. The associated benefits are also essential for quality of life and wellbeing improvement. However, in many cases, UGS and therefore the benefits they provide are unevenly distributed in cities, which raises issues of environmental justice.

Blog, Nature-based solutions, Urban forests

Leisure or motorised traffic in Brussels Central Park? Who wants what

15 June 20210

About a year ago, I introduced in this blog Brussels’s Bois de la Cambre and the contention that was taking place to maintain or not motorised traffic through the park. In the post’s conclusion I was reflecting on the fact that, despite an apparent consensus on the importance of urban forests, in scarce urban land choices need to be made to arbitrate between mismatching priorities, ranging from providing space for leisure and the possibility to enjoy nature, to granting privileges to a country’s elites, or develop motorized mobility infrastructure.

Blog, Nature-based solutions

The meaning of CLEARING HOUSE

24 May 20210

In a world with an increasing population and urbanisation, forests and urban green spaces are critical elements for making cities more sustainable, greener and healthier places to live. During this interview you will learn about citizens perceptions and usage patterns of forests and urban green spaces through different geographical contexts.

Blog, Media, Nature-based solutions

Championing urban forests for human well-being

18 May 20210

CLEARING HOUSE Project arouse the curiosity of the public, as the Nature-Based Solutions are more and more popular today. And the need for green spaces and urban forests in our cities is growing.

Blog, Media, Nature-based solutions

Evaluating the impact of Nature-based Solutions: a handbook for practitioners

7 May 20210

A new handbook that aims to provide practitioners with a comprehensive Nature-based Solutions (NBS) impact assessment framework, and a robust set of indicators and methodologies to assess impacts of NBS across 12 societal challenges.Read more

Blog, Nature-based solutions

240 yews make giant hearts for heroes in corona battle

26 April 20210

240 yews have been planted in the shape of a large heart in the Heldenbos in Moerbeke, East Flanders. It is the conclusion of a campaign that planted a total of 18,000 trees in 6 new “Heroes Forests” across all provinces.

Blog, Nature-based solutions, NBS events

What does the Public Health Science tell us on forests as health infrastructure?

12 April 20210

This paramount question kicked off the second day of the Urban Forestry Days (23 – 24 March 2021), organised by the European Forest Institute (EFI) together with the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) and the Horizon 2020 CLEARING HOUSE project. Three distinguished speakers from all around the globe shared their expertise and we asked them to let us in on the latest research on the impact of forests on both physical and mental human health.
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Blog, NBS events

The 2nd International Forest City Conference

9 April 20210

The 2nd International Forest City Conference was held on 6 and 7 April 2021, in Nanjing, China, sponsored by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China (NFGA), Nanjing Municipal People’s Government and International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) and organized by Nanjing Municipal Greening and Landscape Bureau, International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR) and the Urban Forest Research Center of NFGA.

Blog, Nature-based solutions

Forests and urban green spaces in pandemic times

7 April 20210

Forests and urban green spaces are essential elements in the urban environment, providing multiple ecosystem services as well as beneficial effects on physical and mental health. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic along with other major environmental challenges such as climate change have made stakeholders ponder on how to deal with complex health crises in urban settings.Read more

Author: Pauline