Urban ReLeaf, a city-wide citizen-science initiative in Dundee, engages the community to contribute their observations and perceptions of greenspaces across the city. By harnessing the collective input of citizens, the project strives to enhance the benefits derived from these greenspaces and ensure they cater to the diverse needs of the community. Join us in this endeavour to make a positive impact on our city – everyone in Dundee is encouraged to participate!
To share your perceptions, download the Urban ReLeaf Cities app to complete short surveys around the city or use one of our three web-based surveys. Sign up to the Urban ReLeaf Dundee newsletter to find out where you can meet us in-person and to follow the project's progress.
Download the perceptions app 
Greenspace is a broad term used to describe natural elements in an urban area. This can include parks, grass verges, public gardens and cemeteries. For location-specific surveys in Urban ReLeaf, parks are the greenspace focused on.
Share your greenspace perceptions with us for one year, win prizes and help shape the design of your city!
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems use natural elements to manage rainfall, slow runoff, and store water. The benefits of SUDS are:
Play surveys ask for your perceptions on designated public play areas in parks. These are outdoor play areas with play equipment such as slides and swings, generally intended to be used by children of various ages.
Share your playpark perceptions with us for one year, win prizes and help shape the design of future play in the city!
Spending time greenspace, such as parks, has been shown to have a range of benefits. These benefits include improved physical and mental health, support for child development and healthy aging, and improved sense of community and belonging.
Because spending time in good quality greenspace brings so many benefits to our lives, it is important that we ensure that everyone can do so regardless of where in Dundee they live.
Greenspaces also have a key role to play in helping Dundee adapt to the changing climate. Nature can be used in urban areas to help deal with flooding, rising temperatures, and to help provide habitats for animals that are being lost elsewhere.
We will be attending events through out the city. To find out where we are, see events below .
In October 2024, we called on everyone in Dundee to help us showcase the city’s beautiful parks and greenspaces by joining the Urban ReLeaf photo competition. Submitted photos are currently being judged and a list of finalists will be announced soon. Then it is over to you to select an overall winner!
Starting in early December (exact dates TBC), you can visit one of the seven Urban ReLeaf photo exhibitions to view the images and vote for your favourite. Information on exhibition locations can be found below.
Dundee is Scotland’s greenest city, filled with iconic parks and hidden green gems that are vital to our daily lives. Autumn is the perfect time to get outside, capture the beauty of these spaces, and celebrate their role in our community.
Using the Urban ReLeaf Cities App, people around Dundee submitted photos to the competition throughout October. These photos celebrate our greenspaces and show how different people view and use them.
The shortlisted photos are selected into three categories:
Highlight the plants, wildlife, and natural beauty of our parks.
Capture moments of people enjoying or connecting with nature.
Showcase something that makes Dundee’s parks unique, from famous landmarks to lesser-known corners.
The finalist photos will be on display at:
Exact dates for each location will be announced soon.
A judging panel will select three winners in each category. Together, the judges bring a variety of relevant perspectives to the process. The judges are:
Cllr Heather Anderson is the Convener of Climate, Environment and Biodiversity in Dundee City Council, with overall responsibility for reporting on the council’s performance in relation to the climate and nature emergency. She was elected to Dundee City in May 2022 and previously served as a councillor in Scottish Borders.
Ben Douglas is a photographer based out of Dundee. His practice is people-oriented with an everyday style, showing off the mundane and bringing up the small quiet moments to the same level as the loud and large ones. Over the past twelve years, he has had his work displayed across Scotland in places such as the V&A, Scottish arts club and more. Most recently he was a judge on the 'Scotland! NOW' photography award. Ben has a special interest in communities as his practice led him to youth work and now, he works using creative media to build confidence, wellbeing and resilience in young people, often using cameras!
Kevin Frediani is an experienced manager and leader of change in the land use sector. As Curator of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden and Grounds, he helps to lead the Living Lab that is exploring education for sustainability and Nature-based Solutions, while his own research explores how spaces become more sustainable places through the imbued emotion of people engaging with their environment.
Ervin Mackie’s assignment in Press Change surrounded photos of people and their thoughts about Dundee. These are both topics Ervin cares a lot about, and so they are excited to be part of a project exploring similar themes.