The City of Brussels is taking part in the European project URBAN - Understanding Recovery of Biodiversity and Animal Networks. URBAN, funded by the Interreg North-West Europe programme, runs from January 2026 to April 2029.
This project brings together cities, universities and associations from several North-West European countries to develop solutions to:
- improve urban biodiversity
- make it easier for wildlife to move through the city
In cities, animals face many obstacles in their daily lives: roads, buildings, fences and wire mesh, artificial lighting at night, and noise. These elements break the links between natural spaces.
For a hedgehog, a bat or an amphibian, this can make movement more difficult, prevent access to food, shelter or breeding sites, and ultimately weaken the presence of certain species in the city over time.
In Brussels, the Expand BiodiverCity study made it possible to better understand where species are located across the municipal area, which areas are the most favourable for nature, where the breaks between these areas are, and which places should be better connected. This study now serves as the basis for guiding the City's actions.
As part of the URBAN project, the City of Brussels tests actions to improve animal movement and habitats.
The aim is to better connect the places where nature is present, reduce certain obstacles and make the city more welcoming for wildlife.
The URBAN project focuses on 4 groups of animals: bats, squirrels, hedgehogs and amphibians. These species were chosen because they represent different ways of moving and different urban habitats. They therefore serve as reference groups for imagining and testing practical solutions.
The project takes several levels of movement into account:
- in the air, for bats
- in the trees, for squirrels
- in bushes and on the ground, for hedgehogs
- in and around water, for amphibians
Although URBAN focuses on these 4 groups, the actions carried out may also have positive effects on other species and support urban biodiversity more broadly.
The URBAN project also includes a citizen science approach. It involves local residents in observing urban wildlife and monitoring certain actions.
This work is made possible thanks to the support of the External siteInterreg North-West Europe programme. This programme funds cooperation projects between cities, universities, associations and other organisations across North-West Europe.
The partners combine their expertise in ecology, spatial planning, nature management, data analysis and citizen engagement. This leads to solutions that are useful to other European cities with similar challenges.
The URBAN project brings together 12 partners in 7 countries. These include cities, universities and nature conservation organisations.
The partners are:
- City of Hilversum (Lead Partner), with associated partners Goois Natuurreservaat, Instituut voor Natuureducatie en Duurzaamheid and Provincie Utrecht
- City of Rotterdam, with associated partner Gemeente Dordrecht
- City of Brussels
- City of Genk, with associated partner Provincie Limburg
- Limerick City and County Council
- Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle, with associated partners Groupe Mammalogique Breton and Rennes Métropole
- University College Dublin
- University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HEIG-VD), with associated partners Ville de Genève, Yverdon-les-Bains and Muzoo
- Natuurpunt Beheer
- Île-de-France Nature, with associated partners Atelier Médicis and La Société des Grands Projets
- Ruhr University Bochum
- City of Ettelbruck
