Urban ecosystems and their rural counterparts face mounting challenges from urbanization, ecological loss, and climate change. These issues threaten biodiversity, human well-being, and natural habitats. Despite these challenges, the interconnectedness of rural and urban areas presents opportunities for collaborative development – not least through the implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS).

A Cities Talk Nature Global Engagement Event was organized as part of the INTERLACE project in Envigado, Colombia and streamed online on 23 and 24 November 2023 to explore these topics in more depth. Entitled 'Rethinking urban-rural linkages for people and biodiversity', the conference convened over 100 municipal actors and practitioners from Europe and Latin America interested in harnessing the potential of NbS in their cities and regions. Co-organised by UCLG, Humboldt Institute Colombia and Ecologic Institute, the event featured diverse formats, including field visits, practical workshops, and peer-to-peer discussions.

McKenna Davis, coordinator of the INTERLACE project, opened the event by highlighting the significance of cross-regional collaboration and sharing successful project implementation examples. She spotlighted Envigado's integral approach to fostering urban-rural linkages through its local protected areas system and showcased successful citizen engagement practices across the project’s partner cities.

Natalia Burgos, a member of the INTERLACE team, moderated a panel on urban-rural linkages. The panelists included Mr. Agustin Guitierres, Head of Environment and Biodiversity from Envigado; Paola Andrea Morales Ramírez, who leads the working group on environmental planning at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute Colombia; and David Barton, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. The insightful discussion delved into crucial aspects of fostering urban-rural linkages, covering topics such as urban and land use management strategies, the importance of policy coherence, and financing strategies, including potential alliances with the private sector.

The two-day conference was one of a series of events organized under the INTERLACE CitiesTalkNature thread. CitiesTalkNature is a community of practice dedicated to restoring degraded ecosystems in municipalities in Latin America, Europe and other parts of the world. Together we explore the multiple advantages of restorative nature-based solutions, such as benefits for the environment, biodiversity, social cohesion and the local economy, thus building resilience in our towns and cities. There are several ways to become involved with CitiesTalkNature, such as signing our engagement letter (for municipalities), joining webinars, or participating in our events. Find out more here, or write an e-mail to proyectointerlace@ungl.or.cr.