WESTERN URBAN NATURE RESERVE

WESTERN URBAN NATURE RESERVE
Project box

Geographical area: Latin America and the Caribbean

Location: Santa Fe, Argentina

City size: Medium (between 250,000 and 1,000,000 inhabitants)

Promoter: Municipality of Santa Fe

Start year:

End-year:

Implementation phase: Completed

Project size: Neighborhood

Total area of intervention (in sqm): 1.420.000

Total investments (in USD): 3.8 mln

Project overview

The Western Urban Natural Reserve is an urban regeneration project situated in the western sector of Santa Fe city, Argentina, at the intersection of the Salado and Paraná River floodplains. Historically, the area has been very prone to flooding because the underground water is close to the surface. This vulnerability has been further intensified by the construction of informal settlements and inadequate infrastructure. Two of the most recent floods, in 2003 and 2007, prompted the city of Santa Fe to develop a disaster risk reduction approach as a part of the Santa Fe Resilience Strategy, which serves as a blueprint for long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the city.  

Implemented between 2015-2019, the Western Urban Natural Reserve became one of the key components of this strategy. This regeneration effort aimed to transform 142,000 square meters of flood-affected area into a multifunctional protected natural zone, providing flood control, ecological restoration, public space, and social integration. 

The project restored native ecosystems and created a buffer zone between the city and surrounding wetlands, which helped to reduce hydrological risk while improving biodiversity, water retention, and soil quality. The main goal is to reduce urban inequality by relocating 90 vulnerable families from informal settlements to newly built, flood-safe housing, and by creating jobs to formalize the work of informal waste pickers. New job opportunities in construction, maintenance, and eco-tourism were also generated for the entire city. Community involvement was encouraged by the creation of a green classroom, eco-trails, a Flood Memorial to recover the social memory of flood disasters in the city, and the creation and maintenance of urban gardens, supporting an environmental educational campaign and community memory about the site. 

The Municipality of Santa Fe led the Western Urban Natural Reserve initiative, acting as landowner, regulator, and main implementing body through its Executive Unit. The project was built on two key partnership models—public-public and public-community—to promote inclusive governance and ensure long-term sustainability. The public-public partnership involved technical assistance and co-financing between the Municipality and the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), which contributed 30% of the $3.8 million budget. Support for research and innovation was provided by academic institutions such as the Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Rennes 2 University, and the City of Rennes. Regional and national bodies were involved through an Advisory Board that oversaw project progress. The public-community partnership engaged local civil society organizations. Groups such as Movimiento Los Sin Techo and the cooperative La Bandera de los Humildes supported the resettlement of families affected by flooding, while organizations like Fundación Hábitat y Desarrollo, Aves Argentinas, and local neighbourhood associations contributed to biodiversity conservation and community education. 

The Western Urban Natural Reserve is designated under the international management category as a Protected Landscape and organised into distinct land-use zones to balance public access, conservation, and sustainable management. The public use zone is divided into intensive and extensive function sub-zones, distinguishing active use aligned with the educational and recreational project goals and low-impact engagement with the site's ecological heritage. The operational use zone supports essential maintenance, safety, administrative functions, and equipment storage. The sustainable resources zone serves as a floodwater retention basin during heavy rainfall and hosts community-based urban gardens. Finally, the buffer zone mitigates external environmental impacts, ensuring the ecological integrity of the project. The residential zone was established in the neighbourhood on the edge of the Western Urban Natural Reserve for the resettlement of families living in areas vulnerable to flood risk.  

Benefits

The establishment of the Western Urban Natural Reserve created formal employment opportunities for 171 local residents, previously engaged in the informal waste management sector within the project area. Their integration into formal and sustainable employment was achieved through professional training programmes and by incorporating each informal worker into existing redeployment programmes. This workforce formalisation boosts local economic development by providing access to steady income, enhancing productivity, and increasing the city's formal tax base. An additional contribution to the local economy arises from eco-tourism activities designed to explore the local fauna and flora. 

Furthermore, the construction of residential units and related transport infrastructure for the resettlement of informal populations, the development of water management systems, the creation of 2,700 square metres of public squares, and the implementation of a native plant nursery and biodiversity sites—together with ongoing maintenance activities within the Western Urban Natural Reserve—have collectively generated additional employment opportunities at the city level. 

The Western Urban Natural Reserve represents a comprehensive project for climate adaptation, enhancing urban ecosystems, and biodiversity protection within the city of Santa Fe. Climate adaptation is ensured through water retention and purification, carried out by two integrated surface water reservoirs, which were specifically designed to mitigate flood risks deriving from extreme rainfalls and urban runoff from the western sector of the city. Reservoirs are complemented by an urban drainage system with controlled pumping mechanisms to retain solid waste, discharge water into the river, and regulate the whole water level.   

