Cultivating Clean Air in Urban Environments

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A NEXT Romania - Rep.Moldova

Date of latest update: 2025-10-02

Description

Description (EN):

The proposed project addresses the program specific objective Enhancing protection and preservation of nature biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution. The project has the potential to address various environmental, social, and economic challenges, fostering collaboration and sustainable development in the region. It aligns with the principles of community engagement, environmental conservation, and cross-border cooperation. The urban garden cross-border collaboration aims to establish a sustainable and replicable model for urban agriculture that significantly enhances the overall environmental resilience and community wellbeing on both sides of the border. This will be achieved through the successful implementation of activities aimed at promoting sustainable farming practices, community education, and the creation of resilient green spaces, thereby contributing to improved food access, environmental health, and community empowerment on both sides of the border. The main outputs are: one developed strategy and action plan jointly developed within the cross-border consortium, 1 Pilot action developed jointly and implemented, and one created partnership will continue their collaboration by working together on other projects. The overall concept of the urban garden reflects a holistic and integrated approach to urban living. It emphasizes the importance of green spaces, sustainable practices, and community collaboration to create healthier, more resilient, and environmentally conscious urban environments. Our approach is groundbreaking as it centers on highlighting the increasing importance of urban gardening in response to multiple challenges like climate change and ecological emergencies. It underscores the imperative to address these issues collectively as a community.

Expected Achievements (EN):

The urban garden cross-border collaboration aims to establish a sustainable and replicable model for urban agriculture that significantly enhances the overall environmental resilience and community well-being on both sides of the border. This will be achieved through the successful implementation of activities aimed at promoting sustainable farming practices, community education, and the creation of resilient green spaces, thereby contributing to improved food access, environmental health, and community empowerment on both sides of the border. The Strategy and Action Plan for Urban Greening and Biodiversity Conservation provides a framework for nature preservation, green infrastructure enhancement, and sustainable urban development, fostering stakeholder engagement through participatory decision-making. The Urban Garden Pilot Action enhances biodiversity, supports climate adaptation, improves air quality and soil health, promotes sustainable urban living through community engagement.

Project outputs: One developed strategy and action plan jointly developed within the cross-border Pilotage committee(EN)
1 Pilot action developed jointly and implemented(EN)
One jointly developed Strategy on women and climate actions in the Romania – Republic of Moldova cross-border area(EN)

Thematic information

Waste and pollution Climate change and biodiversity Community integration and common identity

Priority: (VI-A_Ro-Mo_1) Green Communities

Priority specific objective: RSO2.7. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 079 Nature and biodiversity protection, natural heritage and resources, green and blue infrastructure

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Asociaţia Obştească Centrul de Suport în Afaceri "Business InnoHub"

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 878778485

Address: Burebista, MD-3602 Ungheni, Moldova

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Total budget: EUR 99 541.50

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 89 587.35

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 9 954.15

Asociatia "Mai bine"

Name: Asociatia "Mai bine"

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 937026015

Address: Pacurari, 700515 Iasi, Romania

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://www.maibine.eu/

Total budget: EUR 52 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 46 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 5 200.00

Primăria Municipiului Ungheni

Name: Primăria Municipiului Ungheni

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 911054847

Address: Nationala, MD-3600 Ungheni, Moldova

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.ungheni.md

Total budget: EUR 152 261.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 137 034.90

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 90.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 15 226.10

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Association "Mai bine"

Cultivating Clean Air in Urban Environments

Partners and Projects info

Ungheni City Hall

Cultivating Clean Air in Urban Environments

Partners and Projects info

Centre for Entrepreneurial Support "Business InnoHub"

Cultivating Clean Air in Urban Environments

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Cultivating Clean Air in Urban Environments

Project acronym: GARDEN

Project ID: ROMD00453

Project start date: 2025-06-12

Project end date: 2026-12-11

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

ISO for environment management for businesses (EN) | BUsinessInnoHub creatd an ISO for environment management for businesses under an European Preject
(EN), U-GARDEN: Promoting capacity building and knowledge for the extension of urban gardens in European cities. (EN) | Urban gardens are a key component of the traditional urban and peri-urban landscapes of the main European cities. Beyond food production and consumption, urban gardens provide a wide range of ecosystem and social services, with a positive impact on the urban and socio-residential environment. Thus, the main aim of this project is to promote the implementation of urban gardens and agroforestry experiences as key components of the strategic framework for sustainable urban development in European cities, from an interdisciplinary approach. To this end, the project will try to achieve several objectives: 1) to identify needs, problems and opportunities concerning urban garden and agroforestry experiences; 2) to promote, through Urban Living Labs, the stakeholders' capacity building in terms of green governance for food production and consumption in cities; 3) to drive citizens' capacity building for the involvement in sustainable urban development experiences; 4) to foster innovative business models around sustainable and local food production; 5) to evaluate the impact of the implementation of agroforestry/urban garden experiences in their social, cultural and environmental dimensions; and 6) to set up a multi-criteria framework to support decision-making in the location of urban gardens and agroforestry plots. (EN), Red de Huertos Urbanos de Madrid - Madrid's Urban Community Gardens Network (EN) | Red de Huertos Urbanos de Madrid (Rehdmad) is a network of urban gardens located in Madrid. The network is a cooperative alliance between 75 community urban gardens in Madrid.
The Rehdmad network was created in 2011 as a citizen movement to make Madrid's urban agriculture more visible, to respond to the needs of urban gardeners through providing mutual support and also to share knowledge, experience and ideas. The network also promotes increased awareness of green areas, based upon principles of organic farming, the maintenance of a common good and the links between the city and its food production systems.
Some projects with which the Network cooperates are:
Madrid: involves local varieties seed conservation with Imidra (Madrid Institute for rural research and development) and the Madrid Seed Bank
The University: includes collaboration on several research projects regarding the impact of urban gardening upon the City’s carbon footprint reduction and the soil quality of urban gardens
(EN), URBAN GARDENING – ERASMUS + (EN) | The Urban Gardening Role in Improving of Adults' Skills and Community Growth
The aim of the URBAN GARDENING project is encouraging to active participation and education the local community members, including disfavoured and threatened of exclusion persons eg. migrants, seniors, long-term unemployed people, through setting up and maintaining the urban gardens and working in this common garden space. The project aims to elaborate an innovative educational method to teach soft skills by the work in the garden, e.g. interpersonal communication, team work, management, planning.
(EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 303 802.50

