Partners visiting the Peynircioğlu Ecological Corridor in İzmir explored how nature-based solutions are transforming urban infrastructure into resilient, biodiverse public spaces.
The Peynircioğlu Ecological Corridor in İzmir stands as a leading example of how Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) can reshape urban environments to improve climate resilience, biodiversity, and urban liveability. Developed by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality within the EU-funded Urban GreenUP programme under Horizon 2020, the project transformed a formerly concrete-engineered stream corridor into a multifunctional green-blue urban ecosystem.
During the visit, project partners participated in a technical briefing session focusing on flood resilience strategies, ecological restoration approaches, permeable surface applications, and biodiversity-supporting interventions. Participants explored how ecological engineering solutions can complement and gradually replace conventional grey infrastructure approaches in Mediterranean urban contexts.
The site visit, which took place mid April 2026, provided first-hand insight into innovative interventions such as permeable pavements, vegetated slopes, green sidewalks, pollinator habitats, fruit walls, and ecological infiltration systems designed to improve stormwater management while enhancing public space quality and thermal comfort.
Stretching through the neighbourhoods of Mavişehir, Yalı, and Atakent, the corridor establishes ecological continuity between inland urban areas and the coastal ecosystem connected to the Gediz Delta. Its strategic location near schools, sports facilities, commercial zones, and residential areas strengthens both its environmental and social impact.
The project integrates more than 2 km of pedestrian routes and 1 km of cycling infrastructure together with extensive green infrastructure elements, including approximately 1,100 trees, 250,000 shrubs and ground-cover plants, recreational areas, fruit walls, insect hotels, and permeable landscape systems. By prioritising permeability, ecological restoration, and climate adaptation over conventional concrete-based infrastructure, the corridor contributes to biodiversity enhancement while helping reduce flood risks and urban heat island effects.
As climate-related challenges intensify across the Mediterranean region, the Peynircioğlu Ecological Corridor offers a scalable and replicable model for cities seeking sustainable responses to habitat fragmentation, extreme rainfall events, biodiversity loss, and rising urban climate vulnerabilities.
Last Update
22/05/2026
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