Nantes has been elected “Best municipality for biodiversity 2024”. Winner of the French Capital of Biodiversity competition, the capital of Loire-Atlantique was rewarded for having developed nature and biodiversity in its territory. The municipality also obtains the National Tree Prize, it announced in a press release on September 13, 2024.
Nantes has won the title of “capital of biodiversity” in the category of cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, on the theme of “sobriety and biodiversity”.The prize unveiled by the French Office for Biodiversity, Plante&Cité and the Regional Agency for Biodiversity in Île-de-France, recognizes a proactive policy to develop nature in the city and take action in the face of disruptions to natural ecosystems.“, indicates the municipality.
Many projects launched
The city of the dukes is working to reduce and adapt to the effects of climate change with its “Pleine terre” plan adopted in 2022. It renatures public spaces and allows for freely evolving areas, while restoring woodlands along waterways. The goal is to plant 14 hectares of open ground by 2026 to offer residents “a more peaceful living environment“.
The city is thus demineralizing many spaces to restore living and permeable soils by planting greenery in streets, schools and daycare centers. This is particularly the case for the Doulon and Anglais boulevards, which underwent work in this direction in 2023. In total, 4.6 hectares of concrete spaces were planted at the end of last year. The plan will ultimately reduce urban heat islands and combat flooding.
Encouraging the return of biodiversity
Nantes also plans to create 50 biodiversity oases by 2026 in all of its districts by reinstalling natural environments (ponds, woodlands, etc.). To increase its knowledge of the remarkable species in the area, it launched an “Atlas of Metropolitan Biodiversity” in 2022.
That’s not all. The city has set up the “My street is a garden” scheme, which invites residents to plant greenery in their streets and bring flowers to their neighbourhood by planting seeds near their homes. Thousands of packets of seeds are distributed free of charge to residents each year.
For the councilor, Johanna Rolland (socialist), “It is a great joy and pride to learn that Nantes has been distinguished by three awards in the field of nature and gardens and the renewal of the 4 Flowers label which is added to the Green Flag Award received this summer for three Nantes parks. I wanted to put nature at the center of all the projects we carry out in Nantes. These distinctions represent a real recognition of the work undertaken to put nature at the center of all our projects, but also a reward for the commitment of the City agents who participate in this imagination so unique in Nantes.”
