Green system of public spaces Portoviejo - Ecuador

The green spaces system is a multi-scale urban planning instrument of the "Plan Portoviejo 2035". This system aims to protect the natural heritage of the canton through the generation of new public spaces, creating a connection between the city and landscapes, natural resources, improving urban ecological functions, protecting the ecological, cultural and landscape values of the territory and recovering ecosystems degraded by the occupation of irregular human settlements. Its main relevance is to provide a social and environmental function that is complemented with eco-efficient designs with a SBN approach, helping to reduce climatic events and providing recreational areas for development and social cohesion. The "Las Vegas" and "La Rotonda" Parks are the main green areas that present relevant ecosystem services to the city that are part of the SBN strategies for the city. The urban design of the parks that make up the system of green spaces, present internal zoning that are attractive to the population and also serve as biological corridors, as an example of birds, iguanas, squirrels, among others. In addition, their urban benefit is measured through the Urban Green Index, which aims to reach 14 m2 of green areas per inhabitant.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Legislative, regulatory and strategic instruments›Standards

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Air quality
Noise
Social cohesion
Social equity
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

Through the SbNs, by means of the green spaces system, we seek to mitigate the risk of flooding, making the parks located on the banks of the Portoviejo River an effective flood control system. This risk prevention strategy has proven to be effective in the case of Las Vegas Park during the 2017 rainy season. The planning and implementation of green areas allows the protection of natural resources that the city has and its geomorphological structures such as hills, river and streams, which contribute to the environmental quality and landscape of Portoviejo. The objective of this system is to form a network of interconnected green public spaces, with ideal policies or guidelines for a healthy and sustainable relationship between the city and the natural landscapes that surround it.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Green areas for water management

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

No specific NBS types specified

Good practice characteristics:

Multifunctional NBS support

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Municipal Government of Portoviejo

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

The system of green spaces is part of the Portoviejo 2035 Plan, developed by the multidisciplinary technical team of the Directorate of Urban and Territorial Planning of the Autonomous Government of the Municipality of Portoviejo, which was in charge of its formulation. The implementation of the green spaces system network is done by the municipality itself; however, its administration is carried out by the PORTOPARQUES Public Company. During the process of formulating the Plan, the existing urban systems and planned green and public spaces for the city were socialized with the citizens.

Instrument implementation:

Targeted actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs, NGOs, etc.

Financing

Sources of funding:

Funds provided by non-governmental organization

Budget:

5 000 000€ - 10 000 000€

Details about instrument financing:

Within the system of green spaces is Las Vegas Park, one of the most emblematic parks for its integration of the river with the city. It was built with funds from the central government, the budget indicated above corresponds to this park, these funds only covered the execution of the work, while the management and maintenance is done through the public company PORTOPARQUES.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Yes

As part of the urban systems foreseen in the Portoviejo 2035 Plan, it has a monitoring and evaluation system, with an annual report to verify compliance.

Did an evaluation take place?:

Yes

Through the m2/inhab indicator.

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

The green system of the Portoviejo 2035 Plan includes a general and local system of parks, which in turn are categorized by scale. The general system includes the regional scale: metropolitan, linear corridor of the Portoviejo River, city scale: urban parks, edge, major squares, green belt. Local System; local scale: neighborhood parks and neighborhood scale: pocket, minor squares. The green system of public spaces, has a long-term planning that seeks the implementation of 246 green spaces between existing and proposed in the Portoviejo 2035 Plan; in order to ensure the urban green index of 14m2 per inhabitant by the year 2035, to date two parks of the general system have been implemented, planned in the system of green spaces and 19 local scale parks which has increased the green index since 2014 from 0.84m2/inhabitant to 3m2/inhabitant by the year 2022.

Success factors and lessons learned:

During the formulation process of the Land Use and Management Plan, several socializations were carried out where the existing and planned green spaces for the city were shown to the citizens, in many occasions the community requested the incorporation of new public spaces in their sector. Currently its implementation is a complex process that seeks to generate interconnected green spaces, which in turn protect the ecological resources and scenic value of the city such as the river, riverbanks, among others. This instrument is a good practice due to the empowerment of public spaces, the generation of the city through green spaces together with the citizens, and the progressive increase of the urban green index. Las Vegas and Rotonda parks are the most representative public spaces for the city; Las Vegas Park can accommodate many users due to its multiple spaces for public use and at the same time sustain flooding of the river in rainy seasons because its project was generated as a model suitable to protect this area during the winters as it has a flood zone, the park has a natural wetland, The park has a natural wetland, the citizens can visit it without affecting its ecosystemic value and La Rotonda Park allows many people to make use of this space in contact with nature, it has a large number of trees, it is a place of entertainment for the whole city, an inclusive public space, where the inhabitants participate through the diversification of inclusive and safe recreational activities.