Capitals of Biodiversity European municipalities lead the way in local biodiversity protection plant and animal varieties. E.g. an estimated 1,500 What is Biodiversity? different varieties of apples exist in Germany alone. And they all have their distinct characteristics in taste, he term biodiversity – harvesting time and requirements to soil or climate. or biological diversity – Some 60 of those varieties are used economically, but T describes the diversity only 30 to 40 are commercially available – and the of life and life-forms on earth. numbers are declining. Most supermarkets offer no Caused by extensive human more than five or six globally prevalent varieties. This activities, the world’s example shows vividly that the diversity of agricultural biodiversity is currently crops is threatened by an industrialised and globalised declining substantially. Many agriculture, because less and less varieties are grown species have already gone on more and more areas, increasingly replacing many extinct or are seriously traditional varieties. threatened. The media often only refer to the large and prominent species such as tigers or elephants, but Crucial to the survival numerous small and inconspicuous species known of mankind only by experts are also ankind is entirely dependent on the affected. The loss of species diversity of nature. Nature provides us our happens around the entire food, medicine, building material, fibers for world and Europe is no M clothing and fuel. Natural areas are necessary to exception. Highly intensive stabilise the intensively used farm land. Strips of agriculture and the extreme colourful flowers along a crop field may have no density of population make immediate economic benefits, but they provide the Europe especially prone to necessary habitat for bees that pollinate our crops, or diminishing the habitats of animals that are beneficial for natural pest control. plants and animals. Between Purification of air and water also belong to the so- 30 and 50 % of Europe’s called “ecosystem services“ – beneficial side effects mammals, birds and fresh that nature provides free of charge. They may be free water fish are threatened by of charge, but at the same time are priceless: some extinction. 40 % of the global economy is dependent on biological part from species products or processes. diversity, the term pen green spaces in cities are especially biodiversity also A important for recreation. An urban park not includes the diversity of only has a cooling effect on the surroundings, ecosystems and the genetic O it also provides citizens with opportunities to go for diversity within the same walks or listen to birds singing and are thus an species. The latter includes important factor for quality of life. For children, nature for example the diversity of is the best and healthiest play ground where they can farm animals and crops: during the cause of cultural explore, learn and run around freely and safely. history, people have bred a fascinating diversity of www.capital-biodiversity.eu Villages, towns and cities for the preservation of biodiversity 1 The project „European Capitals of Biodiversity“ he project was funded by the EU-LIFE- programme from 2009 to 2011. During these three years national competitions were T organized in five countries to determine and find their respective „Capital of Biodiversity“. Even small villages had the chance to be crowned a „Capital of Biodiversity“, as the participation was open to municipalities of all sizes. Ities compete in many fields: Who hast he most participate, the local authorities had to fill in a beautiful city centre, the most interesting comprehensive questionnaire of around 20 pages. The cultural life, the strongest economy, the highest C questionnaire was divided into different sections, e.g. quality of life? In our competitions it was the activities „nature in the city“, where the municipalities could to support and protect biodiversity that the specify their activities to promote diverse and healthy municipalities competed in. Simply being situated in nature in the middle of their city. Other topics beautiful and diverse natural surroundings was not included “species and biotope protection”, enough to become a „Capital of Biodiversity“. On the “environmental education” and “sustainable contrary: it was the active involvement in conserving agriculture and forestry”. A major component of each and protecting this diverse nature that determined the chapter was a number of multiple-choice questions, winners. e.g. whether the local authority retains dead wood in their forests rather than remove it. How the Competitions very chapter also included space where worked municipalities could describe at least one biodiversity project that was or had recently t the beginning of a competitions all local E been implemented in the city. authorities in the respective country were A informed and invited to participate. In order to www.capital-biodiversity.eu Villages, towns and cities for the preservation of biodiversity 2 The Winners of the Competitions 2010 and 2011 The Slovak Capital of Biodiversity 2010 Želiezovce (7,500 inhabitants) sets a high value on the conservation of old and large trees in the parks of the city. Many animal species are dependent on old trees, e.g. for foraging and breeding. Hannover (520,000 inhabitants), the German Capital of Biodiversity 2010/2011 has long been implementing a comprehensive concept where both children and adults are proactively introduced to nature. The „Childrens‘ Forest“, for example, provides a large adventure playground for children to explore and experience nature all year round. A simple measure to protect biodiversity that can be applied anywhere: Some of the public green spaces of Grande-Synthe (21,000 inhabitants), the French Capital of Biodiversity 2010, are mowed no more than once or twice a year: This creates colourful and diverse flowering meadows, offering habitat, food and protection to numerous butterflies, beetles and other small animals. Can a small village become a national capital? As a capital of biodiversity they can! Rural municipalities often have vast agricultural and forest areas. If their economic use can be combined with measures to improve the habitat function for plants and animals, then this is an important contribution to biological diversity. In the Spanish Capital of Biodiversity 2010, El Real Sitio de San Ildefonso (5,700 inhabitants) it is Eurasian black vulture and imperial eagle that benefit from rural nature conservation. www.capital-biodiversity.eu Villages, towns and cities for the preservation of biodiversity 3 The Hungarian Capital of Biodiversity 2010, Tata (24,000 inhabitants) owns several valuable natural areas of European importance, e.g. as resting areas for migratory birds. The citizens of Tata are informed about the natural treasures of their home town through many diverse educational measures, e.g. on an educational tree trail in the local arboretum with 293 different tree species. The Hungarian Capital of Biodiversity 2011, Szentes (30,000 inhabitants) is an El Dorado for birds. The largest thermal lake of central Europe (122 Hectars) is home to many threatened bird species such as rare duck species or the European sea eagle. The city is very active in managing the conservation area. During the middle ages, the„golden city“ of Kremnica (5,300 inhabitants), the Slovak Capital of Biodiversity 2011 was one of the most important mining and mint cities of Europe. Due to increasing gold prices, it is currently seriously considered to re- activated surface gold mining on a grand scale. The city is strongly opposed to the landscape destruction that would come with the mining and fights for a decision against the economic benefit and for sustainable preservation of nature and quality of life in the city. The French Capital of Biodiversity 2011, Montpellier (250,000 inhabitants) is implementing an urban „Masterplan for a green network“. Adopted in 2007, the masterplan has been used to redecorate monotonous and concrete- dominated squares with trees, shrubs and herbs. The residents have benefited greatly from the much more inviting places. The increased urban green spaces also buffer the heat waves that hit the city on hot summer’s days. In Puebla de Sanabría (1,600 inhabitants), the Spanish Capital of Biodiversity 2011, biodiversity is a main pillar in the town’s economy and attracts many tourists. Among the attractions are a mycology school and a currently built thematic centre for the conservation of the Iberian wolf. Incidentally, the coexistence of wolf, flocks of sheep and people is not considered as a problem in Puebla de Sanabria: the wolfs are so shy that they are rarely seen at all, making the photo on the left a rare stroke of luck. www.capital-biodiversity.eu Villages, towns and cities for the preservation of biodiversity 4 The Impact of the Competitions in the Participating Municipalities or many participating municipalities, the competitions were an important impulse to revise their local biodiversity protection activities. The questionnaires, the brochures and accompanying workshops (see F following page) helped the municipalities to identify weaknesses, but more importantly they provided ideas for improvement of, and inspiration for, new projects. International Recognition he winning municipalities were honoured on European and global T levels. The winners of 2010 were invited to the UN-Biodiversity conference in Nagoya, Japan, and could present their strategies