We guess you are curious now what nature-based solutions may look like. Please scroll down to find a selection of existing nature-based solutions all over the world and varying through scales and types. Some of the examples will be treated in more detail throughout the course but definitely follow your curiosity and google some of the examples that strike your attention for a better impression and more information.

Big Tree Plant

Location: United Kingdom

Year of implementation: 2010 – 2015

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Decline of urban trees, reduced expenditure, public apathy and antipathy

Nature-based principle(s): Green, one million trees

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Absence of trees

Added value(s): Aesthetics, urban regeneration, carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity

Developer(s): UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Bosco Verticale

Location Milan, Italy

Year of implementation: 2009 – 2014

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Urban heat island, air pollution, low biodiversity

Nature-based principle(s): Green

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Façade

Added value(s): Aesthetics, urban regeneration, carbon sequestration

Developer(s): Hines Italia and COIMA (architect: Boeri Studio)

Copenhagen Strategic Flood Masterplan

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Year of implementation: 2011 – 2014

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Flooding

Nature-based principle(s): Green space, water elements

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Sewage

Added value(s): Increased ater quality, public space, higher quality of life

Developer(s): Municipality of Copenhagen (design: Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl)

Danube Floodplain restoration

Location: Danube catchment, Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia

Year of implementation: 2018 – 2020

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Flooding, draughts

Nature-based principle(s): Floodplain restoration

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Hard river edges, quays

Added value(s): Biodiversity conservation

Fresh Kills

Location: Staten Island, NY

Year of implementation: 2008 – ongoing

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Soil contamination

Nature-based principle(s): Green space

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Landfill

Added value(s): Public space, increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, aesthetics, recreation, flood risk management, increased water quality, natural gas collection from decomposing waste

Developer(s): Department of City Planning, New York Department of State’s Division of Coastal Resources (design: James Corner Field Operations)

Photo: Aloucha – Fresh Kills Park, May 2016 via flickr.com / CC BY NC SA

Groene Loper

Location: Maastricht, The Netherlands

Year of implementation: 2011 – 2018

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Noise and pollution from one of the busiest roads of the city which also divided the city in two

Nature-based principle(s): Green space

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Roads (now in tunnel)

Added value(s): Public space, increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, aesthetics, recreation

Developer(s): Rijkswaterstaat (National Department of Public Works)

Photo: Kleon3 – Groene Loper via commons.wikipedia.org / CC BY SA

High Line

Location: New York City, NY

Year of implementation: 2004 – 2014

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Urban decay, single-usage, urban heat island, air pollution, low biodiversity

Nature-based principle(s): Green space, re-use

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Demolition of unused railway

Added value(s): Recreation, aesthetics, urban regeneration, carbon sequestration

Developer(s): Initially a local community (Friends of the High Line), later the city council (architect: James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Piet Oudolf)

Photo: Robin Stevens – High Line Park via cynic.org.uk / CC BY NC ND

Landscape restoration

Location: Rajasthan, India

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Drought, low groundwater table

Nature-based principle(s): Restoration local water cycles and water resources, reforestation

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Logging

Added value(s): Safe freshwater, groundwater recharge (+6m), re-established fishery, increased productive farmland, return wildlife

Developer(s): Tarun Bharat Sangh (NGO)

Madrid Rio

Location: Madrid, Spain

Year of implementation: 2006 – 2011

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Noise and pollution from one of the busiest roads of the city

Nature-based principle(s): Green space

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Roads (now in tunnel)

Added value(s): Public space, increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, aesthetics, recreation

Developer(s): Municipality of Madrid (architect: West 8, Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos Asociados, Porras La Casta Arquitectos, Rubio & Álvarez-Sala)

Photo: La Cita Vita – Connections: Madrid Rio via commons.wikipedia.org / CC BY SA

Mangrove reforestation

Location: Coastline Philippines (also in other countries)

Year of implementation: 2007 – ongoing

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Flood risk coastal communities Philippines, decreasing habitat conditions marine species

Nature-based principle(s): Bioshield for wave reduction, less-rigid transition zone between land and water

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Quays, dikes

Added value(s): Water safety, improved marine habitats, increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration

Developer(s): ZSL Philippines

One Central Park

Location: Sydney, Australia

Year of implementation: 2012 – 2013

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Air pollution, low biodiversity

