1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Clermont-Ferrand
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Jardins Familiaux de Clermont Ferrand
Short description of the intervention
The city of Clermont-Ferrand has 2 sites of family gardens, located at rue Robert Lemoy and rue du Château des Vergnes at which they have installed on a total area of 40 216 m², 172 parcels leased to, mainly, Clermontois residents in apartments without gardens. The gardens are a true place of life for gardeners where families and friends may meet and share convivial moments. Inscribed in a practice respectful of the environment, the gardeners and their cultivations turn toward a kind of agriculture that expects from each gardener an eco-responsible behavior in the production of food (Ref. 1).
Address

Different areas
Example: Jardins Les Vergnes Rue du Château des Vergnes
63100 Clermont-Ferrand
France

Location
Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place
Total area
40216.00m²
NBS area
40216.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Unknown
Website of the intervention
https://clermont-ferrand.fr/jardins-familiaux
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
pre-1990
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
pre-1990
End date of the intervention
2000
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
-To propose an opportunity for residents without gardens (living in an apartment) to cultivate their own garden.
-A place of sharing (food, but also convivial moments with neighbors) (Ref. 1)
-"To affirm nature as a support to live together" and "To develop sharing spaces around nature and urban agriculture" (Ref. 3, page 28)
-"Family gardens are not just gardening places, they are a place to relax, for family meals in particular. There are often cooking areas. Some gardeners share their seedlings, crops and exchange services. " (Ref. 6)
Quantitative targets
"2 family garden sites", "A total area of 40,216 m²", "there are 172 parcels leased"(Ref. 1)
Monitoring indicators defined
Ref 1:
Number of parcels leased
number of family garden sites
total area in m²
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social cohesion
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
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"

Implementation activities
"Requests [for parcels of land to cultivate] are made by mail addressed to the Mayor. These requests are much higher than the offer, they are registered in the waiting list and remain valid for several years" (Ref. 1)

-Event organized by the city for citizens to visit the family garden of Les Vergnes: "The political service of the city and the media library of Jaude propose to leave to the discovery of the family gardens and to meet the gardeners on the spot" (in 2015, Ref. 4 and 5)
-Meetings with to organize the sharing day event (in 2014) and consult everyone ideas (Ref. 6)
"Cathy set up an abandoned space to make it a "garden" collective". This "collective garden" is meant to host several activities:
-Group meals and events
-An "Incredible Edible" space (an NGO)
-Gardening activities for children (with partners such as CAF, for example)
-Shared vegetable gardens (not Incredible Edible, but shared among a few)"(Ref. 6)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Maintenance and management of urban nature
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Community gardens and allotments
Allotments
Community gardens
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
172
Vegetation Type
Garden beds
Other
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
-"Family gardens are not just gardening places, they are a place to relax, for family meals in particular. There are often cooking areas. Some gardeners share their seedlings, crops and exchange services. " (Ref. 6)
Amenities offered by the NBS
Other
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Medicinal resources
Genetic materials from all biota
Other
Regulating services
Other
Habitat and supporting services
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Recreation
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Spiritual and / or emblematic (symbolic, sacred and / or religious)
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Social and community interactions
Please specify "other provisioning service"
family meals and cooking areas to prepare family meals (ref 6)
Please specify "other regulating service"
Inscribed in a practice respectful of the environment, the gardeners and their cultivations turn toward a kind of agriculture that expects from each gardener an eco-responsible behavior in the production of food (Ref. 1).
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Citizens or community groups
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
-The city of Clermont Ferrand is the main initiator of these family gardens (Ref. 1).
-Citizens are the one who rent plots from the city and manage them.
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Citizens or community group
Other
Please specify other key actors – Initiating organization
-Gardening activities for children (with partners such as CAF, for example) (Ref 6)
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Please specify other Key actors - Other stakeholders involved
-Gardening activities for children (with partners such as CAF, for example) (Ref 6)
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Citizens or community group
Other
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)
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
Yes
Please specify
-Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Project of Clermond Ferrand (2016). "To affirm nature as a support to live together" and "To develop sharing spaces around nature and urban agriculture" (Ref. 3 page 28)
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
Sustainable Week involving citizens to share, and improve awareness towards sustainable consumption (Sustainable Development Report 2014, Section "Dynamics of development following responsible production and consumption patterns", Ref. 8, page 28) The visit was organized by the city (Ref. 4 and 5).
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme
Please specify other vegetation type
"Some gardeners share their seedlings, crops and exchange services. " (Ref. 6)
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
There is a network with the city and other partners called "Shared spaces network" (Ref. 7); There is a network with the city and other partners called "Shared spaces network" (Ref. 7); -An "Incredible Edible" space (an NGO) (Ref 6);
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
Yes
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)
The city of Clermont Ferrand rents the plots at a rate of 15 euro cents per square meter per year (Ref. 2). Based on the cultivable area (40 216 m^2), this would be a sum of 6032.4 (EUR) paid to the city per year.
However, before renting the plots, the city is in charge of the development of these gardens (Ref. 1). Therefore, the city is still responsible for the maintenance of the entire family garden.
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Other
Please specify other source of funding
Residents renting plots (Ref. 2)
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Other
Please specify other type of fund used
Rent from residents (Ref. 2)
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of land
Provision of labour
Provision of expertise
Exchange of services
Other
Please specify other type of non-financial contribution
-A place of sharing (food, but also convivial moments with neighbors) (Ref. 1)
-"To affirm nature as a support to live together" and "To develop sharing spaces around nature and urban agriculture" (Ref. 3, page 28)
-"Family gardens are not just gardening places, they are a place to relax, for family meals in particular. There are often cooking areas. Some gardeners share their seedlings, crops and exchange services. " (Ref. 6)
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Please specify other Business model
Sustainable food systems model: Inscribed in a practice respectful of the environment, the gardeners and their cultivations turn toward a kind of agriculture that expects from each gardener an eco-responsible behavior in the production of food (Ref. 1).

