Velenje

The MULL in Velenje centers on a park located near the municipal building and the Velenje Gymnasium, intended for local residents – especially students and staff of the school. Within the learning process of mosaic governance, one of the expected outcomes of the project is a proposal for the future development of this park, making it more resilient to climate change and more attractive for its users. The process of analyzing the current state and identifying the park’s potential actively involves the users themselves, the students, enabling a more inclusive and participatory approach, which also represents one of the core principles and key contributions of the NATURO project.As part of the NATURO project, the goal is to propose future development strengthening the parks climate resilience and increasing its appeal, especially for students during school hours. Students and teachers have been involved in a co-creative process, from analysis to the development of NBS. Through behavioral mapping  and field observations, they’ve identified patterns of use and created manual maps. This participatory approach reflects a core principle of the NATURO project.

In October 2024, the first NATURO workshop held in Velenje took place. In addition to project partners and experts, students and teachers from the Velenje Gymnasium also took part. The workshop focused on identifying stakeholders in terms of park use, maintenance, and management, as well as exploring its potential for different user groups. The strategic framework of the NATURO project, based on the concept of mosaic governance, was presented, highlighting the connection between the organisational, tactical, and operational levels of management.The following part of the workshop involved interactive group work. Participants worked in groups using large posters to identify key actors, their roles, interests, and levels of influence in the space. The group then visited the park in front of the school, allowing international project partners to become familiar with the pilot location. After the field visit, the analysis continued by defining the main challenges and goals, and using the SWOT method to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the current use and management of the park.The workshop provided a first insight into working with stakeholders, especially students and their teachers as part of the interested public. We made the first steps towards co-learning. The final part of the workshop was dedicated to reflection and evaluation. Project partner UIRS prepared a short presentation outlining what and how different aspects can be evaluated within the mosaic governance process – from stakeholder responsiveness and engagement to the joint assessment of the space, its redesign, use, and maintenance.