The next city selected was San Mateo del Mar in Oaxaca, this location has multiple current and future challenges regarding the climate crisis, its location and geographical conditions make it a city highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Together with the Municipal Government of San Mateo del Mar, we were able to work closely with the Ikoots community, the Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI) and the Indigenous Women's House (CAMI). The implementation site was the Espinal Sports Field, with a shaded and revegetation space, and in the CAMI with a support space to preserve and promote the community's ancestral knowledge.

The results were:

Environmental connectivity device - demonstration project.

• Cultivation bed 2.5 m long, 1.25 m wide and 0.50 m deep, for the cultivation of medicinal plants for community use.
• Revegetation of 289 m2 with various tropical species selected for their ability to tolerate soil salinity and drought conditions in the El Espinal Sports Field.
• Implementation of a 6 m long, 4.2 m wide, and 4.4 m high space at the El Espinal Sports Field, using traditional and local techniques and materials.

Mural and floor painting

• 228 m2 of mural painting
• 200 m2 of floor painting in a sports field.

Community workshops:

• 4 workshops and participatory outreach activities delivered to 41 participants.
• 4 workshops and participatory activities on Integrated Risk and Disaster Management (IRDM) for 58 people.

Workshops for civil servants:

• 1 theoretical (virtual) course on technical strengthening for the diagnosis and management of urban trees.

Tijuana, Baja California, was the second city to implement the initiative. For this edition, we worked together with the Metropolitan Planning Institute of Tijuana (IMPLAN), determining as the implementation site the Third Stage of the Tijuana River, this area presented difficulties of accessibility for pedestrians, lack of shaded areas and green areas.

The results were:

Environmental connectivity device - demonstration project.

• 32m2 revegetation space with native species, accompanied by substrates and mulching to promote infiltration of rainwater to the subsoil and reduce the effects of heat islands.
• 2 hotels for pollinators
• 4 elements of urban furniture printed in 3D technology by Holcim (four benches donated thanks to a collaboration with the private sector).

Mural and floor painting

• 200m2 of mural painting
• 200m2 of floor painting which consisted of games for children.

Community workshops:

• 2 workshops and participatory outreach activities delivered to 20 participants.
• 6 workshops and participatory activities on Integrated Risk and Disaster Management (IRDM) for 46 people.

Workshops for civil servants:

1 practical workshop (face-to-face) and theoretical course (virtual) on technical strengthening for the diagnosis and management of urban trees.

The first edition of the project took place in Boca del Río, Veracruz, where the logistics and execution of the activities at the selected implementation site were worked out in conjunction with the municipality's City Hall.

The Parque Lineal Dren B, due to its needs related to construction characteristics, dynamism of activities and proximity to school equipment, represented an ideal site. It is composed mostly by a long pavement slab and few tree species that provide shade, when combining these characteristics with the climatic conditions of the area, it potentiates the heat island effect, making its habitability complicated during daylight hours with sunlight due to the high temperatures reached; and due to the high rainfall, accumulation of urban solid waste in the sewage system and high ground surface sealed with pavement, there are usually areas with flooding, promoting the generation of bad odors and affecting the inhabitants of the area.

The solutions for this edition of the project were oriented to generate a water infiltration garden, greater shade spaces and the construction of play options for children, accompanied by color interventions throughout the park.

The results were:

Environmental connectivity device - demonstration project.

• 25m2 infiltrative garden
• Unstructured playground of 42.31m2
• 2 interventions in urban furniture elements, pergolas on two benches (2.16m2 and 1.45m high).
• Installation of informative and environmental education screens on Arroyo Moreno (in collaboration with Ecopil) along the Dren B Linear Park.

Painting of murals and floor:

• 202.24m2 of mural painting.
• 170m2 of floor painting.

Community workshops:

• 6 outreach and dissemination activities.
• 4 workshops and participatory outreach activities with 36 participants.
• 6 workshops and participatory activities on Integrated Risk and Disaster Management (IRDM) for 45 people.

Workshops for civil servants:

1 practical workshop (face-to-face) and theoretical course (virtual) on technical strengthening for the diagnosis and management of urban trees.

Reforestation in an elementary school in the Metropolitan Zone of Veracruz and a practical workshop on urban reforestation for students and teachers.

• Twenty-eight students actively participated.
• The impact of these interventions extends to the entire student community, equivalent to 540 students and 26 teachers.
• A total of 25 species were reforested, including majestic trees, medium-sized trees, shrubs and aromatic plants.
• Impact area of 4,248m2

Since 2019, the Fisherwomen and Fishermen Network has promoted effective and collaborative participation in both thematic groups and the core group, ensuring the sharing of knowledge and responsibilities. This participatory, transparent and effective approach has been fundamental to the cohesive functioning of the Network.

Since its inception, each member has actively participated in one or more of the network's activities, fostering the transfer of leadership within the network.

During these years, its members have led various initiatives, such as the development of work plans, organization of trainings, photographic exhibitions and conversations on digital platforms on topics such as gender, fishery management tools and community photography. In addition, they have supported the review of documents and materials relevant to the fishing sector. These activities have been possible thanks to the commitment and collaboration among the members of the different thematic groups, who have designated representatives (men and women of different ages) to form the core group. The representatives play a crucial role in sharing information, objectives and needs of their respective groups, communities and the fisheries sector in general.