Business models
Local stewardship model
Other
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Social
Cultural innovation
Please specify social innovation
-Place of sharing with your neighbors (Ref. 6)
-Visit organized to meet the gardeners and disseminate information toward urban agriculture(Ref. 4 and 5).
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Please specify other economic impact
save money: "The increase in the price of fruits and vegetables encourage the urbanites to cultivate their fruits and vegetables themselves to save money," (Ref 2)
Description of environmental benefits
Green space and habitat
-Increased green space area: quantitative increase, m^2, 40,216 m² (Ref 1)
Economic impacts
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Other
Description of economic benefits
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not): "The increase in the price of fruits and vegetables encourage the urbanites to cultivate their fruits and vegetables themselves to save money, but also to eat in peace" (Ref. 2).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved social cohesion
Fair distribution of social, environmental and economic benefits of the NBS project
Improved access to urban green space
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
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Promotion of cultural diversity
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Education
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Please specify other environmental justice issue
The wait list is three years to obtain a plot, meaning that access to the gardens does not meet demand (Ref. 2).
Description of social and cultural benefits
Social justice and cohesion
-Improved social cohesion: "The gardens are a real place of life for gardeners on which families and friends meet and share convivial moments" (Ref. 1).
-Improved access to urban green space: description of increase of number of residents in urban space with access to gardens
-Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces:
-Increased access to healthy/affordable food; fair distribution: "The increase in the price of fruits and vegetables encourage the urbanites to cultivate their fruits and vegetables themselves to save money, but also to eat in peace" (Ref. 2).

Cultural heritage and sense of place
-Improvement in people’s connection to nature; increased sense of place/identity; increased knolwsge of locals about local nature; : "this initiative allows children and adults to learn about seeds and the maintenance of a vegetable patch, while making it possible to create social and intergenerational ties" (Ref. 2).
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
-Family gardens allow to residents living in apartment to have a piece of land to grow their own food and enjoy gardening and meeting with others (Ref. 1 2 and 6)
-Multiple activities are organized in those gardens (Ref. 6)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
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)
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
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
Yes
Please specify the negative impacts
Several news reports in 2017 and 2018 indicated that the Vergnes family garden has been subject to criminal activities including theft, vandalism, destruction of property, and arson (Ref. 9 and 10). Interviews with users of the garden by a group of students studying urban gardening in Clermont-Ferrand indicate rising frustration with the situation (Ref. 11).

