Integrated Green Infrastructure for Forests and Trees
On January 22, 2025, the Second Interregional Thematic Seminar of the Interreg Europe GIFT Project brought together over 100 experts, practitioners, scientists and decision-makers from across Europe. Hosted by the University of Latvia and moderated by Janis Zvirgzdins, the seminar explored innovative practices to advance green infrastructure, focusing mainly on forests and urban landscapes. The seminar highlighted strategies to enhance biodiversity, build climate resilience, and support sustainable communities.
The seminar was opened with Ivo Vinogradovs from the University of Latvia, who presented strategies for integrating biodiversity conservation into urban green infrastructure planning. He presented the urban green infrastructure of the City of Riga and emphasized the importance of designing urban spaces that promote ecological health while also providing functional and aesthetic benefits for local populations, using the ecosystem services approach.
Fernanda Torrente Sánchez-Guisande, Spanish representative of the Couso community of neighbouring communal forests, spoke about how forests can serve as sources of sustainable resources and social cohesion. She shared examples of how forest diversification has created local jobs and fostered strong community networks. Anna Stenström from the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland in Sweden introduced the concept of wood mould boxes, which replicate the natural cavities found in veteran trees. These boxes provide critical habitats for a variety of organisms, helping to maintain biodiversity where old trees are scarce.
After a break, Inge Liekens from the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) in Belgium showcased the Nature Value Explorer, a web-based tool designed to assess the impact of land use changes on ecosystem services. She demonstrated how the tool could inform project decisions and policy development to balance ecological and societal needs. An de Wrede from the Frisian Environmental Federation in the Netherlands shared insights from the “Trees for Everyone” initiative, which successfully planted 100,000 native trees. This project contributed to climate mitigation, reduced urban heat stress, and encouraged public engagement in nature restoration.
Fredericke Weiner from Aufbauwerk Region Leipzig GmbH in Germany discussed the MaGIC Landscapes project, which focuses on the sustainable management of green infrastructure in Central Europe. Her presentation highlighted the nature park Dübener Heide as an example of involving local communities in conservation efforts. Enrico Anghileri from Italy presented on the use of cover crops in the Emilia-Romagna region and explained how these crops enhance biodiversity, create ecological corridors and contribute to climate resilience in agricultural landscapes.
Maarten de Groot from the Slovenian Forestry Institute demonstrated how the Slovenia addressed the challenge of invasive alien species in forests through the LIFE ARTEMIS project. He shared how the project successfully raised awareness and described the implemented measures. Jurica Ambrožić from the City of Zagreb in Croatia presented the City Windows to Nature project, which improved urban biodiversity and developed a multifunctional network of green infrastructure, and presented a case study of the Zagreb City ZOO. Finally, Andrej Verlič from the City of Ljubljana (Slovenia) shared lessons from the city’s efforts to integrate nature conservation into urban parks. His presentation showcased how a protected urban green space can meet biodiversity, recreation, and climate adaptation needs.
The seminar concluded with a discussion on replicating the presented innovative practices and strategies across European cities and regions, underscoring the values of collaboration and shared learning. New connections were established with a view to future collaborations inspired by the examples shown. The event concluded with reflections by Encarnación Nieto Zas from the Instituto de Estudos do Territorio, Spain, who emphasized the importance of green infrastructure in shaping a sustainable and biodiverse future for both rural and urban environments.