Participatory tools for urban nature planning and management

Participatory Tools for Urban Nature Planning and Management is an interdisciplinary Blended Intensive Programme designed to explore how urban nature can be planned, managed, monitored, and co-created through participatory approaches, digital technologies, and stakeholder engagement.

The course brings together perspectives from urban ecology, geography, environmental sciences, landscape architecture, planning, economics, and geoinformatics to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of contemporary urban sustainability challenges.

Context

Including collaborative and multi-stakeholder initiatives for promoting urban sustainability is an emerging approach, even if the general perception is that this type of initiative slows the decision-making process. This often leads to a confusing contribution of different stakeholders in the decision-making process (e.g., scientists, planners, private companies, public companies, NGOs, and citizens).

However, public participation is a cornerstone of attending to urban sustainability, and consistent tools must be oriented constructively. As a critical component of urban green infrastructure, urban nature is considered a panacea for many societal challenges related to our cities, which is an excellent lab to experiment with ideas related to participation. 

The course aims to discuss concepts, methodologies, and best practices related to participatory tools for urban nature planning and management. This will help students to better understand the challenges of public participation in urban areas and diverse urban contexts. 

Course description

The programme combines online learning, collaborative project work, international roundtables, and a five-day physical mobility in Salzburg, Austria. Throughout the course, participants will engage with innovative participatory methods, GIS and geospatial tools, citizen science, stakeholder mapping, co-design approaches, and evaluation frameworks that support evidence-based urban nature planning and management.

Students will learn from a multidisciplinary team of academics and practitioners and will have the opportunity to collaborate in international teams, exchange experiences across diverse urban contexts, and develop practical solutions to real-world challenges. The course emphasizes experiential learning, critical thinking, intercultural collaboration, and the application of knowledge through case studies, workshops, field activities, and project-based assignments.

Course format

• Virtual Component: online modules, expert lectures, collaborative learning activities, roundtables, and group assignments.
• Physical Mobility: intensive field-based learning experience in Salzburg combining workshops, stakeholder interactions, field visits, and project development.
• Collaborative Learning: interdisciplinary and international teamwork focused on real-world urban nature challenges.

• Urban Nature and Urban Green Infrastructure: categories, multi-functions, ecosystem services, sustainability, and resilience
• Public Participation and Collaborative Planning: categories, driving, design, and management processes. 
• Participatory Tools and Methods: GIS, multicriteria assessment, network analysis, story maps, dashboards, living labs, and open labs.
• Digital Tools for Participatory Planning: geospatial technologies, visualization platforms, remote sensing, and Copernicus services.
• Co-design and Stakeholder Engagement: mapping stakeholders, citizen science, and collaborative approaches to urban nature planning.
• Monitoring and Evaluation of Participatory Practices: effectiveness, ethics, barriers, and best practices in participatory management.
• Learn from international case studies and hands-on experiences while developing skills in participatory planning, co-design, and digital tools for urban nature management.

Participants will gain practical experience in applying participatory methods and digital tools to urban nature planning, collaborate with peers and experts from different countries, engage with real stakeholders and case studies, and develop skills that are increasingly important for addressing contemporary urban sustainability challenges.

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• critically assess the role of urban nature in supporting sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities.
• understand and apply participatory approaches to urban planning and management, engaging diverse stakeholders in decision-making processes.
• use digital and participatory tools such as GIS, Story Maps, dashboards, multicriteria assessment, network analysis, and living labs to support planning and management processes.
• design and facilitate stakeholder engagement processes, including co-design, citizen science, and collaborative planning initiatives.
• evaluate the effectiveness, limitations, and ethical implications of participatory practices in different governance and planning contexts. 
• learn from international case studies and real-world experiences, identifying best practices and transferable lessons for urban nature planning and management. 
• work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams to address complex urban sustainability challenges through practical projects and field-based learning activities, using Salzburg city as a living laboratory.
• develop evidence-based solutions for urban nature planning and management by integrating scientific knowledge, stakeholder perspectives, and digital technologies.

