Attend the Hortis 2019 convention on “Building and saving natural urban ecosystems”!

Every year since 1960, the French association Paysalia partner Hortis has organized a convention for everyone involved in developing and managing nature downtown. The focus this year, “{A}ménager les écosystèmes naturels urbains : osons la Nature, source de solutions pour la Ville de demain” ((Re)building natural urban ecosystems: getting back to nature, the source of solutions for the towns of tomorrow”) will take participants on a tour of Bordeaux from October 10 to 12, 2019!

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While waiting for the Hortis congress, check out 4 TEDx conferences on sustainable urbanism

A congress with a wide range of objectives to build green cities for tomorrow’s world

Hortis is the French association of people responsible for urban green spaces. The over 600 members are all managers working in French public authorities. Its aims and objectives focus on the valorization of the horticultural, landscaping and public green space sectors. The annual Hortis convention is a major event for landscapers!

Held from October 10 to 12, 2019, in Bordeaux, France, it will address the climatic and biological urgency facing all public authorities. The problems discussed will include:

• How to imagine a green city built with and in the natural ecosystems and not against them?
• How to answer the great current sets of themes of air quality, hot spots etc. through sustainable urbanism?
• Who will implement these changes and how can the landscaping sector contribute?
• How to build and save ecosystems everywhere, through a host of partnerships?

All landscaping professionals, whoever their employers and whatever their jobs, are welcome to the convention, because climatic and biological urgency concerns everyone. This is a key event for contacts and studying innovative solutions hands-on!

October 10: natural urban ecosystems and technical visits

Natural urban ecosystems will be reviewed in five conferences in the morning. Four technical visits, (participants choose which they want to go on), will be organized in the afternoon to discover the sustainable town planning initiatives applied in the city, including:

• Ausone park, located in a ZAC in Bruges;
• The developments on the banks of the Garonne at the heart of Bordeaux;
• Estey park and the inhabited park of Les Seycheries in Bègles;
• Les Coteaux park, a natural 400ha space in Bordeaux urban area.

At the end of the day, members can attend the annual general meeting of Hortis followed by a gala evening!

October 11: study of an ecosystem within a territory and the tools to use

The first part of this day will be dedicated to approaching urban ecosystems on a territorial scale. Concepts will include the symbiotic economy and ecodistricts, as well as differentiated green space management in Barcelona and landscaping project evaluation.

The second part of the day will be dedicated to the various techniques used to build natural urban ecosystems, such as:

• experience feedback from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Biodiversity agency;
• the inter-communal ecological management plan for Les Coteaux park;
• the place of trees in urban areas;
• the management of local wildlife;
• the downtown sequence: Avoid-Reduce-Compensate;
• etc.

A very rich program! Get the details on the Hortis web site (in French)!

October 12: explore the regional heritage landscapes!

This post-convention outing consists in three astonishing visits to heritage sites around Bordeaux:

• the monolithic church of St. Emilion, an intriguing underground monument;
• the Chateau de La Rivière and its fabulous wine cellars, surrounded by vines and copses;
• the Chateau de Vayres and its park classified as a “Remarkable Garden”.

Lunch will be a “Rib steak party with wine” in the Chateau de La Rivière Armory.

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We expect 200 people to attend the 2019 convention in Bordeaux. Don’t miss this unique opportunity for discussing solutions for building the green cities of tomorrow’s world between professionals! Register on the Hortis web site (in French). Warning! Rates go up on August 15, 2019! Hortis will also intervene at Paysalia with a conference on the expansion of plants in towns using Bordeaux as a case study.

Discover our ultimate guide about designing public green spaces!

© Photo credit: Laurent (Pictarena) / stock.adobe.com