Pilot City
Vinnytsia
Use Case
Development of a part of the small river Tyazhylivka
Urban Development Goals
For development purposes, the city is guided by its three most important strategic documents: The Concept of Integrated City Development 2030, the Green Deal, and the Development Strategy of Vinnytsia City Territorial Community until 2030.
Strategically, Vinnytsia strives to become a comfortable, green and investment-attractive city with a strong community and balanced spatial development. In the urban dimension, Vinnytsia seeks resilience and is implementing such approaches in all areas of its development, as the challenges facing Ukrainian cities are greater than ever.
Water is one of the key components of urban resilience to climate change. Small rivers and the Southern Bug are a valuable resource that not only serves as a source of water for the entire city, but also forms a blue-green network of corridors and spaces for nature and people. The development of the river network and their coastal areas is one of the ambitious goals of Vinnytsia's development.
Climate Neutrality Pilot Use Case
Challenge
The Vinnytsia Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment identified heat islands, reduced quantity and deterioration of drinking water, reduced area and species composition of green areas, and flooding as the main challenges for our community. Small rivers are an important tool for adaptation, as they are often centers of biodiversity in cities, sources of drinking water, and help to reduce heat and absorb excess water. Therefore, often marginalized and neglected in Ukrainian cities, small rivers are sources of environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change, as in the case of Vinnytsia.
Goal
Developing a socio-spatial concept for the development of a part of the small river Tyazhylivka and a strategy for restoring its biodiversity.
General Description of the Pilot Use Case
Vinnytsia is facing the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss, which is a common problem for the vast majority of Ukrainian cities. Small rivers are centers of biodiversity and resilience in cities, but if left unattended, they become centers of spontaneous spread of invasive plant species, destroying local ecosystems. Care for them is a necessity. The Tyazhylivka is one of the largest tributaries of the Southern Bug in Vinnytsia, the longest of all the city's small rivers. It flows through different urban landscapes from industrial areas to a natural peninsula, uniting the north-eastern part of the city. This emphasizes its value as an element of Vinnytsia's ecological landscape and its impact on the citywide ecosystem. Tyazhylivka is now very neglected, and its species diversity needs to be restored. The part of the river selected for the socio-spatial study is about 850 meters long and flows in the middle of a highly urbanized urban area. This part of Tyazhylivka connects the remote Mozhayka neighborhood with a busy intersection and could serve as an alternative route for local residents. However, the current state of the river and its banks does not allow people to use it as a blue-green corridor and makes them ignore it, considering it something bad rather than an asset.
Measures and Initiatives Included
Studies:
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study of the ecological state of Tyazhylivka
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study of the spatial characteristics of the Tyazhylivka riverside zones - research on the biodiversity of Tyazhylivka
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research on the target audience of the Tyazhylivka restoration project
Activities:
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testing of the latest approaches to urban biodiversity conservation - conducting workshops with stakeholders
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focus groups with stakeholders
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clean-ups on the river
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meetings with residents of the areas surrounding the river
Products:
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Implementation Plan
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Biodiversity conservation strategy for the Tyazhylivka River
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Concept of socio-spatial development of the Tyazhylivka River watershed
Technologies and Innovations Involved in the Pilot Use Case
In our case study, the most important innovative contribution to the development of Vinnytsia will be the study of urban biodiversity on the example of a small river and the development of a strategy for its restoration. This is a new experience for Ukraine, as there are no cities with urban biodiversity conservation strategies here yet. Although climate change resilience and adaptation, biodiversity protection and conservation have long been on the agenda in other European cities, these topics have not yet received their priority and attention in Ukraine, especially in the face of other threats and challenges. Also, our community will cooperate with the spatial development agency ReStart Agency, which, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is developing a digital participatory platform (DPP). The part of Tyazhylivka selected for the development of the socio-spatial concept will become one of the examples for using the DPP. With the help of this tool, we want to study the main stakeholders - people living near a small river.
Main Partners and Stakeholders
Executive committee of Vinnytsia City Council
People living near the river
NGO "Small Rivers of Vinnytsia"
ME "Agency of Spatial Development" of Vinnytsia City Council
NGO "Network of Civil Society Organizations "Misto Zmistiv"
Local Universities
Businesses and other establishments and organizations located within 10 minutes of the river
Residents of Vinnytsia Сity
Territorial Community
Long-term Results
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A comfortable, heat-resistant environment in a highly urbanized area with a lack of green space;
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Launching further processes of Tyazhylivka restoration in other areas;
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A case study of the transformation of a small river has been implemented, giving impetus to other similar projects and initiatives in the city;
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A case of sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems in urban space;
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Draw attention to the topic of local biodiversity and the need to restore degraded local ecosystems;
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Awareness of the value of small rivers and their ecosystems among a wider range of citizens;
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Creating a culture of shared responsibility for local natural ecosystems, community building case;
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Mozhayka neighbourhood has become more visible.
Pilot Use Case Contribution to Climate Neutrality
Our case study will be the first in Ukraine to work systematically on biodiversity restoration, addressing two issues at once: biodiversity loss and climate change. The project creates the preconditions for the emergence of plans for the restoration and development of all small rivers in the community.
Small rivers are an extremely important component for increasing a city's resilience to climate change, as they
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absorb excess water, preventing flooding of territories
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reduce air temperature;
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serve as a home for different species of plants and animals, creating separate ecosystems;
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can provide people with drinking water (provided that the riverbeds are cleaned and other types of pollution are prevented);
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create a favorable environment for people, especially in the heat.
This case study will set a precedent for solving further problems with the loss of biodiversity in other cities of Ukraine, especially for those communities and territories that have lost their nature as a result of hostilities.
Creating an alternative route for residents of the areas adjacent to Tyazhylivka will allow them to choose a different, more sustainable way of transportation, such as walking or cycling, reducing carbon emissions.