After two years of online meetings, Blue Green City partners got the chance to finally meet in person for the project meeting and study visit, which took place between 13-14th of June 2022, in Växjö (Sweden).
During the partner meeting they got a guided tour of Växjö municipality's new combined town hall and train station which was designed and qualified according to the certification "Miljöbyggnad Guld" (Environment building gold). This is the highest environmental certification a building can receive and is given to buildings with a pronounced environmental profile.
Also, each partner presented the implementation status of their Regional Action Plans (discussions were held on the obstacles encountered, results achieved, and next actions to carry out).
A Steering Group Meeting was held – issues such as reporting, communications and organization of the final dissemination event were brought into discussion.
During the study visit that was organized the 2nd day, they had the opportunity to visit the following places:
Bokhultet nature reserve and Biparadiset - a former military vehicle area that is now home to over 400 species of insects and has deciduous forests, meadows and lakes.
Bergsnäs bay - an example of Växjö municipality's endeavors as regards the lake restoration through the implementation of an infrastructure solution with many ecosystem services.
In the project of planning the site for a new large regional emergency hospital, an ecosystem services analysis has been done using the ESTER tool.
An overgrown, messy and boring power line street through an industrial area was transformed into a green corridor full of ecosystem services.
