Odesa pilot area
Ukraine, Odessa region, Molodizhne, Dukova str. 2
About the Pilot Area
The Odesa pilot site is located within the territory of Odessa State Agrarian University’s sports and recreational camp, covering an area of approximately 1 hectare situated at the main entrance of the facility. This zone comprises the entrance area and an adjoining space.
Following the field verification carried out under Activity 1.1 of the MoreAdaptBSB project, using the jointly developed remote-sensing based methodology and field verification, this site was identified among the areas most vulnerable to climate change impacts within the Odessa region, warranting targeted intervention to improve its adaptive capacity.
As one of the four pilot sites within the project, the Odessa location has been selected for the pilot implementation of nature-based restoration measures under Activity 1.2. The planned interventions aim to transform the existing green and entrance areas into a more resilient, aesthetically improved and citizen-friendly space, in line with the New European Bauhaus approach combining sustainability, functionality and inclusiveness.
Environmental & Climate Challenges
Field verification carried out under Activity 1.1 identified the pilot area as one of high vulnerability to climate change impacts, based on assessment across three key dimensions:
Exposure was found to be strongly pronounced, reflecting the combined effect of deteriorated infrastructure, recurring drought conditions, declining groundwater availability, and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events affecting the site.
Sensitivity was also assessed as high, evidenced by active erosion processes, soil compaction, and visible damage to path and access infrastructure within the area.
Adaptive capacity was identified as particularly low, mainly due to an insufficient presence of vegetated buffer strips capable of mitigating environmental pressures, as well as the absence of a dedicated climate change adaptation management plan for the site.
Taken together, these findings confirm the area’s classification as a priority zone for intervention, supporting the case for nature-based restoration measures under Activity 1.2.
Relevance to MoreAdaptBSB
The pilot area is directly relevant to the objectives of MoreAdaptBSB as it exemplifies the type of vulnerable urban green space the project seeks to identify, restore, and transform into a resilient, adaptive landscape. By addressing this site’s specific challenges — including erosion, soil compaction, damaged infrastructure, and insufficient vegetated buffers — the project can demonstrate a practical, replicable model of nature-based restoration that responds to real, locally verified needs rather than a generic approach.
Restoration Actions
The restoration approach for the Odessa pilot site focuses on low-impact, nature-based landscaping measures in line with the project’s emphasis on cost-effective, sustainable interventions.
Planned actions include the creation of a phytotherapy garden, featuring medicinal and aromatic plants that contribute both to biodiversity enhancement, protection of territories and to the recreational and wellness function of the site. Elements of ergotherapy will also be introduced, incorporating simple, accessible outdoor features that support light physical activity and engagement with the natural environment.
The site will further be enhanced through general greenery improvement along with the installation of basic outdoor furniture.
Where feasible, small-scale alternative energy solutions will also be considered to support the sustainable functioning of the space, in keeping with the project’s environmental objectives.
Together, these measures aim to transform the entrance and green area into a more attractive, functional, and climate-adaptive space, reflecting the New European Bauhaus principles of sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusiveness.
Expected Impact
Once restored, the site is expected to serve both the university community and the wider public as an accessible green space for recreation and social interaction, ergotherapy, phytotherapy while demonstrating a practical, replicable model of climate-adaptive landscape restoration for similar territories across the Black Sea Basin region.
The planned actions aim to strengthen the site’s resilience by improving vegetation cover, addressing erosion and infrastructure damage, and introducing a more structured approach to long-term climate adaptation — contributing directly to the project’s broader objective of enhancing the readiness of vulnerable urban and coastal areas across the Black Sea Basin.
Stakeholder or local community involvement
As part of a university facility with a recreational and educational function, the site also offers a meaningful opportunity to connect scientific research with tangible public benefit: showcasing how remote-sensing assisted planning and nature-based solutions can improve everyday spaces used by students, staff, vulnerable groups of the population, people in need of rehabilitation and the wider community. This makes the Odesa pilot area a relevant and representative case within the project’s broader effort to enhance climate readiness and adaptability across urban and coastal territories of the Black Sea Basin.
Monitoring & Remote Sensing
The assessment of the region was carried out using the remote-sensing based methodology developed within the MoreAdaptBSB project, combined with available satellite and geospatial data. Data collection and analysis were adapted to the specific circumstances in Ukraine during wartime, relying on the remote-sensing sources that remained accessible under these conditions. Based on this data, the required assessment layers were developed in accordance with the project’s methodological framework.