August 14, 2024 | Blogs
Located in the heart of western Poland, Poznań is on a mission to become a climate-resilient city through the strategic use of open green spaces. Our living lab in Poznań serves as a dynamic platform for exploring the benefits of nature-based solutions (NbS).
One of our key initiatives involves transforming urban greenspaces, starting with natural playgrounds in kindergartens. Building on this success, we’ve expanded our efforts to include elementary schools, engaging them in NbS projects. However, the approach with schools requires careful consideration due to the unique challenges they present.
Firstly, the size of the school grounds is typically larger than those of kindergartens and often includes designated sports fields for physical education. Secondly, the diverse age range of students, from 7 to 14 years old, means that the spaces must cater to varying needs for exercise and recreation.
As part of our efforts to secure EU funding through Integrated Territorial Investment, we are collaborating with schools on projects that align with the competition “Support for Small Water Retention and Development of Green-Blue Infrastructure in the Poznań Metropolis Area.” These projects aim to introduce a variety of solutions, such as unsealing impermeable surfaces, incorporating diverse greenery (perennials, shrubs, and trees), and implementing natural recreational and educational spaces. Additionally, we are focusing on enhancing rainwater retention and boosting biodiversity by integrating green and blue elements alongside existing or planned sports facilities.
Our team at Poznań’s living lab has launched an internal program dedicated to greening schoolyards in public schools. The objective is to redesign and revitalize these spaces, creating environments that are welcoming to both the school community and the urban ecosystem. The new designs feature NbS such as increased greenery, natural recreational facilities, permeable surfaces, and rain gardens.
Image above: Logo with goat developed by contractors (“Kwadratura” company from Warsaw) for the identification of the green schools program (goat as a symbol of Poznań)
In 2024, three public schools will participate in this program. The first phase involved organizing co-creation workshops with the school community, including teachers, students, parents, and administrators, as well as landscape architects. These workshops allowed us to gather valuable insights, understand the needs of the community, and identify potential challenges and opportunities within the school grounds.
The next phase will see the architects presenting initial design concepts, which will be further refined in consultation with the final users—the school community itself.
These workshops, held from May 22-24, 2024, also provided an opportunity to share information about our ongoing projects, including Invest4Nature, and to introduce the concept of NbS to headmasters and teachers. We distributed our guidebook, Solutions to Support Nature, which can be accessed here (Only in Polish).
Author: Agnieszka Dziubala, City of Poznan
Source of all photos: City of Poznań
