Green the City has created a real buzz about bringing nature to Swansea’s urban spaces through a series of talks, events, and workshops. It also celebrated those already making a difference and aimed to build skills locally to make Swansea a greener place to live.
By looking at green infrastructure such as living walls, rain gardens, sustainable drainage, and urban tree planting, the project has explored practical solutions to improve Swansea’s environment, support people’s wellbeing and make the city more prepared for the future effects of climate change.
Why is Green the City important?
We want to create happier, healthier urban spaces by integrating nature into the built environment. The project worked with residents, businesses, and contractors to showcase how practical green solutions can reduce flood risks, improve air quality, and enhance biodiversity. It also demonstrated how greening efforts can reduce energy costs, create attractive spaces for communities to enjoy, and spaces for nature to thrive.
The project was led by us at Urban Foundry and supported by key partners Pobl, Swansea Community Farm, Swansea Council and Natural Resources Wales. It was funded by the UK Government via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The impact so far
The project’s reach has been impressive, with 16 workshops, 88 hours of activity, and 227 attendees participating in the events overall. The scale of engagement reflects how much appetite there is for green solutions and sustainable urban development in Swansea.
Local businesses have embraced the workshops on green solutions, with contractors now looking at delivering services such as green wall and green roof installations and maintenance services.
The project has encouraged collaboration across sectors. The training provided has enabled builders, landscapers, and architects to incorporate sustainable methods into their designs. This will help Swansea be better prepared to adapt to climate change challenges like extreme heat and heavy rainfall.
The success of the Greening Swansea Festival
The one-day Greening Swansea Festival on 18 March was a highlight, bringing together industry experts, local champions, and businesses to celebrate the project’s achievements and what Swansea already has to offer. Attendees heard from international specialists like Gary Grant, Dusty Gedge, Chris Bridgeman, Bob Bray and Jason Williams (aka the Cloud Gardener). They took part in a discussion breakfast, nature-based solutions walks and even a visit to the Biophilic Living Building in the heart of Swansea.
The whole project has sparked conversations and ideas for what Swansea’s future could look like. Local businesses left with practical insights on adding greening elements to their spaces, while residents were inspired to improve their homes and communities.
Looking ahead
Green the City has shown that small, localised interventions can lead to big changes.
Fran Rolfe, Natural Resources Wales:
“By working together, we’re creating a greener, healthier Swansea by designing urban spaces that naturally manage water – reducing flooding, improving water quality, and supporting ecosystems – so people and nature can thrive together.”
Cllr Andrew Stevens, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure:
“This project isn’t just about improving our environment – it’s also creating economic opportunities. Businesses are learning new skills, suppliers are exploring sustainable solutions, and local contractors are seeing the value of green infrastructure.”
Kate McCabe, Urban Foundry:
“Green the City training has identified new business opportunities for local companies; landscape gardeners are expanding what they can offer with green roofs and rain gardens, estates teams from Beacon Cymru are planning on adding green roofs to bin stores on their estates, architects are adding biosolar as an option for their clients and a local fireman is utilising his experience in working at height in the green infrastructure industry across the UK. And local residents are also talking about how they can add greening at home, from adding greenery to flat roofs to balcony gardening in a small space.”
For more information, visit Green the City at www.greenthecity.co.uk where you can also sign up to the new monthly networking event starting in April ‘Green Up Swansea!’.
Funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
