You’re here: Accueil ▸ Solutions ▸ A day to (re)discover our green spaces

LOS_DAMA – EUSALP

Natacha, chief cook

> All solutions

A day to (re)discover green spaces

Valuing green spaces close to our cities



Time to set up

Three months

Difficulty

3/10



Investment cost

3/10

The solution

In the face of the increasing urbanization, green areas close to cities face multiple changes, sometimes being absorbed by concrete building.

However, these areas are essential for the health of a city, its inhabitants and their well-being. It is therefore essential to conserve and enhance them.

And for that, nothing is better than a festive event!

Who is it for?

I am a regional territory and I want to enhance a green space and make understand the socio-economic and ecological issues around it;
I am a natural park / conservation association and I find that the green space I take care of is not sufficiently protected and highlighted;
I am an outdoor sports structure concerned with nature and I want to show the potential of a green space in terms of outdoor activities.

Ingredients

An attractive green space;
Possible postponement date if the weather is bad;
Animations for young and old;
Facilitators (associations/volunteers);
Material needed for the animations (such as tent);
Visual media (flyers, signs…).

An event planning method;
A business model you can fill;
The rules to organize an event on public roads;
Information about nature in the city;

Preparation

Step 1: Select a green space to be valued

It can be a park in the city, a green space (forests, riverbanks…) close to the city…
It may be a protected or endangered area due to the extension of the city, or a place that locals enjoy for walking and playing sports.

Plan to go spotting several times to ease the organization.

Step 2: Understand the strengths and weaknesses of the place.

To do this, it is possible to use the SWOT method to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the place.

>> TEMPLATE_SWOT to download in the kit.

Step 3: Make a first meeting to identify, understand and list the issues around this place

The aim is to create a festive event, but above all to raise awareness about environmental issues. This event should show everyone why green spaces should be preserved in the city.

This meeting will help identify all environmental, economic and social issues. It is possible to do this in the form of a collaborative workshop. The idea is to find out and understand those who have an interest around this space:

The elected representatives,
Companies (building industries, other private users),
Citizens (walkers, athletes, families etc.)
Sports clubs,
Conservation associations,
Farmers, etc.

>> ADEME : L’arbre en milieu urbain, acteur du climat to download to understand the need of trees in a city.

Step 4: Schedule the event

Before you launch funding demands and start contacting those who will host the day, make sure you have multiple dates.

Find a day when everyone is available;
Watch the world days that could match with your event;
Make sure that there is no other event on the scheduled day;
Have one (or more) emergency date.

World Day site: https://www.journee-mondiale.com/ > > https://www.journee-mondiale.com/

Step 5: Creating a visual identity

To be easily recognizable, it is better to create a visual identity (even a simple one). With a logo and specific colors. This will allow you to provide visual support to communicate about your event.

Step 6: Make a retro planning of activities

Now that you’ve identified all the stakeholders and the issues, let’s imagine all the activities that you can set up! Be inventive and don’t forget anyone or any subject. The goal is to raise awareness of environmental issues, but above all to make everyone have fun!

To give you ideas, the example of the city of Grenoble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojjog57m3js.

To help you with the planning, you can use the retro-planning (excel) in the kit.

>> TEMPLATE_Rétro schedule to download with the full kit

Step 7: Safety and insurance

Safety is not to be overlooked.

It is best to contact a (medical) emergency station in all cases. If it is a sporting event, it is mandatory.

Red Cross relief post request: http://demandepostedesecours.croix-rouge.fr/ > > http://demandepostedesecours.croix-rouge.fr/

Request for a civil protection rescue post: https://www.protection-civile.org/dispositif-previsionnel-de-secours/ > > https://www.protection-civile.org/dispositif-previsionnel-de-secours/

If the event is to bring together 1,500 people, then a security service is required.
You must have liability insurance (to be taken out from an insurer).

You can check out the Home Office Guide below to make sure you have all the cards on hand.

>> GUIDE OF THE GOOD PRACTICES OF A PUBLIC VOIE EVENT,to download with the full kit

Step 8: Funding - Business plan of the event

The business plan is a folder that allows you to collect all the expenses you are going to make. This file will then be used to convince investors to help you. In the kit, we provide you with an example of a business plan ready to be completed.

Possible financing:

Non-profit associations that participate, offer their help for free (usually), and can even help you (financing/material);
City, Department, Region offer grants reserved for this type of event (environmental protection – subject of general interest);
Crowdfunding – Patronage: Locals and businesses (private sector) may be very interested in helping you. Don’t hesitate to ask them

>> TEMPLATE_Business Plan, to download with the full kit

Step 9: Request to the town hall / prefecture (2 to 3 months in advance minimum)

To organize an event in a public place, requests are made to the town hall and the prefecture. The link below explains very simply what to send:

>> Information link: organize an event on the public road: https://demarchesadministratives.fr/demarches/demarches-organisation-evenement-sur-la-voie-publique

And to simplify the task, here is a typical mail to send to the town hall and prefecture > > MAIL TYPE_Mairie_Evenement on the public road, to download in the kit.

