At the Seedbed Intervention in Tallinn (Estonia), a large crowd gathered, excited to exchange nature based solutions, urban green space and well being in their municipality. The turn out was diverse, with an equal mix of Estonian and Russian speakers and a mix of demographics from children to students to the elderly. Seedbed Interventions are participatory processes involving researchers, city council workers, locals and other specialists. These interventions are temporary events which connect different groups of people.

During the event, participants took a long stroll through Vormsi Park to learn more about the history of the green area, especially in regards to mental health. Separate guided walks were held both in Russian and Estonian to increase inclusivity for residents. During the gathering, stakeholders gathered to exchange ideas for greening Vormsi Park further, through collaborative means including the use of the canvas and photo voice methods to gauge public opinion and learn more about the project. These methods all aim to help people to come up with new and innovative ideas that draw upon their surroundings. A multilingual survey was also conducted with great assistance from Tallinn University students. 

Residents identified that accessibility could be improved in the park could be improved for the elderly along with more places to sit and connect in the space. Through a trek through urban wilderness, locals and experts alike learned from each other and aligned on their understandings on how the area could develop. 

In Versailles, (France) the Seedbed Interventions took place in two phases, animation series on one day and a co-creational workshop on the next. The objectives of the first phase were to draw awareness to nature and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Blaise Pascal square. During the workshop participants were able to create art using natural elements, draw their own version of the park of tomorrow, and even learned to press apples into juice! As next steps the city of Versailles is reconvening to look into the redevelopment of the Blaise Pascal Square. 

This week Tallinn and Versailles along with other GoGreenRoutes Cultivating Cities are meeting once more in Barcelona to continue learning from other experiences to create greener futures for residents. Stay tuned on the outcomes.