The Sofia Municipality has launched a large-scale landscaping project worth 5.7 million leva. It is financed under the “Environment” Program 2021-2027 (POS) and Priority 5 “Air”. This became clear today during the opening press conference for the initiative.
“We do not rely on one-off actions, but are building a sustainable mosaic of interconnected initiatives – from replacing old heating appliances, introducing NEZ for cars and heating, through modernization of rolling stock and investments in the improvement of public transport, to a significant expansion of our green infrastructure, said Nadezhda Bobcheva, Deputy Mayor in the direction of “Green System, Ecology and Land Use”.
The main goal is to reduce the high levels of fine particulate matter (PM₁₀), which are released from secondary dusting in the urban environment, by building a green infrastructure with high efficiency.
It is planned to green areas with a total area of 9.90 hectares, and a total of 2,089 new trees (of which 1,809 are deciduous and 280 are coniferous) and 57,664 deciduous shrubs, proven for their qualities for capturing PM. The measures are focused in three main areas:
► Street landscaping
A total of seven sites along key road arteries, such as Blvd. „Tsar Boris III”, Blvd. „Todor Aleksandrov” and Blvd. „Tsarigradsko Shose”.
►Landscaping of inter-block spaces
Two sites in the „Mladost 2” and Blvd. „Obelya 2”, with the vegetation concentrated in the contact areas with the road arteries for the most effective filtering of pollution.
► Innovative green solutions
Construction of a vertical wall of evergreen vegetation at the central entrance of „University First Hospital Sofia” and mobile flower pots with a misting system in a playground in „Northern Park”, which will improve the microclimate and reduce the spread of PM.
Afforestation and improvement activities will be carried out in a total of 11 sites in different parts of Sofia. The first of them - landscaping around the edges of Blvd. „Khan Kubrat“ – in the section from Blvd. „Lomsko Shose“ to “Beli Dunav“ Str., has already been assigned for implementation, with field activities expected to start next week.
“The planting of over 2,000 trees and almost 60,000 shrubs with proven filtering qualities is a direct investment in the health of Sofia residents. And the innovative solutions - a vertical green wall for the First City Hospital and mobile flower pots for the Northern Park - are proof that Sofia is worthy of its place among the 100 climate-neutral cities of the future”, added Bobcheva.
The environmental and socio-economic benefits of the project are significant – improving the quality of life and health of citizens, and proving to the European Commission that Bulgaria's efforts are yielding results, thus reducing the risk of financial sanctions, the Municipality also recalls.
Project BG16FFPR002-5.004-0001 “Green measures for cleaner air in Sofia Municipality“ is being implemented with the financial support of the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund of the European Union through the “Environment“ 2021-2027 Programme.