Major funding has allowed SLU to lead a project that will test Nature-based Thinking at different levels in Malmö, Barcelona and Turin. The three-year project will focus on biodiversity and human well-being in urban agriculture.
SLU receives SEK 5.7 million from Formas in a transnational Biodiversa+ call for the three-year project ‘GREENHANCEnbt: Growing Resilience by Exploring Methods to Enhance Urban Agriculture for Human Well-being, Community and Biodiversity Enrichment’. NBT in the project name stands for Nature-based Thinking, a concept developed by SLU in response to increased initiatives in nature-based solutions.
The project will be led from SLU by Geovana Mercado, researcher, together with Thomas Randrup, professor, both at the Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management. Researchers from Italy and Spain are also involved in the project, which will test Nature-based Solutions at local level in Malmö, at city level in Turin and at regional level in Barcelona.
- It feels great, mainly because, so far, we have been working with NBT only at a conceptual –reflective level. To have the opportunity to apply it and test it in real cases to develop it further is very exciting. Also, the three cities we have as cases (Barcelona, Turin and Malmö) are spectacular and their urban agriculture initiatives are already standing on their own feet. They have a lot of experience to share and we have so much to learn from them says Geovana Mercado.
- Receiving this project grant is an important milestone for us. This grant allows us to showcase our work on NBT to a wider audience and test it in real-life scenarios. It also allows us to be part of the Biodiversa platform and collaborate with potential future partners. I am sure that the contacts we can make through the Biodiversa network will open doors to future projects as well, she adds
The researchers hope to develop easy-to-follow guidelines and recommendations for policy makers, practitioners and users of urban agriculture.
- We hope to further develop NBT and continue to explore ways of organising and living for and with nature in cities, says Geovana Mercado.
