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H2020 PONDERFUL: new policy maker guidance on ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions

Despite their critical importance for biodiversity and potential as nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation, ponds and pondscapes are not well represented in policy. Most freshwater legislation is biased towards rivers, with ponds largely being ignored.

The Horizon 2020 PONDERFUL project has revealed more about the importance of ponds for wildlife and people and, to make this accessible to policy makers, the partnership produced a policy guidance document: sing ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions: Guidance for policy makers on the...

H2020 PONDERFUL:The “Lystrup” NBS: A Pondscape for Flood Risk Reduction, Biodiversity, and People

Pond: Lys3

This Pondscape is in a suburban area of Aarhus, with 18 ponds and about 10,300 inhabitants. The ponds reduce flood risk and enhance biodiversity, supporting amphibians, birds, and aquatic plants. It also offers walking paths and educates people about nature and environmental protection.

H2020 PONDERFUL: Pinkhill Meadow NBS: a small but highly valuable floodplain pondscape for biodiversity

One of the many ponds in the Pinkhill Meadow complex

This pondscape of newly created ponds is located in a floodplain meadow on Thames Water's Farmoor Reservoir property, on the banks of the River Thames, near Oxford. It was designed by Freshwater Habitats Trust to maximise freshwater biodiversity and has been closely monitored as a partnership since its creation in 1990.

The results show the exceptional value of the site for wetland plants, aquatic invertebrates, mammals, reptiles and birds, maintained over 35 years.

CONEXUS: Green and biodiverse schoolyards through community participation

The Breathe/Respirar Program (BRP) is a research and action project in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in schoolyards and their impact on the general well-being and learning process of children. To reach its objectives, the program builds on the collaboration between multiple people involved from various fields.

The CLEVER Way: Hamburg, Neugraben-Fischbek

The CLEVER Cities project identified the primary planning goals for Neugraben-Fischbek district located in the South-West of the city of Hamburg was to: (a) creating a connective ‘Green Corridor’ to link a system of NbS interventions; (b) establishing horizontal greenery through the construction of green roofs on existing buildings; and (c) address the topic of environmental education and connect the youth with nature. 

Hamburg has aimed at addressing the following challenges, including:

  • Increase biodiversity and nature in the city: To address this, the city

  • ...