1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Aix-en-Provence
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Incroyables Comestibles à Aix en Provence
Short description of the intervention
INCREDIBLE EDIBLE (or "Incroyables Comestibles" in French) is an experiment of social innovation: the volunteers of the movement cultivate small vegetable gardens scattered in the cities and the countryside and make their products available free of charge (Ref. 1). This, the first intervention, took place in front of the "Epicerie du Coing" where volunteers planted several vegetables, flowers and plants (Ref. 2).
Address

32 Avenue de l'Europe
13090 Aix en Provence
France

Location
The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Residential
Website of the intervention
http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/incroyables-comestibles-a-aix-ic-aix-premie…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2016
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2016
End date of the intervention
2016
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
-"Valorising unused cultivable spaces for the common good, many cities in the world initiate this new art of living to the benefit of citizen happiness." (Ref. 1)
-"Biodiversity enhancement, food crops"
-"Collective spirit and long term vision"
-Involve residents and children to the project (Ref. 3)
-"A vegetated city, wooded, shaded, pacified";"A town developing a local, organic, seasonal food." (Ref. 2)
-"Orienting the urban future to something desirable and accessible, for a city better prepared for the coming world."
-"food resilience" (Ref. 1)
Quantitative targets
Unknown.
Monitoring indicators defined
Unknown.
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social cohesion
Social interaction
Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
Sustainable consumption
Sustainable production
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Build resilience
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Increase the use of climate-resilient plant species (resistant to drought, fire, and pests)
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Ecosystem-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Create new habitats
Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect native species
Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
Means for conservation governance
Public engagement
Capacity building
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"
creation of local food from local cultivable spaces (Ref 1)
Implementation activities
-Discussion about the action plan and activities
-Plantation of "Artichokes, salads, fennel bulb, calendula (marigold), anthémis (daisy), hollyhock, borage, tanaisie ..." ; --"Transplanting, watering and mulching" (Ref. 2)
-Zero pesticides
-Residents and children are involved (Ref. 3)
-Local and honey plants are welcome to be planted (being mentioned in the Charter of the association) (Ref. 3) therefore, by planting honey plants that would show the intention in feeding bees.
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Transformation of previously derelict areas
Other
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Community gardens and allotments
Community gardens
Please specify "other Climate change adaptation activity"
-"food resilience" (Ref. 1); -"Biodiversity enhancement, food crops" (Ref 3)
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
Unknown
Vegetation Type
Flower beds
Garden beds
Other
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Medicinal resources
Regulating services
Pollination
Habitat and supporting services
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Social and community interactions
Other
Please specify "other cultural service"
'collective spirit and long term vision' (Ref 1)
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Citizens or community groups
Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
Young people and children
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Private sector/Corporate/Business
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
Pays d'Aix en Transition is supporting the initiative "Incredible Edible" to its first implementation garden in the city of Aix en Provence. The shop called "Epicerie du Coing", where the first garden has been created, would take care and maintain this vegetable garden, along with the residents and children who are involved in its upkeep (Ref 3):"A first experimental vegetable garden is installed and taken care of by the Epicerie du Coing" (Ref. 1)
-The city is part of the stakeholders mentioned in Ref. 1 by giving authorization to experiment gardening on public spaces and setting conditions to do so.
Key actors - initiating organization
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Citizens or community group
Other
Please specify other key actors – Initiating organization
-Residents and children are involved (Ref. 3)
Land owners
No information found
Please specify other Key actors - Other stakeholders involved
-Residents and children are involved (Ref. 3)
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Citizens or community group
Other
Land owners
No information found
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Taskforce groups
Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Co-management/Joint management
Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify other vegetation type
plants for pollinators: Local and honey plants are welcome to be planted (being mentioned in the Charter of the association) (Ref. 3) to attract bees and pollinators
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
"Incredible Edible" and "Pays d'Aix en Transition" are the main partners in this project as well as "Agrosemens" which grows in biodynamics near Aix and wishes to form a partnership around seeds of ancient varieties. (Ref. 2)
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of fund(s) used
Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of land
Provision of labour
Provision of other services
Other
Please specify other type of non-financial contribution
exchange of seeds of ancient varieties (Ref 2)
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Other
Business models
Local stewardship model
Vacant space model
Please specify other environmental impact
-Improvement of sustainable agriculture practices: "Crops do not use pesticides, they promote biodiversity. Local and honey plants are welcome" (Ref. 3).