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 273 422.25

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 90.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Cross-Border Pilotage committee
3 On-line meetings to discuses aspects regarding the concept of urban gardens.
Common strategy and an action plan for urban garden concept
The urban garden Landscaping
Min 10 small plots are seeded with different plants
Maintenance schedule plan of urban garden
1 Workshop on sustainable design of an urban garden
1 Workshop on sustainable gardening system
1 Workshop on Biodiversity
1 replication kit for urban garden concept
1 common event in Iasi to promote the replication kit
1 communication and dissemination plan
Webpage and social media set-up
Mandatory activities to ensure the visibility of the project and program are done
1 Social-media campaign with a minimum of 60 social media posts.
20 editorial materials on the website
10 storytelling materials using 20 photos on the website
2 materials on the website regarding the financing Program
5 media partnerships with a minimum of 10 associated articles, press releases, or interviews
Minutes of the Monthly management meetings
Progress reports
elaborated and submitted via
online system
Finance report
Payment claims

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyDanubeRegion The proposed project contribute to The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) as it provides an integrated framework for strengthening the cooperation between nations.
In addition, some common challenges are addressed, like climate that are urgent and need to be addressed in a coordinated way beyond borders.
SeaBasinStrategyBlackSea The proposed project contribute to the Common Strategy by reinforcing regional dialogue between participating countries and stakeholders to jointly address the challenges and opportunities, expecialy in the area of environmental sustainability.
Other European Green Deal
The proposed project is in line with The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) as it provides an integrated framework for strengthening the cooperation between nations.
In addition, some common challenges are addressed, like climate that are urgent and need to be addressed in a coordinated way beyond borders.
Other Romania benefits, in the programme area, of regional and sectoral financial support which also contributes to the implementation of Policy Objective 2 – A greener low-carbon Europe and its neighbourhood and Policy Objective 4 – A more social Europe and its neighbourhood via North-East Regional Operational Programme (for Iași, Vaslui, Botoșani counties) and South-East Regional Development Region Regional Operational Programme (for Galați county) or main stream programmes, such as National Plan for Recovery and Resilience, Sustainable Development Operational Programme, Health Operational Programme, Education and Employment Operational Programme, Inclusion and Social Dignity Operational Programme, Just Transition Operational Programme (for Galați county only). While the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience is a temporary recovery instrument, closely linked to the priorities aimed at long-term sustainable and inclusive recovery that promotes the green and digital transitions, the Interreg NEXT Programme fosters long lasting partnerships tackling well-defined objectives and addressing challenges with a cross-border dimension.
Other Romania-Ukraine Interreg NEXT
The proposed project contributes to Romania-Ukraine Interreg NEXT, being in line with their thematic categories: a greener Europe and a more social and inclusive Europe.
More specifically, the proposed concept of urban garden address two policies:
Policy objective 2 – A greener, resilient, low-carbon Europe moving towards a zero-carbon economy:
Policy objective 4 – A more social and inclusive Europe:
Other North-East Regional Program Romania
Contribution
The proposed project contributes to a sustainable and more environmentally friendly region, which is the focus also of North-East Regional Program Romania.
More specifically, it is in line with:
Strategic objective 2 – Protecting the environment and optimizing the use of resources by promoting energy efficiency, green infrastructure and reducing carbon emissions in the urban environment, addressed through OS b(i), b(vii) and b(viii).
and
Strategic objective 5 – Supporting integrated local development by leveraging and promoting existing local potential, addressed through OS e(s).
Other Sustainable Development Program
Contribution
The proposed project contributes to the Sustainable Development Program that focus on adapting to climate change by increasing energy efficiency and developing smart energy systems, storage solutions and the energy system, but also improving water and wastewater infrastructure; circular economy; conservation of biodiversity; air quality; decontamination of polluted sites.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A NEXT Romania - Rep.Moldova

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-10-02

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

83 / 83 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

214 / 214 (100%)

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Cultivating Clean Air in Urban Environments

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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