In summary, the Network has established a participatory and transparent dynamic that has facilitated the success of its initiatives and strengthened collaboration among its members over time.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fishermen and Fisherwomen's Network was created as a space for collective action with the intention of ensuring a space for participation, organization and representation of the fishing sector. Since its formation, the Network has sought to ensure the representation of the sector by bringing together diverse actors, both individuals and community organizations and groups. Each member voluntarily participates in thematic groups focused on areas such as monitoring of fishery resources and environmental conditions (community monitoring and oceanographic monitoring group), improvement of fishing practices (fisheries group), inclusion of youth and promotion of gender equity in fisheries (youth and gender group), and valorization of the sector through (community photography group).

Each thematic group develops work plans aligned with the Network's mission and values. So far, these groups have played a crucial role in raising the visibility and recognition of the fishing sector, actively participating in national and international meetings to disseminate its values and promote actions in favor of sustainable fishing. In order to join a thematic group, interested persons must fill out a form, which will be evaluated by the core group for integration.

The local residents who were previously excluded from the various cultural tourism activities and festivals centering on the World Heritage property started to independently host village activities and built up their capacities for delivering and managing events. 

The initial residents group started to participate in the operations of the Suwon Heritage Night Walks in 2017 as traffic control staff. As the number of festivals that were hosted to celebrate Suwon Hwaseong as World Heritage increased, such as the Hwaseong by Night, World Heritage Festival, and Media Art Shows, the number of jobs available for the residents also increased. 

The Haenggung Village Cooperative Association was established on 31 May 2021 and it consists of 46 members. The main line of work is creating content and activities for visitors. 
The association is composed of 4 sub-groups each named “jigi”, which in the Korean language means friends: 

• Haenggungjigi, who focuses on providing event support, information, sanitation and the operation of activities; 
• Donghaengjigi, a group that creates the content and stories of the village tours; 
• Surajigi that promotes and shares research and education on food; 
• Cheongnyeonjigi, the group that monitors and conducts evaluations of activities. 

Dissemination and communication of the interventions took place through local press conferences organized by Colectivo Tomate as implementing partner, together with local governments, COMEX, GIZ and other strategic allies.

In addition, microsites were created on Google Sites that serve as hubs of accessible and updated information on the project. These microsites provide details of the interventions, methodologies employed, results obtained and next steps. They also offer educational resources such as guides and tools relevant to urban tree management and reforestation.

Beyond facilitating access to hard-to-reach locations, sailboats also provide useful modes of transport for deploying scientific instrumentation. The boats can carry scientific equipment, both for deployment in the ocean, but also for continual measurement by sensors that are permanently onboard. The race boats’ speed means that data from different locations can be captured across short timespans, something which is not achievable by most research vessels. Yachts can also be used to pilot and test new research technology and techniques, such as technology that allows results to be shared in real-time, and the OceanPack – a device which records essential ocean data from aboard the yachts. 

In a racing context, carrying devices that take meteorological measurements is not only beneficial for science partners, but also for the race participants themselves, as it helps to inform and improve weather forecasts that will impact their own decision-making and performances throughout the race. 

Using racing yachts for data collection paves the way for the installation and deployment of measuring devices on other vessels such as fishing or commercial boats, as well as other sailing boats. 

Building Block 5 focuses on the provision of various bamboo trainings by Forests4Future to support different aspects of the bamboo value chain in their intervention zone. These trainings are essential as enabling factors for the success and sustainability of the bamboo-related activities undertaken by the project. Forests4Future provides both financial and technical assistance in organizing and implementing these trainings. Since the start of the project, Forests4Future has conducted multiple bamboo trainings tailored to specific needs, for example:

1. Bamboo propagation: Trainings on bamboo propagation are provided to tree nurseries to ensure the successful propagation of bamboo seedlings for plantation establishment.
2. Bamboo plantation/stand management and harvesting: These trainings cover various aspects of bamboo plantation management, including planting techniques, maintenance practices, pest and disease management, and sustainable harvesting methods.
3. Bamboo preservation treatment: This training is essential for bamboo processing units to learn proper techniques for treating bamboo with chemical, hot water and cold water treatments and harvesting time consideration to reduce insect susceptibility of bamboo culm.           
   (...)       

By offering these diverse trainings, Forests4Future aims to build the capacity and skills of local stakeholders involved in the bamboo value chain. This contributes to improved productivity, product quality, and overall sustainability of bamboo-related activities. Moreover, these trainings empower local communities to actively participate in and benefit from the economic and environmental benefits of bamboo.

Forests4Future's Building Block 2 focuses on supporting communities to establish bamboo plantations in degraded communal land and erosion gullies. The seedlings for the plantations are sourced from local nurseries, as detailed in Building Block 1. As the bamboo reaches a certain growth stage, it can be harvested and sold to local bamboo processing units (PU), which then transform the raw material into valuable products, as discussed in Building Block 4. This approach not only promotes sustainable income generation for the community but also contributes to the restoration of degraded land. Bamboo's soil-protecting capacity plays a crucial role in long-term restoration efforts, particularly in areas vulnerable to erosion or already highly degraded like the Lake Abaya and Chamo catchment areas. Erosion and sedimentation pose significant threats to local farmers and fishers, making the restoration efforts with bamboo essential for protecting soils and ensuring future income opportunities for the communities.