1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Bremen
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Integrationsgärten
Short description of the intervention
The two-year project "Integrationsgärten" aimed at the creation of three social integration gardens for refugees at different residential districts: transitional house Arbergen 2 (2016), a transitional house at Tannenbergstraße (2016/2017), and in Huckelriede (2017). The project involved various gardening activities and cultural events that aimed at increasing social integration of the refugees, improving their language skills, as well as stimulating neighborhoods to social engagement and participation in environmental issues in the neighborhood (Ref. 2, 3).
Address

Bremen
Germany

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
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
Public space in three residential districts in the city (Ref. 2, 3).
Website of the intervention
http://www.oekostadt-bremen.de/integrationsgaerten/
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2016
End date of the intervention
2017
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
Goals of the intervention:
1) Providing another component of a diversified green infrastructure in the chosen districts;
2) Helping with the social integration of the immigrant groups in the Bremen society;
3) Helping with the language acquisition by refugees;
4) Organizing diversified gardening activities;
5) Stimulating neighborhoods to social engagement and participation in environmental issues in the neighborhood (Ref. 2, 3).
6) Increase in social integration between different societal groups in Bremen; Increase in language abilities of the participating disadvantaged groups (Ref. 2, 3).

Quantitative targets
Creation of 3 social integration gardens in Bremen (Ref. 2).
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of gardens created (Ref 2).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
Social justice and equity
Social cohesion
Social interaction
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Promotion of cultural diversity
Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
Sustainable consumption
Sustainable production
Implementation activities
Community gardening; Organized trips to the environmental organizations; Organized activities with the local residents, associations, and clubs (Ref. 2, 3).
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Maintenance and management of urban nature
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Community gardens and allotments
Community gardens
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
3 community gardens
Vegetation Type
Garden beds
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
Shed and gardening equipment (Ref. 4)
Amenities offered by the NBS
Other
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Cultural services
Recreation
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Social and community interactions
Other
Please specify "other cultural service"
Social integration and educational services (Ref. 3).
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Marginalized groups
Marginalized groups
Refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Coalition with multiple of the above
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The project was initiated and is coordinated by the local organization ÖkoStadt Bremen with the financial support of multiple actors, including: the local government, local NGOs, local banks as well as community groups (Ref. 3).
Key actors - initiating organization
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
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
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Dissemination of information and education
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Co-management/Joint management
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
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
The project falls under the city program "Environmental and nature conservation projects" and is supported by it (Ref. 1).
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
ÖkoStadt Bremen developed the project on its own initiative (Ref. 3).
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
Yes
Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section
The project falls under the city program "Environmental and nature conservation projects" and is supported by it (Ref. 1).
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Biodiversity strategy or plan
Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The cooperation between the actors working in all three social gardens could be considered here (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
Yes
Please specify
The project falls under the city program "Environmental and nature conservation projects" and is financially supported by it (Ref. 1). Additionally a number of NGOs, banking sector, as well as community groups, support the initiative (Ref. 3).
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-financing governance arrangements
Yes
Co-governance arrangement
A fund / grant
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Already in place
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
Public local authority budget
Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Commercial banks
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Donations
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Business models
Local stewardship model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
Social
Cultural innovation
Please specify social innovation
It is a novel project in the area that combines ecologic and cultural elements in the open gardens initiative. It is inspired by similar projects in other German cities, but it is a new development in Bremen - especially given the recent influx of the immigrants to the city (Ref. 2, 3).
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
The innovation is not referred to as being transferred to new initiative(s)
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Description of environmental benefits
Green space and habitat:
-Increased green space area: Providing another component of a diversified green infrastructure in the chosen districts (Ref. 2, 3).
Economic impacts
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Description of economic benefits
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not): "Tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis and pumpkins are now growing in our small garden, as well as many different herbs and a few flowers. In the great weather, everything thrives more every day, as does our joy in gardening" (Ref. 3).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved social cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Increased access to healthy/affordable food
Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Promotion of cultural diversity
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Education
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Description of social and cultural benefits
Social justice and cohesion:
-Improved social cohesion/Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalized groups or indigenous peoples: Increase in social integration between different societal groups in Bremen; Increase in language abilities of the participating disadvantaged groups; helping with the social integration of the immigrant groups in the Bremen society (Ref. 2, 3).
-Improved access to urban green space: access to three community gardens and equipment (Ref. 3).
-Increased opportunities for social interaction/Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces: Stimulating neighborhoods to social engagement and participation in environmental issues in the neighborhood (Ref. 2, 3).
-Increased access to healthy/affordable food/Improvement of sustainable agriculture practices: "Tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis and pumpkins are now growing in our small garden, as well as many different herbs and a few flowers. In the great weather, everything thrives more every day, as does our joy in gardening" (Ref. 3).

Cultural heritage and sense of place
-Promotion of cultural diversity: Helping with the social integration of the immigrant groups in the Bremen society (Ref. 2, 3).
-Improvement in people’s connection to nature: access to three community gardens and equipment (Ref. 3).

Education:
-Increased knowledge of locals about local nature: Community gardening; Organized trips to the environmental organizations; Organized activities with the local residents, associations, and clubs (Ref. 2, 3).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Increased social integration between different societal groups; Increased language abilities of the participating disadvantaged groups; Positive influence on the green infrastructure in the included neighbourhoods (Ref. 2, 3).


Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Voluntary work opportunities
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Increased access to healthy food for humans and/or animals
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 October 20, 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
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
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref.1 (City website)
Ref. 3 (Ökostadt Bremen website)
Ref. 4 (Newspaper article, 2017)
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Ref.2 (project's description) (75.96 KB) 75.96 KB
List of references
1. Frei Hansestadt Bremen (n.d.). 'Promotion of environmental projects' ('Förderung von Umweltprojekten'). Available at: http://www.bauumwelt.bremen.de/umwelt/umweltengagement/umweltprojektfoerderung-4433 (Accessed: October 20, 2020).
2. Department for Environment, Building and Transport in (2016). 'Overview of the work carried out by the Department for Environment, Building and Transport in 2016, projects in the field of environment and environmental protection', ('Übersicht über die vom Senator für Umwelt, Bau und Verkehr im Jahre 2016 geförderten Projekte im Bereich Umwelt- und Naturschutz'), (Document attached).
3. Ökostadt Bremen (2017) 'Integration gardens' ('Integrationsgärten'). Available at: http://www.oekostadt-bremen.de/integrationsgaerten/ (Accessed: October 20, 2020).
4. Hellwik, Sike (2017). "Integration übern Gartenzaun". Weser Kurier. Available at: https://www.weser-kurier.de/bremen/bremen-stadt_artikel,-integration-uebern-gartenzaun-_arid,1627072.html (Accessed: October 20, 2020).
Comments and notes
Additional insights
It is unclear if the gardens are still being used and maintained, as the project were indicated as being two years in duration. The most recent blog posts and updates available are from September 2017 (Ref. 3) (as of October 20, 2020).
Public Images
A hand drawn map of a community garden divided into quadrants
http://www.oekostadt-bremen.de/integrationsgaerten/ig-am-niedersachsendamm/
Raised garden beds with vegetation growing
http://www.oekostadt-bremen.de/integrationsgaerten/ig-am-niedersachsendamm/