In Europe, cities gather 72% of the population and consumes almost 75% of energy resources and generates nearly 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. This massive urbanization leads to severe environmental perturbations and also creates many social and health problems.Proposals for urban development solutions focused on nature present in this context a relevant alternative. Natural management techniques in fact have many environmental, social and economic advantages, but nevertheless faced with several problems: - they require regular maintenance (pruning, mowing, removal of bulky...); - they represent additional operating and management costs for communities; - there is a traditional belief in that "it does not work"; - the limited feedback of owners and communities (overall costs, management modality, maintenance, sustainability of ecological interest) is an obstacle in the decision on the choice of the good practice to adopt; - the legacy of “hygienisme” led to an addiction and a preference for concreted and blank spaces free from vegetation; - the value of green spaces is not always understood by people, hindering social acceptability.From this issue, the question is: how can we contribute to the development of these "green" facilities and how can we promote a sustainable management of these areas? For this, several actions levers are considered, including to hire and train professionals (landscapers, architects, building owners) and actors (politicians, authorities, associations, users) of these spaces around the maintenance and the sustainability of these areas.The PROGRESS project (Professional training for green spaces) should be able to face with this problema. By transnational organizations training sessions, the PROGRESS project wants to train professionals and actors of green spaces to alternative management methods. This is to develop their skills so that they can implement them in their projects. This project should furthermore allow professionnals to share their achievements and give them the tools and methods that can enable them to employ and create new jobsThe PROGRESS projects mainly wants to :1. Establish an European partnership for sharing experiences on common issues (urbanism, environment, water management) and different approaches (environment, population, climate, crops);2. Consolidate professionals, associations and users of urban green space for an exchange of practices;3. Train professionals to alternative techniques (bioengineering) of the management of green spaces;4. Encourage citizen ownership through participatory management;5. Promote employability in green spaces;6. Determine the success and failure factors in the future;7. Create a database of methods and experiences feedbacks.The PROGRESS project is led by Orchis Ingenierie, a french cooperative specialized in green techniques of water management. The project brings together three European partners who each bring their specificity in environmental education, management of natural areas, development methodologies of nature in the city.
CONTEXT In the face of the major environmental problems facing European cities, nature-based development solutions offer a relevant answer. By relying on ecosystems, these solutions can significantly improve climate change resilience and quality of life, while contributing to a functional economy. Yet while these solutions offer many environmental, economic and social benefits, their development remains marginal. In question, a lack of knowledge of plant engineering in urban areas and its functionalities, combined with a limited experience feedback from project owners and local authorities (overall costs, management, maintenance and upkeep modality, long-term sustainability of ecological interest) which constitutes a brake in the decision on the choice of the good practices to adopt. The PROGRESS Project focuses on environmental professionals and stakeholders in urban areas by offering them the opportunity to meet and discuss the issues of development, maintenance and sustainability of urban green spaces. The program consists of sharing and transmitting experiences, methodologies and know-how in different issues and contexts (cities, populations, climate contexts, local and governmental policies, economic and institutional feasibility, etc.). It is also about training future professionals (students, apprentices, young graduates) by giving them new tools and new methods. OBJECTIVES - Contribute at a European level to a transfer of knowledge, methods and experiences on sustainable management practices of urban green spaces; - Strengthen the technical knowledge and alternative management methods of green spaces for professionals and environmental stakeholders in urban areas. In a global approach, it is also a question of being able to approach the question of urban spaces through: - The elements of control and management of urban green spaces: modalities and costs of management and exploitation of these spaces, notions of sustainability, economic, social and political contexts ... - The notion of the commons and the citizen reappropriation of urban spaces, particularly through participatory management; THE PARTNERS The project brought together 4 partners from 4 European countries who bring complementary skills in the fields of green engineering, environmental education and citizen participation. - Orchis Engineering, Montpellier, France: Engineering consulting firm specializing in the fields of water, environment and renewable energies. Specificity: urban water management and green engineering, islands of freshness - Eco-Union, Barcelona, Spain: A non-profit organization that works to connect agents of change in different sectors of society to catalyze the transition to sustainability. Specificity: Urban Mobility, Citizen Participation, Capacity Building and Advocacy - Goodplanet, Brussels, Belgium: A non-profit organization that helps young people and adults learn to live in a sustainable way. Specificity: environmental education, youth, training and learning tools - Forest and Landscape College: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen. Specificity: maintenance, sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) and use of plants in an urban context TRAINING ACTIVITIES - Activity C1: Urban planning and management of urban natural spaces. From March 27 to 31, 2017, Montpellier, France. - Activity C2: Citizen participation in the management of urban green spaces. May 8 to 12 2017, Barcelona, Spain - Activity C3: The design of urban green spaces for young audiences. From 23 to 27 April 2018, Brussels, Belgium - Activity C5: Sustainable management of green spaces. August 20-24, 2018, Skovskolen, Denmark. - Activity C8: Transition to the natural city. October 22 to 26, 2018, Barcelona, Spain. RESULTS In total, there were more than 123 participants - professionals, students, elected officials ... from various professions related to the creation, development and management of green spaces - who met during the training seminars. The PROGRESS project has globally contributed to: - Strengthen international cooperation; - Develop professional networks; - Acquire new methodologies and new knowledge on UGS; - Mapping the issues and solutions to be implemented; - Develop an original form of teaching: a mix of learners on intensive training seminars - The use of urban space as a living experimental laboratory