Mashhad, Iran

Innovative and Collaborative Solution

How does the initiative show evidence of feasibility, including on-going financial and logistical support?

Changes in the application of the lands in the area in the approved detailed plan and the use proposal of the natural park – mountain lands for the area have caused the use of the area as a public urban space to find legal status and become a criterion for municipal action paying attention to this and the potentials of the area as a recreational area with unique natural features to make it possible to achieve the goals of the project.

In what ways is the initiative innovative?

Given that the project was inaugurated at the beginning of the implementation process and provided unrestricted access to the public, the initiative in this project, unlike other projects, is the comprehensive monitoring of people, institutions, and various groups in all stages of its implementation. The project budgeting and development process fluctuate according to the revenue and budget constraints of urban management. The project started with a relatively good budget and is in progress.

How is the initiative supported by collaborative working across disciplines and sectors?

Due to the sensitivity of this project and its complexity, from the first stages of studies to the stages of policymaking and implementation, experts in various fields have been used. The cooperation of the professors of the first-level universities of the country and their support for the cessation of the highway project, as an influential factor, led to the presence of different specialties in this project.

The coordination between experts and recognizing the considerations of each makes the projects more socially accepted and efficient, and as a result, the goals of the project will be achieved more than before.

How does the initiative demonstrate evidence of community support?          

In addition to the residential communities in the surrounding areas, the project also has the support of scientific institutions, political and governmental organizations. During the project implementation process, various groups, including university professors, NGOs active in the field of environment, social, urban, etc., in various ways, such as sending letters to executive bodies, etc., support the cessation of road operations and the use of the bed as a green space has been announced. Also, this project has the support of the members of the Islamic Parliament and the urban management of Mashhad and their support as government institutions. The Mountaineer’s Association is another supporter because the southern highlands are one of the main destinations for mountaineers in the region. Some of this support is in the form of official letters, such as the letter from the Office for the Preservation and Publication of Ayatollah Khamenei in 2015, the letter of environmental organizations is addressed to Mashhad City Council, and the letter of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development is addressed to the Mayor of Mashhad in 2021 and so on. Also, the Law on Environmental Protection and Improvement adopted in 1974 and Article 50 of the Constitution of Iran are the legal documents supporting the project.