Begoña Carrasco Presents the 'castelló Naturaleza En Red' Project

The Mayor of Castellón, Begoña Carrasco, has presented the project "Castelló Nature Network," an initiative aimed at transforming urban spaces with the creation of green infrastructures to combat climate change. This proposal will be funded with 3.5 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with 60% coverage and a three-year execution period.

One of the central axes of the project is the creation of climate oases in schoolyards, with the installation of vegetative pergolas, Mediterranean gardens, and shaded areas to improve the thermal comfort of children. The selection of the centers will be made following vulnerability criteria, prioritizing Special Education schools and those with higher thermal stress or less green space in their surroundings.

The initiative also includes the renaturalization of emblematic ponds such as those in Ribalta Park and Geologist Royo Park, as well as the comprehensive recovery of the pond in Mérida Park to turn it into a natural laboratory where schoolchildren can study aquatic ecosystems.

Another highlighted action is the naturalization of urban roundabouts, such as the one next to the General University Hospital, the one on Castell Vell Avenue, and the access roundabout to Grau. These spaces will be transformed with the planting of native species to mitigate the heat island effect and improve air quality.

Additionally, the project plans the installation of green roofs in Santa Clara Square, with a total area of 8,073 sq. ft. (750 m²) that will help reduce temperature and promote urban biodiversity.

The mayor has emphasized the importance of citizen participation in this initiative, highlighting that educational communities, the Social Council of the City, and the Citizen Participation Council will be consulted to define the actions. The project will also have the advice of SEO Birdlife to ensure the sustainability of the interventions.

Begoña Carrasco has highlighted that this commitment to green and blue infrastructure will not only improve the urban environment but will also allow measuring its impact on local biodiversity, consolidating Castellón as a more sustainable and livable city.