EVENTS
Madeira Innovation Talks - Madeira, Portugal
On November 3rd, the "Madeira Innovation Talks" event took place on the island of Madeira, organized by the Order of Engineers. At the invitation of the organizing committee, the Project Coordinator, Cristina Matos Silva, was in attendance and delivered a presentation entitled: "The Need to Incorporate Nature into the Surroundings of Buildings." The lecture aimed to address crucial questions, including: Why do we need green roofs and facades in cities? Where should we install them and how? How should they be constructed? How do they contribute to more sustainable and resilient cities? How do they help combat climate change? And how do they contribute to the necessary circular economy?
X NATIONAL CONGRESS OF CARTOGRAPHY AND GEODESY
On November 2nd and 3rd, the tenth edition of the National Congress of Cartography and Geodesy took place at the Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, under the theme "Geospatial Information for Sustainable Development Goals." The GRAVITY project was represented with an oral presentation led by Joana Pernes, the theme of which was: The use of Sentinel-2 images in green cover mapping and monitoring: The Case Study of Lisbon. This conference theme aligns well with the sustainability objectives of GRAVITY, and the objectives of Task 2 within the GRAVITY project, making the project a suitable fit for this conference and its overarching theme.
International Green Roof Conference - Maia, Portugal
On October 26th, the GRAVITY project coordinator, Cristina Matos Silva, delivered an oral presentation at the International Green Roof Conference in Maia. The presentation was titled "Contribution of Green Roofs and Facades to Biodiversity."
''ON SITE'' MEETING
On the 25th of July occurred an on-site meeting of GRAVITY's project. During this gathering, team members came together to brainstorm ideas, chart the course of action, and discuss upcoming events. Notably, the research efforts of each team member were prominently highlighted, underlining the collective dedication and expertise that will drive the project's success.
World Infrastructure Congress
During the World Infrastructure Congress held in Berlin from June 27 to 29, 2023, the coordinator of the GRAVITY Project, Cristina Matos Silva, made a significant presence. At the congress, GRAVITY was showcased through a captivating roll-up flyer, highlighting the project's innovative approach to green infrastructure and urban biodiversity. Moreover, a notable lecture titled "Green walls for grey water treatment: contributions to the circular economy" was delivered by Ana Galvão and Cristina Matos Silva herself, emphasizing the project's contributions to sustainable water management. As stated by the congress organisation: ''With almost 1,100 participants on site and on screens the World Infrastructure Congress was the world's largest congress on green roofs, green facades and interior greening to date!''. For more detailed information about the congress, please visit the following website: World Green Infrastructure Congress 2023.
Bioblitz for Gulbenkian's Colaborators
On the 19th of June, Patricia Tiago and Ana Leal, members of the GRAVITY team, organized a highly informative workshop for the collaborators of Gulbenkian. This engaging event provided an opportunity for the participants to delve into the key concepts and practical applications of urban biodiversity and green infrastructure. Through interactive sessions and hands-on activities, Patricia and Ana shared their expertise and insights, fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of integrating nature into urban environments.
Bioblitz for Gulbenkian's Colaborators
On the 29th of May, Patricia Tiago and Ana Leal, members of the GRAVITY team, organized a captivating Bioblitz event for the collaborators of Gulbenkian. This exciting initiative brought together participants to explore and document the biodiversity within the Gulbenkian premises. Guided by the expertise of Patricia and Ana, the event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of urban biodiversity and engage the Gulbenkian community in citizen science activities.
GRAVITY at the primary school ''Vasco da Gama''
On the 25th of May, the coordinator of the GRAVITY project delivered a lecture at the primary school "Vasco da Gama" to present the project and encourage children and families to engage in citizen science. The lecture highlighted the importance of biodiversity and the role of green roofs and walls in urban environments, while emphasizing the value of active participation in data collection and environmental awareness. By involving young scientists and their families in citizen science initiatives, the GRAVITY project aims to foster a sense of responsibility and contribute to a sustainable future.
Biodiversity day at ETAR Alcântara
The GRAVITY team recently conducted a field trip to the ETAR de Alcantara, a green roof, on a special day - The Biodiversity Day (22nd of May). The team collected valuable data to map and monitor the biodiversity present in this urban green space.
The findings from this field trip will contribute to understanding the impact of green roofs on biodiversity and inspire further initiatives in urban planning and environmental conservation.
Contribuição de Coberturas e Fachadas Verdes para a Cidade de Lisboa'' at Tektónika
On May 5th, Professor Cristina Matos, coordinator of the Gravity project, presented a talk titled "Contribution of Green Roofs and Walls to Biodiversity in Lisbon City".
The talk explored how green roofs can be used to create more resilient cities with greater biodiversity, making it an unique opportunity to learn about the role of green roofs in creating more sustainable and resilient cities.
Bioblitz at Gulbenkian
On the 22nd of April occurred the Bioblitz at the gardens of Gulbenkian. This event, also known as the Biodiversity Marathon, is an activity in which the goal is to identify as many living organisms as possible in a certain area within a specific period of time. As an important location for the passage and residence of many species, the Gulbenkian Garden is well suited for this type of activity, which makes any participant an active element in the process of monitoring species.
''Jornadas de Engenharia do Ambiente do Instituto Superior de Agronomia de Lisboa''
In March 2023, at the "Jornadas de Engenharia do Ambiente do Instituto Superior de Agronomia de Lisboa", researcher Patrícia Tiago presented on the topic of citizen science and BioDiversity4All as a national biodiversity observatory. During the presentation, she focused on the Gravity project and its significance in comprehending the contribution of green roofs and walls to urban biodiversity conservation as one of the members of the project.
LAUNCHING WORKSHOP
On the 16th of March occurred the launching workshop at CIUL. In this workshop lectures about ''how and why to increase knowledge about the contribution of green roofs/facades to the biodiversity of cities'', ''how to identify green roofs in the city'' and ''how to use citizen science and the BioDiversity4All platform for species registration'' were given.At the end of the event, the team promoted a debate with the participants of this workshop.
KICKOFF MEETING
On the 2nd of March occurred the kickoff meeting of the GRAVITY project. Ideas, course of action along with next events were debated. All the members of the team were excited to start working on GRAVITY and looking forward to the following steps of the project.
BIOBLITZS - 16th and 17th September
On the 16th and 17th of September, the GRAVITY team hosted a remarkable series of BioBlitz events in Lisbon, Portugal. These BioBlitzs, specifically conducted on green roofs, took place in two distinct areas: the first day's event unfolded within the surroundings of ''Parque das Nações,'' and the following day's focus shifted to the vibrant locales of ''Benfica/Telheiras.'' BioBlitzes are events designed to promote citizen science, and participants were enthusiastic about documenting the rich biodiversity of these urban landscapes, with a particular emphasis on birds, insects, and plants thriving on these green roofs. The data collected during these BioBlitzes was promptly shared on the 'biodiversity4all' platform, contributing valuable information to the broader scientific community. These events served as a powerful platform for encouraging active participation and environmental stewardship among the local community, fostering a deeper connection between people and their natural surroundings while advancing our understanding of biodiversity within urban green roofs. Moreover, these events were mentioned in the website of the ''Ecology Day'' as a part of the celebrations of this special day promoted by the Portuguese Society of Ecology.