On Thursday 25th March, the INTERLACE project was launched in the City of Granollers, Spain. In the public relations event taking place during the morning, the Councillor for the Environment, Albert Camps, and the City Mayor, Josep Mayoral, reminded that European projects like INTERLACE have promoted the transformation of the Congost river. They have further allowed to improve the work and advance towards the promotion of urban greenery, the recovery of natural spaces and the education of our children and young people in the city, Albert Camps and Josep Mayoral highlighted.
Afterwards, Dr. Johannes Langemeyer and Dra. Sara Maestre Andrés, researchers from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, explained the overall project and its ambitious strategy. Finally, Xavier Romero, technician from the Environmental Department, introduced the challenges that will be addressed in Granollers, which are the improvement of water management through reutilization and decrease of flood risk; promote people’s reconnection with nature and environmental education; enhance ecological connectivity and naturalization of green areas; and promote sustainable agriculture and foster the social and solidarity economy. Two local media attended the event, which was restricted due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In the afternoon, more than 30 stakeholders participated in the launch of the Forum INTERLACE, a participatory body to design, discuss and implement the actions to be developed during the project. The participants discussed potential actions related with the four city challenges: improve water management through reutilization and decrease of flood risk; promote people’s reconnection with nature and environmental education; enhance ecological connectivity and naturalization of green areas; and promote sustainable agriculture and foster the social and solidarity economy. Participants further discussed how the proposed actions could be multifunctional, this is, could address multiple challenges simultaneously.