GreenHeart Project
Developing a network of greenspace oases across the cityThe GreenHeart Project aims to develop of a network of greenspace oases in urban areas across the city.
The GreenHeart Project received £1,000 in the first round of funding to develop the of proof of concept for the initiative.
THE CHALLENGE
Peterborough’s aspiration to become UK’s Environment Capital: The GreenHeart Project supports this through the generation of natural environments within the urban environment to halt biodiversity loss.
Skills Development: Inspiring higher aspirations and supporting skills development is vital in encouraging everybody at any age to improve their skills base to become more employable. Marginalised groups and the long-term unemployed are in particular need of mentoring and support.
THE SOLUTION
The GreenHeart Project is a community development scheme working to transform people and places through landscape management activities. It aims to engage, inspire and educate unemployed Peterborians through the generation of a network of urban greenspace oases.
Greenspaces have multiple benefits associated with them and can be defined broadly as providing Ecosytem Services. We can design greenspaces to provide different services for specific locations but they will almost always without fail provide us with a sensation of tranquility when viewing them, a salient reminder of our city’s ambition to become the Environmental Capital of the UK.
THE STRATEGY
The GreenHeart Project is innovative in that it has been designed to meet multiple city challenges through stacking functions thereby creating multiple outcomes from one single process providing economic, social and environmental benefits.
There is a huge amount of space across Peterborough that is not currently being utilised. With the correct technology and investment, greenspace oases can be designed into unproductive locations to add visual, ecological and social value to the city.