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Technological
Process innovation
Social
Governance innovation
Cultural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
Urban garden being installed in front of a shop "Epicerie du Coing". (Ref. 2)
Please specify social innovation
-"Living together around cultivated areas, collective action" (Ref. 1)
-Volunteers and association "Pays d'Aix en Transition" are behind this project which was first established in England. However, the association with volunteers had the will to initiated and imported this project of "Incredible Edible" in the city. (Ref. 1)
-"Incredible Edibles" is an experiment of social innovation: the volunteers of the movement cultivate small vegetable gardens scattered in the cities and the countryside and make available their productions free of charge." (Ref. 1)
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is copied/derived from previous initiative(s) with substantial adaptation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The Incredible Edible is an initiative coming from United Kingdom, there fore the intervention is copied from the similar project in U.K. However, it is the first one in Aix en Provence: "A first experimental vegetable garden is installed and taken care of by the Epicerie du Coing" (Ref. 1)
Replicability/Transferability
The innovation is transferred to new initiative(s) with substantial adaptation
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
"The next cultivable sites are chosen two of them are identified as priority: one on a private site and the other on a public site" (Ref. 1)
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Environmental quality
Improved waste management
Improved soil quality
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Reduced biodiversity loss
Other
Please specify other economic impact
-"Incredible Edibles" is an experiment where the volunteers of the movement cultivate small vegetable gardens scattered in the cities and the countryside and make available their productions free of charge." (Ref. 1)
--Increased access to healthy/affordable food/decreased cost of food: food is free, "a city developing local, organic, seasonal food, in short circuits" (Ref. 3).
Description of environmental benefits
Green space and habitat
-Increased green space area: qualitatively described as increase (could be quantified in m^2). "Cultivated sites, public and private, are accessible to the general public" (Ref. 3).
-Zero pesticides used (Ref 3)
-Through the first initiative of the creation of a urban garden in front of a store (Ref. 2), plantation and permaculture techniques aligned with the association's charter which aimed to preserve and enhance biodiversity (Ref. 3)
-Improvement of sustainable agriculture practices: "Crops do not use pesticides, they promote biodiversity. Local and honey plants are welcome" (Ref. 3).
-"the installation of food plants in the heart of the city signals awareness of the challenges of food resilience" (Ref. 1).
Economic impacts
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Other
Please specify other socio-cultural impact
helped to provide a green space in the city with the intention to create a spirit of sharing (Ref. 2)
Description of economic benefits
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not): "The productions of urban vegetable gardens cannot be sold. They create links of exchange, sharing, mutual aid and contribute to the happiness of living together" (Ref. 3).

-"Incredible Edibles" is an experiment where the volunteers of the movement cultivate small vegetable gardens scattered in the cities and the countryside and make available their productions free of charge." (Ref. 1)
--Increased access to healthy/affordable food/decreased cost of food: food is free, "a city developing local, organic, seasonal food, in short circuits" (Ref. 3).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Increased access to healthy/affordable food
Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Other
Please specify other environmental justice issue
-This first garden created by this initiative "Incredible Edible" in Aix en Provence helped to provide a green space in the city with the intention to create a spirit of sharing (Ref. 2)
-equality of involvement of locals in the management of green spaces: residents are involved at all stages "The inhabitants of a place to cultivate are fully invested, actors of the change which concerns them. They are involved at all stages. This result must be obtained before the first works" (Ref. 3).
-the installation of food plants in the heart of the city signals awareness of the challenges of food resilience" (Ref. 1).
Description of social and cultural benefits
-Improved access to urban green space/health and wellbeing: qualitative, "Cultivated sites, public and private, are accessible to the general public." (Ref. 3).
-Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces: residents are involved at all stages "The inhabitants of a place to cultivate are fully invested, actors of the change which concerns them. They are involved at all stages. This result must be obtained before the first works" (Ref. 3).
-Increased access to healthy/affordable food: food is free, "a city developing local, organic, seasonal food, in short circuits" (Ref. 3).
-Improvement of sustainable agriculture practices: "Crops do not use pesticides, they promote biodiversity. Local and honey plants are welcome" (Ref. 3).
-Support education and scientific research: "Local residents welcome children, parents, teachers coming to observe, experiment, learn" (Ref. 3).
-This first garden created by this initiative "Incredible Edible" in Aix en Provence helped to provide a green space in the city with the intention to create a spirit of sharing (Ref. 2)
-Citizens and associations have been involved in this project (Ref. 1 and 2)
--the installation of food plants in the heart of the city signals awareness of the challenges of food resilience" (Ref. 1).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
-Through the first initiative of the creation of a urban garden in front of a store (Ref. 2), plantation and permaculture techniques aligned with the association's charter which aimed to preserve and enhance biodiversity (Ref. 3)
-Increased green space area: qualitatively described as increase (could be quantified in m^2). "Cultivated sites, public and private, are accessible to the general public" (Ref. 3).
