Palma, the biggest city on the Spanish island Mallorca, is one of the BiodiverCities. The Palma BiodiverCities team succeeded in bringing the debate on biodiversity into heart of the city descision-making and to raise awareness for biodiversity.
Neus Truyol, member of the Palma city council, said: "The EU support for a city model that is committed to conceiving the city as an ecosystem, self-sufficient and resilient to the climate emergency, strengthens us to continue the work path we have set in motion.”
The Palma BiodiverCities team is currently assessing the following strands of work to engage citizens better in the planning of urban nature. How can researchers and stakeholders be involved in including biodiversity in the urban masterplan? How can we raise awareness of the importance of the city’s urban forest? And how can we co-develop the design of an urban park?
Having the political endorsement of the city council for the BiodiverCities project required explaining what biodiversity is and why it is important. It also required breaking silos between departments and create a positive vibe about the role of biodiversity and how citizens can engage in this process.
On 29 September 2020, the city council of Palma has formally endorsed their contribution to BiodiverCities.
Press release [in catalan]