Plants know no political borders and some of them are restricted to small geographical territories of different countries in which they are endemic. In this study, we prioritized plants (PPs) of the cross-border area of Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia that are already threatened or nearly so (PPA), those which occur exclusively on either side of borderline and/or nearby countries (PPB), or those which are uncommon and rare in this region (PPC) with the aim to document in-situ the species-specific risks-threats; offer ex-situ conservation for them as a back-up solution for future re-introductions and sustainable exploitation; and raise public awareness and alertness about the importance of local biodiversity. In the framework of the project Conse-pp, 20 botanical expeditions were performed in 75 selected areas to collect samples and suitable propagation material from 130 PPs (147 accession numbers), also recording all types of threats-identified in-situ for each of them. No ex-situ conservation was detected for 40 PPs worldwide while for another 12 PPs only limited attempts have been made to date. The fully documented PPs are currently maintained under ex- situ conservation and acclimatization in the Balkan Botanic Garden of Kroussia (BBGK). In total, 156 propagation trials (sexual or asexual) have been made for these PPs to develop species-specific propagation protocols. Consequently, the production of new plant stocks raised ex-situ was achieved (n = 3254 individuals; first-time ex-situ conservation for 40 taxa), and this has enabled the establishment of three awareness-raising sites with PPs: (i) 1000 plants of 70 PPs in the newly designed Kardia Botanical Park in Thermi (Greece); (ii) 850 plants of 104 PPs in the phytodiversity awareness spot in BBGK and 130 individual PPs in the Garden of Environmental Awareness; and (iii) 42 plants of 14 PP taxa delivered to the botanic garden of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. This project outlines the necessity of the development of common plant conservation strategies for threatened plants in cross-border areas of neighboring countries and presents an integrated approach allowing for sustainable development and future in-situ protection measures and actions in the studied cross-border area.

Summary: Increasing population, expansion of urban areas and rapid urbanization are the main causes of losing green spaces, which results in many environmental problems and threatens the quality of urban life. Urban green spaces are of great importance and urban planning issues nowadays gain increasing popularity. It is realized that biological methodologies need to be used in urban planning, otherwise the quality of life will be more threatened. In order to discover the meaning and importance of green corridors in urban areas, a literature review was undertaken. Boulevards, as green corridors, are very important linear parts in the structures of dense modern cities. If planned and designed properly, they mitigate the negative effects of densely built urban environment. Green corridors provide numerous environmental benefits, they are an essential factor of sustainability and have a significant impact on biodiversity. Green corridors also provide social benefits, by enhancing well-being through contact with nature. They decrease health problems and improve the quality of life. The importance of urban green corridors was observed and presented on the example of Blvd. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Blvd. Hristijan Todorovski Karposh, which form an important ecological network in the northern part of Skopje, North Macedonia. The emphasis is on planning, designing and improving green corridors in urban areas like Skopje. Although these two boulevards are well designed as green corridors, with preserved old line greenery, planted with many different plant species (trees, shrubs, perennials), covered by grass, with bicycle and pedestrian paths, there is still potential for improvement. Linear parks on both sides of the new part of the Blvd. Hristijan Todorovski Karposh would be a great idea.

Rapid urbanization and surface sealing have exposed the limits of conventional grey stormwater infrastructure, prompting a shift toward multifunctional blue–green infrastructure (BGI). This integrative review evaluates six nature-based solution typologies—rain gardens, blue–green roofs, bioswales, constructed wetlands, retention ponds and permeable paving systems—as instruments of urban spatial planning, through a bioeconomic lens. Searches of Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection, supplemented by Google Scholar, yielded 272 publications classified by publication period, research method and thematic domain. The evidence is uneven: 43.4% of records address hydrological function, and 17.3% bioeconomic valuation; 49.3% are reviews or conceptual contributions, and only 8.8% apply a formal economic valuation technique. The reviewed literature indicates that the six typologies are complementary rather than substitutable, occupying distinct treatment-train positions—source control, conveyance and sub-catchment attenuation—and that hybrid green–grey configurations are more robust under extreme events. Applied economic valuation was identified for rain gardens and permeable paving, partially for blue–green roofs and bioswales, and not for constructed wetlands or retention ponds. Lifecycle cost analysis, disservice-adjusted valuation and performance-based planning instruments, rather than further hydraulic documentation, are likely to be decisive for adopting BGI as a standard municipal utility.

Urban parks are crucial components of a city’s green infrastructure, offering significant benefits from both social and environmental perspectives. They provide many ecosystem services and play a key role in maintaining, preserving, and enhancing urban biodiversity. This paper analyses the woody plant diversity in three urban parks in Skopje, North Macedonia. The research identified 90 different woody plant taxa in the analyzed parks, belonging to 42 genera and 23 families. The parks have a significantly higher number of non-native taxa compared to the native ones, as well as a significantly higher number of deciduous taxa compared to evergreen taxa. Although non-native species dominate to a great extent over the native ones, there is no threat from invasive plant species in the researched parks. Furthermore, the analyses included the calculation of biodiversity indices (alpha indices: Shannon, Simpson, and Berger-Parker, and also Sørensen beta index). The results showed that none of the parks are highly significant from a biodiversity perspective. The alpha indices indicate a low to moderate biodiversity in the studied North Macedonian urban parks. On the other hand, the Sørensen beta index indicated a more positive view, emphasizing the lack of significant similarity among the studied urban parks. Nevertheless, there is a clear need to enhance the biodiversity of woody plants in urban parks in Skopje. Integrating biodiversity considerations into the process of planning, landscape design of urban parks, and their maintenance is crucial. Establishing biodiversity monitoring as a standard practice will be essential for understanding the real situation in urban parks and enabling timely interventions.