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Conversion of former industrial areas
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social interaction
Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Voluntary work opportunities
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Positive distribution of NBS benefits
Increased access to healthy food for humans and/or animals
Other
Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
-equality of involvement of locals in the management of green spaces: residents are involved at all stages "The inhabitants of a place to cultivate are fully invested, actors of the change which concerns them. They are involved at all stages. This result must be obtained before the first works" (Ref. 3).
Online forum: Additionally, the Incredible Edible Facebook page is very active, underscoring that this particular NBS is part of a much larger effort to promote urban agriculture (Ref. 5).
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
No specific information available as of July 14 2020. There may have been less appreciation of gardens due to stay at home orders active in all of France from March 16, 2020 to May 11, 2020 (https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19).
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Conduct a baseline survey before and after NBS implementation
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Other
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
-While there is no specific impact assessment for this specific project, the overarching incredible edibles organization in France launched a survey to identify the needs, difficulties, and recommendations of local chapters in France (such as the one that developed this project). It is available here and attached as a PDF below:
https://framaforms.org/enquete-nationale-aupres-des-groupes-locaux-incroyables-comestibles-1592926731?fbclid=IwAR0hg4Sd_uSFVO9rYQB_nH7Thfw4Un1qYI7wBz4NzW2lrbrTjQxRnnLm3e4
-This is the link of the planning of the implementation of actions with goals and success criteria: http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/projet-de-concept-pour-les-incroyables-comestibles-a-aix-en-provence/

-Additionally, the Incredible Edible Facebook page is very active, underscoring that this particular NBS is part of a much larger effort to promote urban agriculture (Ref. 5).
Link to the output of assessments
http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/projet-de-concept-pour-les-incroyables-come…
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Focus Group
Online Forum
Other
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
"The inhabitants of a place to cultivate are fully invested, actors of the change which concerns them. They are involved at all stages. This result must be obtained before the first works" (Ref. 3).
Online forum: Additionally, the Incredible Edible Facebook page is very active, underscoring that this particular NBS is part of a much larger effort to promote urban agriculture (Ref. 5).
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Yes
Please specify
"Elise has put together an IC-AIX (Incredible Edible of Aix) discussion list" (Ref. 2); "The inhabitants of a place to cultivate are fully invested, actors of the change which concerns them. They are involved at all stages. This result must be obtained before the first works" (Ref. 3).
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref. 1
Ref. 2
Ref. 3
Ref. 4
List of references
1. Pays d'Aix en Transition (2016). "Projet de CONCEPT des INCROYABLES COMESTIBLES à Aix-en-Provence". Available at: http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/projet-de-concept-pour-les-incroyables-comestibles-a-aix-en-provence/ (Accessed: Jul 14 2020).
2. Pays d'Aix en Transition (2016)."Incroyables Comestibles à Aix (IC-AIX) : Premières plantations". Available at: http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/incroyables-comestibles-a-aix-ic-aix-premieres-plantations/ (Accessed: Jul 14 2020).
3. Pays d'Aix en Transition (2016). "CHARTE DES INCROYABLES COMESTIBLES à Aix-en-Provence". Available at: http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/projet-de-charte-des-incroyables-comestibles-a-aix-en-provence/ (Accessed: Jul 14 2020).
4. Pays d'Aix en Transition (2017). "Principles of the Incredible Edibles of Aix-en-Provence". Available at: http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/principes-des-incroyables-comestibles-daix-en-provence/ (Accessed: Jul 14 2020).
5. Incroyables Comestibles Pays d’Aubagne - Entraide Potagers (2020). Facebook page. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/IncroyablesComestiblesPaysAubagne/ (Accessed: Jul 14 2020).
Additional comments
The Incredible Edible Facebook page is very active, underscoring that this particular NBS is part of a much larger effort to promote urban agriculture (Ref. 5). The project is mainly intended to be symbolic of what is possible for cities: "In the city of Aix-en-Provence, it will not be a question of cultivating "for food", space would not be enough! But the installation of food plants in the heart of the city signals awareness of the challenges of food resilience" (Ref. 1).
Comments and notes
Additional insights
This is the link of the planning of the implementation of actions with goals and success criteria: http://www.paysdaixentransition.org/projet-de-concept-pour-les-incroyables-comestibles-a-aix-en-provence/
Pictures of the NBS
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Please specify other source of non-financial contribution
-Residents and children are involved (Ref. 3)