This course involves physical mobility to Salzburg, Austria, from 28 June to 2 July 2027. The five-day intensive program is designed as an immersive learning experience that combines lectures, workshops, field visits, stakeholder interactions, and collaborative project development. Participants will have the opportunity to connect theoretical concepts with real-world challenges related to urban nature planning and management through hands-on activities and interdisciplinary teamwork.

The on-site activities will focus on exploring how participatory approaches can contribute to more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities. Students will work in international and multidisciplinary teams to analyse urban nature interventions, test participatory and digital tools, and develop practical solutions for current urban challenges. Particular emphasis will be placed on learning from experiences, exchanging perspectives, and understanding how different governance arrangements shape urban nature planning and management practices.

The programme includes:

• interactive workshops linking concepts of urban nature, public participation, governance, and sustainability to practical planning challenges;
• collaborative development of small-scale projects using participatory methods, GIS-based applications, and digital engagement tools;
• hands-on experimentation with Story Maps, dashboards, multicriteria assessment techniques, stakeholder mapping, and other tools supporting participatory decision-making;
• meetings and discussions with representatives of local governments, NGOs, planners, researchers, private-sector actors, and community groups involved in urban nature initiatives;
• field visits to parks, green infrastructure projects, restoration initiatives, and public spaces to assess how participation influences planning outcomes and the delivery of ecosystem services;
• critical reflection on successful and less successful examples of participatory planning, identifying barriers, opportunities, and transferable lessons for different urban contexts;
• exchange of experiences through international case studies, allowing participants to compare approaches from different cities and learn from innovative practices in urban nature planning and management;
• co-design sessions dedicated to developing recommendations for more inclusive, evidence-based, and stakeholder-oriented urban nature governance.

The physical mobility component aims to create a collaborative learning environment where students can strengthen their technical, analytical, and interpersonal skills while engaging directly with real-world examples of participatory urban nature planning and management.

The virtual component of the BIP is designed to provide participants with a strong conceptual, methodological, and practical foundation in participatory urban nature planning and management. Through a combination of online lectures, discussions, collaborative activities, and independent learning, students will engage with key theories, tools, and real-world experiences before applying them during the physical mobility in Salzburg. 

The virtual phase combines contributions from experts in urban ecology, geography, planning, GIS, environmental sciences, and landscape architecture, creating an interdisciplinary learning environment.

1. Urban Nature: an Open Lab for participatory practices in urban areas

The first module introduces urban nature as a fundamental component of urban green infrastructure and explores its role in supporting sustainability, resilience, and human well-being. Students will investigate different forms of urban nature, analyse their interactions with urban infrastructure, and examine the ecosystem services and disservices generated in cities. Special attention will be given to understanding how citizens and stakeholders perceive and use urban nature, as well as how participatory approaches can support planning and management decisions. Through international examples and comparative discussions, participants will reflect on the opportunities and challenges of integrating diverse perspectives into urban nature governance.

2. Participation in urban sustainability

This module focuses on the principles and practice of public participation in sustainability transitions. Students will explore collaborative planning approaches, forms of participation in planning and environmental decision-making, and the regulatory frameworks that shape public involvement. The course discusses who participates, when participation occurs during planning processes, and how different participatory mechanisms can influence outcomes. Drawing on experiences from different countries and sectors, including territorial planning, environmental impact assessment, and water management, participants will critically evaluate the benefits, limitations, and challenges of participation in contemporary urban governance.

3. GIS as a supporting tool for participatory management of urban nature

The third module introduces geographic information systems and digital tools that facilitate stakeholder engagement and evidence-based decision-making. Students will become familiar with the use of geospatial technologies for collecting, analysing, visualising, and communicating information related to urban nature. Practical examples will include participatory GIS applications, green cadastres, online engagement platforms, story maps, dashboards, and the integration of Earth observation products and Copernicus services. The module emphasizes how digital tools can support transparency, collaboration, and informed participation throughout the planning process.

4. Open Labs for capturing stakeholder ideas in urban planning

This module explores co-design and co-creation approaches as mechanisms for involving stakeholders in urban nature planning and management. Students will learn how to identify and map stakeholders, facilitate dialogue among diverse groups, and design participatory processes that foster inclusiveness and innovation. Particular attention will be devoted to Living Labs, Open Labs, citizen science initiatives, and other collaborative methodologies that bring together citizens, planners, researchers, and decision-makers. Through practical exercises and case studies, participants will examine how stakeholder knowledge can be integrated into planning processes and contribute to better urban outcomes.