Nature-based principle(s): Green

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Façade

Added value(s): Aesthetics, carbon sequestration

Developer(s): Fraser Property Group (architect: Jean Nouvel)

Photo: Junaidrao – Design One Central Park via flickr.com / CC BY NC ND

Protective Alpine forests

Location: Parsenn, Switzerland

Year of implementation:

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Landslides, avalanches

Nature-based principle(s): Afforestation of hillslopes

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Absence of trees

Added value(s): Landscape enhancement, increased biodiversity

Photo: Peter Bebi – Parsenn, Switzerland, 2007 / CC BY

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Location: London, England

Year of implementation: 2009 – 2015

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Soil contamination, poor water quality, low quality of life

Nature-based principle(s): Green regeneration

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Wasteland

Added value(s): Aesthetics, recreation (Olympic Games), reduced flood risk, increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, public space

Developer(s): London Legacy Development Corporation (design: EDAW Consortium (EDAW, Allies and Morrison, Buro Happold, Arup, WS Atkins, Piet Oudolf))

Photo: EG Focus – Construction of Olympic Park, London via commons.wikipedia.org / CC BY

Qunli Stormwater Wetland Park

Location: Harbin, China

Year of implementation: 2009 – 2013

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: flood risk, preservation of disappearing wetland when its ecological and biological processes have been cut off by urban context

Nature-based principle(s): Wetland preservation

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Sewage systems

Added value(s): Aesthetics, recreation, increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, public space, water filtering, water infiltration

Developer(s): City of Harbin (design: Turenscape)

Rice intensification

Location: Madagascar (also in other countries)

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Excessive water usage

Nature-based principle(s): System of Rice Intensification (SRI), re-establishing ecological and hydrological functioning of soils

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Original rice paddies

Added value(s): Saving water, saving seed, cost reduction, increased paddy output, reduced methane emissions, reduced greenhouse gas emissions

Developer(s): Henri de Laulanié

Photo: Lamg – SRI farming in Chhattisgarh via commons.wikipedia.org / CC BY SA

Room for the river

Location: Meuse, Rhine, Waal and IJssel rivers and their branches, The Netherlands

Year of implementation: 2006 – 2015

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Low storage capacity of rivers, flood risk in the Dutch part of the Rhine delta

Nature-based principle(s): A less-rigid transition zone between land and water

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Dikes

Added value(s): Water safety, recreational space, support natural environment

Developer(s): Dutch government

Photo: DaMatriX – Waal en Spiegelwaal ter hoogte van Nijmegen via commons.wikipedia.org / CC BY SA

Sponge Cities

Location: Wuhan, Chongqing, Xiamen, Kunshan, China (also other cities)

Year of implementation: 2015 – ongoing

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Poor water management, water scarcity, flood risk, urban heat island, low biodiversity

Nature-based principle(s): Ponds, filtration pools, wetlands, permeable roads, storm water infiltration

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Sewage, impermeable roads and public space, paved surface

Added value(s): Water safety, increased biodiversity, clean water, recreation, increased biodiversity, water availability

Developer(s): Chinese government

Photo: Joshua Wickerman – Chongming Island, Shanghai, China via commons.wikipedia.org / CC BY SA

Sustainable urban drainage system Augustenborg

Location: Malmo, Sweden

Year of implementation: 1998 – 2001

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Social and economic decline, flooding

Nature-based principle(s): Water channels, retention ponds

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Sewage, impermeable roads and public space, paved surface

Added value(s): Water safety, increased biodiversity, increased biodiversity

Developer(s): City of Malmo

Water storage

Location: Sashane river, Zimbabwe

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Under-utilization of alluvial aquifers in river beds in arid lands for productive purposes like agriculture

Nature-based principle(s): Sand dams (which increase the thickness of the river’s sediment layer, increasing water storage and accessibility)

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Pumps

Added value(s): Increased water availability, supplementary irrigation

Wetland restoration

Location: San Francisco Bay, CA

Year of implementation: 2000 – ongoing

Problem(s) / challenge(s) addressed: Low biodiversity, flood risk San Francisco Bay, polluted water

Nature-based principle(s): Bioshield for wave reduction, less-rigid transition zone between land and water

Grey infrastructure(s) replaced: Salt ponds, dikes

Added value(s): Water safety, increased biodiversity, clean water, habitat for sensitive species, recreation

Developer(s): Safe the Bay

Photo: Oleg Alexandrov – Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge via commons.wikipedia.org / CC BY SA