Good practice:

Green Belt of Vitoria-Gasteiz

The Green Belt is the result of an ambitious project initiated in the early 1990s, the main of which was to restore and recover the outlying areas of Vitoria-Gasteiz, both from the environmental and social viewpoint, in order to create a large, green area for recreational use around the city.
After 18 years of work on the project, during which time major efforts have been made to restore the ecology and landscapes of a number of degraded areas and to prepare these for public use, today, the Green Belt comprises 6 consolidated parks: Armentia, Olarizu, Salburua, Zabalgana, Zadorra and Errekaleor. Moreover, work is still underway on the system that will link these green spaces by means of a number of ecological corridors.
It offers a large number of different environments with a wealth of natural features. Woods, rivers, wetlands, meadows, fields, groves and hedgerows are some of the varied ecosystems that coexist in the outlying areas of the city. Some of these have won recognition at an international level for their high environmental value, such as is the case of the restored wetlands of Salburua or the River Zadorra ecosystem.
From the social and public use viewpoint, the Green Belt offers a multitude of opportunities for walking, leisure and the pure enjoyment of being in contact with nature. It is also becoming the ideal location for educational initiatives, designed to increase the public's awareness of environmental issues.

Investments (1993-2021): around 25 million euros
Land adquisition: around 12 million euros
Maintenance: 300.000 euros/year
Human capital: 5 persons, but there are others involved in information, divulgation and environmental education
The project was started 29 years ago but not finished yet.

1.Promotion of the protection of natural heritage of PUOS and the ecological restoration, creating a natural continuum around the city.
2.Improvement of the physical and ecological accessibility between the main green areas and natural spaces of the municipality.
3.Development of periurban spaces, to promote their use by the public and satisfy the growing demands for open-air leisure areas.
4.Environmental awareness and involvment of the inhabitants of the city in their conservation.

The Vitoria-Gasteiz green belt can serve as inspiration and possible replication for cities. The Green Infrastructure Strategy, approve in May 2013 (Green Infrastructure-Enhancing Europe's Natural Capital), offers a solid framework for the design and execution of Green Infrastructure projects at the European level. One of the points highlighted by the Strategy is that, in order to be viable, Green Infrastructure projects need to be integrated into the planning and spatial planning processes.
This project was recognized by the framework of European Green Capital , for its pioneering character in Urban green infrastructures. It should be considered by other regions and cities since it provides opportunities both in improving the atmospheric quality and the environmental situation, as well as the well-being of people. The connection of all peri-urban green areas, which at the same time also connect with the city centre, serving as a flow for environmental and social benefits.