The meeting was attended by representatives of all partner institutions in the project, as well as a representative of the Interreg CE Joint Secretariat – the institution responsible for organizing and managing the project. During the meeting, the project partners presented their institutions and discussed their roles in the project. The challenges and objectives of the project, as well as the tasks to be implemented were thoroughly discussed.
As part of the project, four pilot actions are planned to test and implement solutions aimed at increasing biodiversity in cities. These actions, also referred to as interventions (or demonstrators), will be carried out in four cities in Central Europe: Kranj (Slovenia), Pula (Croatia), Wroclaw (Poland), and Érd (Hungary). The solutions include the creation of biodiversity islands for endangered species, micro-intervention systems aimed at protecting and supporting key biodiversity species, the preservation and development of natural wildlife corridors through the reduction of light pollution, as well as the introduction of green areas that combine biodiversity conservation with the use of edible plants.
All actions will involve local communities, primarily through the co-designing of solutions and the creation of living labs – places where city residents, scientists and administration representatives collaborate to test new ideas and technologies. The project also aims to establish BIOCENTUM (Biodiversity Centered Urban Mindset) – centers for social action aimed at fostering a positive shift in the perception of nature and urban biodiversity among city residents.
The main objectives of the project also include developing guidelines that will support collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and local communities. The URBIO BAUHAUS project will create a joint roadmap for biodiversity transformation in cities – a combination of various strategies and interventions that will significantly halt biodiversity loss and support its restoration in urban areas, in collaboration with city residents.
The meeting took place at the Odra Centrum, run by the OnWater Foundation, which supports the protection of the Odra River ecosystem, a crucial ecological corridor.