FL#2 - "Bucharest Children World Park" (Romania)

Children’s World Park (CWP) is an urban park, part of a larger green area in southern Bucharest. This area also includes Vacaresti Natural Park, Tineretului Park, and Orășelul Copiilor (Children's Town), an amusement park. The Park is managed by the City Hall of Sector 4, Bucharest Municipality, and serves as a recreational space for tens of thousands of local residents. CWP is a popular destination for families, particularly for its playgrounds, fostering engagement with the younger generation.

Situated in a low-lying area near the Dâmbovița River, CWP's location and community involvement make it an ideal candidate for projects aimed at creating climate-resilient neighbourhoods. With many families visiting CWP, it presents an opportunity for stakeholder engagement and raising awareness about green solutions to mitigate climate change.

© Vacaresti Nature Park Association                                        © Google Map

The heavy rains in May and June often cause flooding near CWP, a growing concern for local authorities and residents. Conversely, the arid summers in July and September necessitate irrigation for park and roadside vegetation. The proposed interventions at CWP aim to mitigate these issues are measures to retain rainwater during wet periods for use in drier seasons.

The plan is to transform CWP into a rainwater catchment area to address street flooding during heavy rains, particularly in May and June. This transformation also aims to increase biodiversity and contribute to the climate resilience of the area. Specific Follower Site related activities to be implemented include:

Research and data gathering:

• Surface and groundwater monitoring system implementation,
• Water balance study inside park and neighbourhood areas (to be decided),
• Surface quality analysis,
• Hydrogeological model, inside park and neighbourhood areas.

NBS implementation:

• On the basis of the solution tested by the related demonstration site: applying solutions for rainwater capturing on a pilot area inside the park.

Strategy:

• Developing a strategy for connecting the park to the green-blue infrastructure of the city with focus on the VNP,
• Development a strategy to raise awareness and build community climate resilience,
• Awareness campaigns execution (setting up, running, etc.), stakeholders' involvement and citizen engagement in activities aiming to diminish the climate change effects.

Ambition during the project

1. Cooperation with the project partners for designing and implementing NBSs,
2. Improve knowledge of the local community (citizens science, education, awareness) and engage stakeholders,
3. Validate the results and establish a monitoring scheme and adaptive management plan to assess the efficiency of the NBS implemented.

Ambition after the project

1. Establish a foundation for the blue-green corridor (Bucharest), aimed at enhancing biodiversity throughout the city,
2. Utilize innovative rainwater management techniques in the pilot - Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to enhance the city's water resilience,
3. NBS should mitigate urban heat in the area, contributing to cooling effects during the increasingly frequent summer heatwaves,
4. Provide educational opportunities for schools, community groups, and the general public to learn about ecology, environmental sustainability, and the significance of biodiversity in their locality, fostering long-term community engagement,
5. Well-designed and implemented Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) can offer cost-effective approaches to urban challenges such as rain/stormwater management and climate change adaptation, potentially resulting in long-term cost savings for the city (help organization for better urban planning).