Created in the context of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the European BiodiverCities project is based on citizens’ involvement in the co-creation of solutions that improve urban biodiversity and green infrastructures in European cities by 2030.

To stimulate the active involvement of Valongo’s citizens in the preservation and promotion of biodiversity, the Municipality launched four awareness-raising sessions with the support of the Laboratory of Planning and Public Policy (L3P) of the University of Aveiro. 

The first two sessions collected the participants' opinions about the areas that needed the greatest intervention, while the final two had the goal of carrying out experimental actions and applying the solutions that had been discussed in the first sessions. 

The experimental actions resulted in 4 bug hotels, 16 flowerbeds with aromatic plants for the pollinators and a BIOteca (a small bookshelf with aromatic plants on top). An invasive control action was also performed through the peeling of acacias and the creation of green balconies to benefit local biodiversity.

The citizen engagement was so high that some of the people who participated returned to the sites to take care of the aromatic plants regularly and even placed new insect hotels.

Learn more about the project here.