Connecting Nature Roadshow 2022
As Horizon Nua, we are part of several European-funded, multi-year projects. It is great to work in these innovative projects with international partners that are focused on creating an impact. But sometimes projects can be difficult to understand for outsiders - and that’s why we went on tour with the Connecting Nature project - to showcase the results to people.
Connecting Nature (2017-2022) is a 5 year project, where 31 cities, municipalities, businesses, NGOs and researchers, work on new ways to bring nature into cities, together with citizens and for the local economy by implementing ‘Nature-Based Solutions’ in 10 cities.
The Roadshow was delivered by three of the nature-based enterprises who are partners in Connecting Nature: Helix, EM|Path and Horizon Nua.
During the Roadshow - we visited 5 European cities to share some of the Connecting Nature innovations with the public, policy makers and businesses. This ‘’mobile exhibition’’ showed innovative solutions to co-create, implement and manage nature-based solutions in cities:
Helix has developed the Mobile Green Living Room as a mobile showcase for how biodiverse greening options can tackle multiple urban challenges and is the Ambassador for the Green Buildings community on the CNEP.
EM|Path is a new spin-off social enterprise that has emerged from work with our Connecting Nature cities of Sarajevo, Nicosia and A Coruna, to develop innovative arts-based engagement and co-production processes that bring people together to create nature narratives. EM|Path is the CNEP ambassador for Community Engagement.
Horizon Nua has developed the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform, the world’s first global network for nature-based enterprises and organisations delivering nature-based solutions.
Each city had different goals for the Connecting Nature visit to their city.
Pordenone, with its recently elected local government that wants to put the environment at the heart of the city agenda, organised two public events: a showcase of local nature-based enterprises, and presentations of student projects on nature-based solutions, inspired by the Mobile Green Living Room.
In Chemnitz, participants had an opportunity to engage with and experience the elements of the EM|Path approach – specifically, the workshop provided the space for participants to explore their past and present relationship and connection to nature via memory work, and body-mapping.
Zurich, as one of the world’s most sustainable cities, was a rich experience for the Connecting Nature team to share experiences at the cutting edge of urban greening. The Zurich city green team used our visit to launch their new city greening fund, a 3 million swiss franc initiative to support private business and residential owners to add biodiverse greening to their buildings and outside spaces.
The main interest of the Saint Germain en Laye was community outreach through activities for young and old alike. Activities included a natural candle-making event, a plant potting event for children, a networking event for local enterprises, an upcycled planter event ran by women of the community and an arts-based reflection opportunity.
Our final roadshow stop was city of Genk – one of the Connecting Nature frontrunner cities – who were hosting the Connecting Nature Impact Summit. The Mobile Green Living Room nestled comfortably by the main entrance to the event – the impressive Thor Park, a transformed mine site - for the 200 delegates to enjoy.