In the framework of “Civil Society Dialogue Between EU and Turkey Grant Scheme (CSD-V)”, a newly launched project called ‘Nature and Cities‘ held its first activity in Tilburg, Netherlands. The main objective of the project is to enhance the dialogue and cooperation between EU and Turkish civil society organisations in environment and sustainable development sectors in order to develop a sustainable civil society dialogue between Turkey and EU Member states. 

A week long programme among project partners (the Turkish Nature Conservation Centre and Eurosite) and key stakeholders (municipalities of Tilburg and Breda in North Brabant region, Cankaya in the Ankara Province, Staatbosbeheer, Brabants Landschap, community representatives) included site visits best representing nature-based solutions and green infrastructure in cities, such as de Regte Heide nature reserves, Spoorpark Tilburg, and Maasbos Breda. Participants of the project site visits also attended a one day workshop on 10 July in the Brabant Natuurmuseum in order to exchange good practices and experiences between the Netherlands and Turkey, and to further enhance dialogue and cooperation between Turkish stakeholders from various sectors to promote nature-based solutions and green infrastructure in cities. The project will continue its sustainable and long-term cooperation between Turkey and the Netherlands on nature-based solutions and green infrastructure in cities via an international platform and joint agreements on future actions. The project is led by DKM- Nature Conservation Centre (Ankara, Turkey) with the partnership of Eurosite. In total, the project will take 15 months. 

Presentations:

Presentation by Yildiray Lise. Download.
Title: Nature and Cities project: DKM

Presentation by Kubra Ceviz Sanalan. Download.
Title: Nature and Cities project

Presentation by Lawrence Jones-Walters. Download.
Title: Green Infrastructure conceptual framework (EU)

Presentation by Özinanir Sarihan. Download.
Title: Good practices of Nature-Based Solutions in Ankara

Presentation by Rob van Dijk. Download.
Title: Good practices of Nature-Based Solutions in North Brabant

Presentation by Kristijan Civic. Download.
Title: The role of networks in exchanging practices and knowledge on NBS and ecosystem services

Presentation by Victor Retel Helmrich. Download.
Title: Nature-Based Solutions in architecture

Presentation by Aysegul Cil. Download.
Title: Nature and Cities, a case study in Tilburg