Ideas Café for a Green Future of Kranj
On April 4, 2024, the City Municipality of Kranj hosted an event titled "Ideas Café for a Green Future of Kranj," as part of the fourth Kranj Eco Week and the Interreg Europe GIFT project, funded by the Interreg Europe program. The event took place in the atrium of the City Hall and featured notable speakers including internationally renown climatologist Prof. Dr. Lučka Kajfež Bogataj and urban forestry specialist Dr. Andrej Verlič, head of the Tivoli, Rožnik, and Šišenski Hill Landscape Park.
Deputy Mayor Janez Černe inaugurated the event, highlighting the importance of green infrastructure in enhancing the quality of urban life. The GIFT project introductory video showcased the diversity and significance of green infrastructure, covering public parks, forests, riverbanks, private gardens, and extensive agricultural areas.
Dr. Verlič shared insights from his extensive experience in managing urban forests and parks, emphasizing the benefits of well-maintained green spaces, proper visitor management, and the creation of tree-lined paths on private lands. Prof. Kajfež Bogataj provided a practical perspective by discussing how Kranj can improve its green infrastructure to better adapt to climate change, advocating for more green spaces and less urban spaces that are based on concrete construction.
The event facilitated a dynamic and creative dialogue among residents, who contributed their perspectives to roundtables on various topics such as sustainable transport, water access, forest and park management, and recreational spaces. Discussions highlighted concerns like the potential loss of recreational areas due to planned infrastructure projects, the need for improved public transport schedules, and better access to riverbanks and lakes for recreation.
Participants also voiced the desire for green corridors connecting the city to surrounding forests and the preservation of agricultural land from urban development. Concerns about waste management, winter heating practices, and the issue of the spread of alien invasive species in riparian areas were also addressed.
The valuable feedback from these dialogues will inform future spatial and development plans, including the "Green System of the City Municipality of Kranj" and proposals for the participatory budget for 2025-2026. This collaborative approach aims to position Kranj as a model for inclusive green infrastructure management.