If your event is sporting without a ranking, then you will need to provide a CERFA:

With the setting up of a circuit / course / competition: CERFA_13391 (available in the kit)
No circuit / no ranking: CERFA_13447 (available in kit)

Step 10: Organize and contact facilitators

Now that all the paperwork is complete (or in progress), you can start to find the ones that will drive your event.

Think of local associations (sports, theatre, environmental protection…). The heart of the actions of these associations is to participate in projects like yours. They will bring you visibility, ideas, equipment…
Scientists/academics are also likely to be interested since this may be part of their dissemination of knowledge

You can send them your business plan, detailed schedule, a list of your partner so they understand the importance of your day!

Step 11: Communicating to attract the public

This is where all the work you’ve done before makes sense.

Use your visual media, the schedule, show that security will be assured, ask the animators to share the event to their communities on social networks, at the town hall to talk about it …

All means are good to publicize the event.

Step 12: Plan a day of installation and organization

This allows everyone to see the place, to organize themselves, to position all the activities. This is a key step so that on D-Day, everything goes well!

Step 13: During the event

Provide a welcome tent to guide participants;
If you’re making a video or photos, don’t forget the image release permissions;
Make sure the safety is optimal.
Keep smiling and enjoy!

>> AUTORISATION_Image minor-major,to download in the kit.

Step 14: Plan a day of uninstalling and cleaning. Leaving the place as we found it must be a priority

Uninstall everything, and try as much as possible to collect all the waste that the participants might have left behind. The best way to reduce this work is to educate your public about waste by asking them to use the garbage cans available, or to keep their waste on them!

Maintenance

Talking in: on the internet, in the press… This can give ideas to others.
Replicate the event the following year or in another green space/city.
Help those who want to do the same.
Talk to the LOS_DAMA network (creator of the solution)

Benefits

Details of the figures can be found in our “sources” section below



€1 invested in a tree - €5 return on investment

Every euro invested in a tree generates 5 euros [1];
Food resilience: creating a cultivable zone.
Create a sports activity offer close to the city – less transport costs;
Valuing untapped territories (BTP, renovation of buildings,…);



10 tons CO2 stored / tree [1]

Creating a carbon well: plants absorb our greenhouse gas emissions;
Creating a heat well with shade in the city;
Reducing emissions from transport (activities closer to the city);
Creating biodiversity.



Increasing the well-being of the inhabitants

Educate economic actors to respect green areas (against concreteization);
Raising awareness and engaging young people in the protection of nature;
Accessibility to outdoor sports;
Visual aesthetics assured.

Precautions of employment

Raising awareness of the protection of nature, should not be detached from the fun. The goal is to make the day festive, and not to create in an event that would only be informative. WARNING: This is not a conference!

Sources

The ecological and economic benefits come from a report by ADEME: The Urban Tree, a climate player: http://www.arbre-en-ville.fr/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Guide20l27arbre20acteur20du20climat20en20milieu20urbain202018.pdf
LOS_DAMA’s website: https://www.alpine-space.eu/projects/los_dama/en/home
Documents to make his business plan – BPI France Creation (from the portal gouv.fr)
)
TEMPLATE_Rétro schedule: https://www.codeur.com/blog/modele-retroplanning-excel/
Administrative information: how do you organize an event on public roads? https://demarchesadministratives.fr/demarches/demarches-organisation-evenement-sur-la-voie-publique
For security: the guide of the Ministry of the Interior (GUIDEOF GOOD PRACTICES OF SECURING A PUBLIC VOIE EVENT)

They did it!

2 successful replications

I replicated this solution

LOS_DAMA (EUSALP)

Creator of the solution

See their website >

The city of Grenoble, The Woods of the Vows

Replicar of the solution

Jérôme Dutroncy (Vice-President for Environment, Air, Climate and Biodiversity in Grenoble Alpes Metropole): “The metropolis of Grenoble is a metropolis of nature and mountains. She has been involved in a European project for the past few months. The idea is really to connect natures to each other: nature in the city with peripheral nature. To involve the inhabitants in this, also to connect them with this nature and to make them aware of the preservation of this nature.

Samuel Durante (initiator of the project): “This great game today, the goal was to make the public family and citizens of the Metropolis aware that there were spaces of nature very close to home. To make them discover in an original and innovative way.”

Video of the event