The enhancement of urban ecosystems is achieved through a partnership with the National University of the Littoral in Santa Fe, which contributes to systematic environmental monitoring of the reservoirs and hydroclimatic variables. Regular biodiversity assessments and birds and animals migratory support are provided by trained ecological guides, who track over 780 identified plant and animal species in the area. Additionally, the native tree cover, reforestation efforts to replace invasive species, and incorporation of a native plant nursery to grow plants for public spaces in the city have strengthened carbon sequestration and reinforced ecological connectivity. The Western Urban Natural Reserve also serves as an air-cooling zone, reducing the heat island effect. The project supports urban agriculture through the development of a community vegetable garden, contributing to the local food supply and environmental education. 

The implementation of the Western Urban Natural Reserve has promoted social equity and inclusiveness through the relocation of over 90 vulnerable families residing in flood-affected areas. Their resettlement to newly built houses on the hilly landscape on the edge of the project area improved their living conditions and significantly enhanced public safety by reducing flood risk exposure. Moreover, the Western Urban Natural Reserve functions as a buffer zone, regulating floodwaters and mitigating flood risks, thereby enhancing public safety for the entire city. 

The project contributed to the provision of cultural ecosystem services, non-material benefits supporting to the society’s well-being, through the creation of 2,700 m² of public squares and designated areas for environmental education, community activities, and participatory engagement. Among these, the introduction of a green classroom enhances residents’ understanding of local biodiversity and raises awareness about environmental risks and conservation practices. Additionally, the creation of the Flood Memorial, a space to recover the social memory of flood disasters in Santa Fe, and of community gardens fosters ecological responsibility, encourages community engagement, and strengthens social cohesion by connecting residents with their hydrological history.  

The project also incorporates digital innovation through a Western Urban Natural Reserve online platform, which was designed to communicate key information and monitoring insights, foster citizen engagement, and promote active community participation. 

The project did not achieve, nor is it planning to, any sustainability certifications. 

Finance model

The regeneration project was implemented through public funding. The total budget of the initiative amounted to $3,826,797.  Approximately $1,178,342 (30,8%) was provided by the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) fund and directed to the Municipality of Santa Fe, which has covered the remaining 70% of the costs. 

The total budget was divided into: $1,700,348 going to the creation of the Western Urban Natural Reserve, $1,570,273 going to the infrastructure for reduction of flood risk from rainwater runoff, $220,350 going to the promotion of economic and social development in the area of intervention through pilot projects and training activities, and $298,526 going to capitalisation and sharing project outcomes as part of North-South cooperation. 

The Western Urban Natural Reserve was funded partially through a grant instrument, particularly financing from the international organisation French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), a public fund managed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) under the guidance of the French Ministry for Ecological and Inclusive Transition and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The remaining project costs were financed directly by the Municipality of Santa Fe through municipal public funding. 

References and Credits

SANTA FE RESILIENCE strategy. Accessed on 01/07/2025. https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/downloadable_resources/Network/Santa-Fe-Resilience-Strategy-English.pdf 

Implementing the new urban agenda. Accessed on 01/07/2025. https://www.urbanagendaplatform.org/best-practice/santa-fes-western-urban-natural-reserve-embracing-hydroclimatics-risks 

Urban Innovation and the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda Local Implementation of the New Urban Agenda 2022. Accessed on 01/07/2025.  https://www.urbanagendaplatform.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/Urban%20Innovation%20and%20the%20Implementation%20of%20the%20New%20Urban%20Agenda-sm.pdf  

French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM). Project description. Accessed on 01/07/2025. https://www.ffem.fr/en/projects/rethinking-urban-development-santa-fe-bets-nature-urban-nature-reserve-unr  

Plan de gestión 2016-2020 Reserva Natural Urbana del Oeste, Santa Fe, Argentina. Accessed on 02/07/2025. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325542310_Plan_de_gestion_2016-2020_Reserva_Natural_Urbana_del_Oeste_Santa_Fe_Argentina   

The French government says “yes” to funding the Western Reserve. Accessed on 02/07/2025. https://www.ellitoral.com/area-metropolitana/gobierno-frances-dio-financiara-reserva-oeste_0_Q331TLm2e2.html 

ORDENANZA Nº 12179. Reserva Natural Urbana (RNU) y Gestión de Riesgos Climáticos. Accessed on 03/07/2025. https://www.concejosantafe.gov.ar/wp-content/uploads/Ordenanza/Ordenanza_12179.pdf