Rewilding the Besòs: how citizen experts are shaping GreenInCities’ Barcelona pilot

Written By Ideas For Change

By The Urban Activist

The Urban Activist has featured the GreenInCities project as a case study in innovative urban rewilding. The article highlights the Barcelona pilot at the mouth of the Besòs River in Sant Adrià de Besòs, where citizen experts—long-time wildlife observers and residents—are directly shaping the project’s design and implementation.


Through co-analysis and co-design processes, these experts validated ecological data, identified flora and fauna, and brought forward insights often overlooked by planners and guided the team towards unexpected choices that challenged conventional planning approaches.

This pioneering approach shows how GreenInCities goes beyond symbolic participation to genuine collaboration, ensuring that biodiversity, local knowledge, and community needs guide the rewilding of the Besòs River.

Want to discover the surprising decisions that emerged?

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