Greenbelts

Green Belts & Greenways

These are already established in many places around the world such, are being planned, or are in need of being created. Conservation organizations, politicians, communities, and farmers can benefit greatly from these areas which can absorb flooding, provide safe outside space for humans, while allowing wilderness safe passage in places that might otherwise become urbanized. Some of these projects are designed specifically with the reduction of reducing heat islands and cleaning air, while other's are intended to boost employment, fend of desertification, and provide safe water for agricultural communities.

Some existing examples include: 

Africa

The Great Green Wall "The 15 kilometer (9.3 mile) wide Great Green Wall project stretches over 7,775 km [from Senegal on the Atlantic to Eritrea on the Red Sea. The aim was to curb the Sahara Desert's spread."

"The Great Green Wall is more than just an environmental project that is intended to restore 100 million hectares of fertile lands in the Sahel, and in the process cut 250 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It  aims to create 10 million so-called green jobs. 

"It's not just about planting trees in the Sahel region, but also about tackling issues such as climate change, drought, famine, conflict, migration and land degradation," Vivekananda told DW."

There have been many issues including terrorism, so the project which was originally intended to be a solid wall of forest, but has become more of a "rich mosaic of different initiatives that contribute to people's livelihood and food safety." 

Kenya

"The Green Belt Movement uses a watershed-based approach to restore degraded watersheds of key water catchments so as to improve their functions and improve the livelihood of the local communities.

Being an integrated approach, it sustainably supports and diversifies the sources of income for the communities neighboring the forest by generating income from tree planting activities and promoting alternative and profitable use of the forest.

Since 1977, GBM communities have planted over 51 million trees in Kenya, in watersheds in the highlands of Mt. Kenya, the Aberdares, and the Mau Complex- three of the five major mountain ecosystems in Kenya, as well as on private lands. GBM also plants trees on public lands with institutions such as faith based groups, schools, and has a partnership with the Kenya Army to help access remote areas for planting and tree planting on army lands." 

- http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/what-we-do/tree-planting-for-watersheds 

Europe

"The European Green Belt extends over 12,500 kilometres providing a corridor of habitats with exceptional biodiversity. The Green Belt runs along the line of the former Iron Curtain, from the far north of Europe to the Black Sea and the Adriatic in the south."

"The European Green Belt extends across 24 European countries, with numerous stakeholders working to protect this network of biotopes. It is currently divided into four sections:

- https://www.euronatur.org/en/what-we-do/european-green-belt 

Resources

Denmark

Germany 

Spain 

Madrid's Green Belt

"The project aims to connect the large regional parks in the surrounding area (...) The aim is to integrate them in a network of metropolitan green infrastructure that will provide a continuous green space for homes and neighbourhoods. The ideal situation would be for every Madrid resident to be able to leave their house on foot or by bike and easily reach a green or wooded area," explained Vidal from the City Council. In reality, the aim of the project is not so much to solve the problem of a lack of free spaces, but rather to help remedy, "the lack of connectivity and continuity between them (...) The City Council is working together with the other administrations responsible for metropolitan parks to coordinate the continuity and accessibility of all the spaces, following the criteria of sustainability, soft mobility and benefiting the population". - https://www.metropolis.org/blog/madrids-metropolitan-forest-forest-belt-reconnect-citys-population-nature 

Un video de 1:20 minutos, solo en español. Es sobre de la bosque por la cuidada de Madrid, e porque es muy importante para las ciudadanos y la ambiencia. (ask someone to double check the quality of this spanish or if the video is actually in catalan, need to re-listen)

Mas aqui!

United Kingdom 

The Ontario Greenbelt

1:59 animated video about the many benefits Ontario's Greenbelt.

USA

California 

Georgia

Texas

Austin

Houston

Oceana

Guides

Resources

Trees

Click the Trees button to find programs and grants near you that can supply free or affordable trees.

Click the Tree Planting & Care button to learn where to plant, how to plant, and what to do after planting to help ensure your project area flourishes.

Click the Riparian Areas button to learn why these spaces need to stay green, or be re-wilded. They make excellent greenways, and turning these threatened spaces into greenways can be a great way to protect them long into the future.

Organizations

International

Europe

UK

North America

USA

Texas

Grants & Funding

North America

USA

Missouri