5. Planning, design and decision support platforms for urban nature

This module focuses on the integration of urban planning, landscape architecture, and digital decision-support tools in shaping sustainable urban environments. Students will explore how planners, landscape architects, public authorities, and communities collaborate to design urban spaces that respond to environmental, social, and governance challenges. Particular attention will be given to the role of digital platforms in supporting evidence-based planning, stakeholder engagement, scenario development, and transparent decision-making processes. Building on experiences from cities around the world, participants will learn how urban nature can be embedded into planning and design practices through innovative governance approaches and collaborative tools.

6. Monitoring and evaluation of participatory practices

The final module addresses the assessment of participatory processes and their contribution to urban nature planning and management. Students will explore criteria, indicators, and methods used to evaluate participation, including effectiveness, efficiency, inclusiveness, ethics, and long-term impacts. The course examines common barriers and challenges encountered in participatory initiatives and discusses strategies for improving their performance. By analysing international best practices and lessons learned from real-world experiences, participants will develop the capacity to critically assess participatory initiatives and formulate recommendations for strengthening stakeholder engagement in urban sustainability projects.

In addition to the six thematic modules, participants will engage in online roundtables, collaborative discussions, and interdisciplinary exchanges designed to connect the different topics, compare experiences from diverse urban contexts, and prepare students for the hands-on activities that will take place during the physical mobility in Salzburg.

The evaluation of the course considers four main components:

1. Virtual learning engagement (30%). This component evaluates students' participation and preparation throughout the online phase.

• participation in online sessions and roundtables. It includes active contribution to discussions, quality of questions and comments, ability to connect concepts across modules, and engagement with peers from different disciplines and countries.
• reflection notes. After each virtual module, students submit a short reflection (approximately 300-500 words) discussing key lessons learned, relevance to their city or field of study, and critical reflections on opportunities and challenges. This would create a portfolio of six short reflections linked to Courses 1-6.

2. Collaborative homework and learning portfolio (30%). Students work in small international groups during the virtual phase.

• group assignment. Development of a mini case study focused on an urban nature challenge. Each team should identify a real urban nature issue, analyse stakeholders, propose participatory approaches, apply at least one digital or participatory tool, and discuss lessons learned from international experiences. The possible outcomes could be Story Map, Dashboard, Interactive GIS application, stakeholder mapping exercise, or a participatory strategy report.
• learning portfolio. Include answers to different questions related to the course content (homework).

3. Physical mobility participation (20%). Assessment during the Salzburg intensive week include effective participation in the workshops and exercises, contribution to working group, stakeholder interactions, fieldwork activities, professional engagement and collaboration.

4. Salzburg challenge project (20%). During the intensive week, international teams develop a practical solution to an urban nature planning challenge identified during field visits and stakeholder meetings. Deliverables: short presentation (10 minutes), a visual product (poster, dashboard, Story Map, GIS output, planning concept) and a policy or planning recommendations. Assessment criteria includes the problem understanding, application of participatory concepts, use of digital tools, innovation and feasibility, communication and teamwork.

This system evaluates knowledge acquisition (reflections and discussions), practical skills (GIS, participatory tools, stakeholder mapping), international collaboration (group assignments), active engagement (virtual and physical participation), real-world problem solving (Salzburg challenge project), and critical thinking and learning transfer (portfolio and reflections).

Motivation Letter

Level of english (According to CEFR)

CV

Applications will be evaluated through a holistic assessment process that considers the applicant's motivation, relevant experience, potential contribution to the learning environment, and alignment with the course objectives.

Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate:

• a strong motivation to participate and a clear connection between their academic or professional interests and the course themes, learning activities, and expected outcomes;
• previous experience, academic background, research interests, or practical involvement in topics related to urban nature, sustainability, urban planning, environmental governance, participatory approaches, citizen science, or digital tools;
• a genuine interest in interdisciplinary collaboration and the ability to engage with diverse perspectives, disciplines, and stakeholder groups;
• the capacity to contribute to an inclusive, international, and collaborative learning environment;
• proficiency in English at a minimum B2 level, enabling active participation in discussions, teamwork, and project activities;
• openness to collaborative learning, critical reflection, and innovative problem-solving approaches.

