BRERA - Wellbeing, Restoration, Resilience, and Adaptation

BRERA represents a transformative urban forestry initiative in Soria, that aligns policy innovation, governance, and planning to create a more resilient city. This project, a collaboration between the Soria City Council, the Natural Heritage Foundation of Castilla y León, and Cesefor, is supported by the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the EU's NextGenerationEU funds under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. As a cornerstone of Soria's 2030 Carbon Neutrality Roadmap, BRERA redefines urban planning by integrating green infrastructure to increase biodiversity, enhance resilience to climate change, and foster community well-being. Through the restoration and creation of over 230,000 m² of green spaces, BRERA incorporates 68,000 new plantings, including 7,593 trees, contributing to an annual carbon absorption of 25 tCO2eq. The project’s holistic approach includes rehabilitating degraded urban areas, creating habitats for pollinators and other species, and implementing green corridors that connect diverse ecosystems. With 20 targeted actions, such as urban ecological corridors, ecological gardens, and reforestation of peri-urban areas, BRERA exemplifies scalable and replicable solutions for integrated urban forest management. BRERA also establishes a governance model that ensures community engagement throughout its lifecycle, promoting stewardship, accessibility, and inclusivity. Its achievements demonstrate how urban forestry can address climate challenges, improve public health, and bridge policy with practice to create sustainable urban environments. This contribution will provide insights into BRERA’s innovative governance mechanisms, its alignment with Soria’s strategic urban planning policies, and its measurable impact on resilience and biodiversity. The presentation will share methodologies, results, and lessons learned, highlighting BRERA as a replicable model for cities aiming to integrate urban forestry into sustainable development strategies.