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UABRefugi

Creació d'un refugi climàtic a la plaça del Coneixement de la UAB

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The objective of the project is to promote the creation of a climate refuge on the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) campus through the planting of trees funded by individual donations and involving volunteer participation. This is a pilot initiative carried out in the Plaça del Coneixement of the UAB, aiming to make the campus more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

 

Urban forests are an efficient solution to many environmental, social, and health challenges related to urbanization and climate change. They enhance city resilience, support biodiversity, and promote the overall health of urban populations. However, urban forests are fragile and unique. In fact, urban forestry faces significant socio-environmental challenges, from harsh growing conditions to issues of social equity, which require innovative solutions. The aim of this project is to make the UAB campus more resilient to the effects of the climate crisis, such as heatwaves and biodiversity loss, while creating a climate refuge with low-water-demand species and fruit-bearing plants that also support local wildlife. Specifically, the species selected for the campus (native tree and shrub species typical of Mediterranean forest ecosystems) attract pollinators and small birds. This initiative also seeks to educate and raise awareness among the community about the importance of green spaces in urban areas. This project is part of the initiatives stemming from the European Uforest project, which aims to promote innovation and sustainability through interdisciplinary learning and the implementation of green solutions in urban environments.

The project actions include raising awareness about the importance of urban forests and encouraging the community to adopt trees and shrubs that will be planted during various volunteer planting events, starting with the first planting in the fall of 2024. Tree adoption can be done through a web platform launched by the Italian company Etifor, a non-profit partner of the project, which provides the opportunity to adopt project trees via WOWnature (https://www.wownature.eu/en/wow-area/uab-barcelona/). Active participation by the public and the university community will be encouraged to build a network of awareness about the relevance of urban forests, organizing activities to foster involvement in the planting events. Additionally, an "Urban Forest Lab" will be established at the UAB to promote research and innovation in urban forestry and climate resilience.

 

Plantacio arbres a la UAB
Plantacio arbres a la UAB
Plantacio arbres a la UAB