In addition, the selection process will seek to ensure a balanced representation in terms of:

• gender and diversity;
• disciplinary backgrounds;
• geographical regions and urban contexts;
• participating universities and CIVIS member institutions.

To foster peer learning and interdisciplinary exchange, particular attention will be given to achieving a balanced cohort comprising Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD students with complementary experiences and perspectives.

Professor Cristian Ioja - University of Bucharest, Urban Ecology, Course Coordinator. Expert in urban ecology, urban nature planning, and stakeholder engagement, with extensive experience in European research and education projects focused on sustainable and resilient cities.

Professor Stefan Lang - Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Geoinformatics and Earth Observation. Specialist in geospatial technologies, Earth observation, and spatial analysis, promoting innovative applications of GIS and remote sensing for environmental planning and decision-making.

Professor Céline Rozenblat - University of Lausanne. Internationally recognized researcher in urban systems and network analysis, focusing on the dynamics of cities, spatial interactions, and urban complexity.

Professor Alessandra Battisti - Sapienza University of Rome, Landscape Architecture. Expert in landscape architecture and urban design, exploring nature-based solutions and innovative approaches for sustainable urban development.

Professor Yazidhi Bamutaze - Makerere University, Climate Change Specialist. Researcher in climate change adaptation, environmental management, and sustainable development, with a particular focus on resilience in rapidly changing landscapes.

Professor Abdellah El Boussadi - Hassan II University of Casablanca, Economics. Specialist in environmental and urban economics, examining the socioeconomic dimensions of sustainability, governance, and territorial development.

Dr. Cătălina Dobre - Université Libre de Bruxelles, Landscape Architecture. Landscape architect with expertise in participatory design, public spaces, and the integration of ecological principles into urban environments.

Professor Mihai Niță - University of Bucharest, Environmental Science. Researcher in urban sustainability, ecosystem services, and environmental governance, focusing on the role of urban nature in improving quality of life.

Professor Maria del Mar Alonso Almeida - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Geography. Expert in human-environment interactions and sustainable territorial development, with particular interest in urban and regional transformations.

Professor Fernando Borrajo Millán - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Geography. Researches urban dynamics, territorial planning, and spatial analysis, contributing to understanding how cities adapt to social and environmental challenges.

Professor Carmen Hidalgo Giralt - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Geography. Specialist in cultural and urban geography, exploring the relationships between people, places, and urban identities.

Professor Diego Antonio Barrado Timón - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Geography. Expert in urban and regional development, with extensive experience in planning, governance, and sustainable management of urban territories.

Associate Professor Diana Onose - University of Bucharest, GIS. Expert in geographic information systems and spatial data analysis, supporting evidence-based planning through advanced geospatial technologies.

Associate Professor Andreea Niță - University of Bucharest, Environmental Impact Assessment. Specialist in environmental assessment and decision-making processes, working on the integration of environmental considerations into planning and policy.

Associate Professor Alexandru Athanasios Gavrilidis - University of Bucharest, Green Infrastructure. Researcher focusing on green infrastructure, ecosystem services, and spatial planning approaches that enhance urban resilience and biodiversity.

Associate Professor Angela Hof - Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, GIS. Specialist in spatial analysis and urban sustainability, applying GIS methods to understand environmental and social processes in cities.

Dr. Sabine Hennig - Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Citizen Science. Researcher and practitioner of citizen science, participatory mapping, and stakeholder engagement, with extensive experience in collaborative knowledge production.

Maximilian Grund - Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, GIS. Geospatial analyst working with innovative GIS applications, spatial visualization tools, and participatory mapping techniques.

Dr. Giuseppe Faldi - Université Libre de Bruxelles, Landscape Architecture. Landscape architect focusing on sustainable urban design, green infrastructure, and the integration of ecological and social dimensions into planning.

Dr. Andrea Aragone - Université Libre de Bruxelles, Landscape Architecture. Researcher in landscape architecture and urban design, exploring creative and participatory approaches to shaping healthier and more inclusive urban spaces.