"In the Vergnes family gardens in Clermont-Ferrand, a certain number of residents no longer feel safe. Thefts, fires, breakages… They are the victims of repeated crimes" (Ref. 9).
COVID-19 pandemic
The city indicated that parks and gardens were closed to the public in an advisory on April 20, 2020 (though they may have closed earlier with France's stay at home order issued March 16). They were reopened on May 13, 2020: "Parks and gardens: They will be reopened from Wednesday 13 May at 12 noon if the department is classified green. Playgrounds may not be accessible or subject to civic behavior to apply barrier gestures." (Information as of: July 20, 2020)
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Interviews
Where can this data be accessed? Please include a link to a report or web-page.
https://carnetsamta.fr/2018/02/26/un-jardin-dans-la-ville/
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
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Focus Group
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Yes
Please specify
Meetings are organized to consult gardeners, NGO, with the person responsible of the garden (Ref. 6)
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref. 1
Ref. 2
Ref. 3
Ref. 4
Ref. 5
Ref. 6
Ref. 7
Ref. 8
Ref. 9
Ref. 10
Ref. 11
List of references
1. Clermont-Ferrand (n.d). "Jardins familiaux". Available at: https://clermont-ferrand.fr/jardins-familiaux (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
2. Kerroux, Sébastien (2013). "Les jardins familiaux clermontois ne sont plus assez nombreux pour répondre à la demande". France 3 Auvergne Rhône Alpes. Available at: http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/2013/08/29/les-jardins-familiaux-clermontois-ne-sont-plus-assez-nombreux-pour-repondre-la-demande-309209.html (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
3. Ville de Clermont Ferrand (2016). “Plan d’Aménagement and de Développement Durables”. Available at: https://en.calameo.com/read/0000002095f4a1a23e540 (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
4. Ministère de l'Environnement (2015). "VISITE DES JARDINS FAMILIAUX DE LA VILLE". LA SEMAINE EUROPEENNE DU DEVELOPPEMENT DURABLE. Available at: http://evenements.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/campagnes/evenement/4523 (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
5. Anon. (2015). "Visite des jardins familiaux vendredi matin". Available at: https://www.lamontagne.fr/clermont-ferrand/loisirs/environnement/2015/06/17/visite-des-jardins-familiaux-vendredi-matin_11484528.html#refresh (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
6. Cyril (2014). "Compte rendu de la réunion du mercredi 23 avril 2014". Available at: http://data.over-blog-kiwi.com/0/09/61/67/20140507/ob_046b47_cr-23-avril-vergnes.pdf Accessed: July 20, 2020).
7. Clermont-Ferrand (n.d). "Réseau des espaces partagés". Available at: https://clermont-ferrand.fr/reseau-des-espaces-partages (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
8. Clermont Ferrand (2014). “Rapport 2014 Développement Durable”. Available at: https://en.calameo.com/read/000000209c8a764d859be?bkcode=000000209c8a764d859be (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
9. La Montagne (2017). "A Clermont-Ferrand, les jardiniers du quartier des Vergnes tirent la sonnette d'alarme". Available at: https://www.lamontagne.fr/clermont-ferrand-63000/actualites/a-clermont-ferrand-les-jardiniers-du-quartier-des-vergnes-tirent-la-sonnette-d-alarme_12503732/#refresh (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
10. France 3 Auvergne (2018). "Clermont-Ferrand : incendies à répétition dans des jardins familiaux". Available at: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/puy-de-dome/clermont-ferrand/clermont-ferrand-incendies-repetition-jardins-familiaux-1397365.html (Accessed: July 7, 2020).
11. Camille (2018). "Paroles de jardiniers urbains". Available at: https://carnetsamta.fr/2018/02/26/un-jardin-dans-la-ville/ (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
Comments and notes
Additional insights
Wider efforts at urban redevelopment in the Vergnes district are also taking place: "Located to the north of the Clermont-Ferrand metropolitan area, composed mainly of social housing or low-rent housing, the Vergnes district (more than 3000 inhabitants) is home to a significant proportion of young populations.
The district, judged in part to be difficult (endemic unemployment rate, quality of life sometimes degraded, etc.), represents a major challenge for urban renewal: in December 2014, three districts of the Clermont Auvergne Métropole metropolitan area were thus selected under the New Program National de Renouvellement Urbain 2014-2024 (NPRU), including that of Vergnes. One of the main objectives is to positively and sustainably transform the image of neighborhoods, by locally strengthening social ties and the active involvement of residents."

https://www.monprojetpourlaplanete.gouv.fr/projects/plan-climat/collect/depot-des-projets/proposals/developpement-et-premier-deploiement-de-l-application-noe-au-jardin-le-shazam-des-papillons-au-sein-d-un-quartier-en-renouvellement-urbain-les-vergnes-clermont-ferrand-63 (Accessed: July 20, 2020).

"After the official signing of an agreement last November, the New Urban Renewal Project (NPRU) is entering its operational phase. This concerns three districts of the Metropolis in Clermont-Ferrand, Vergnes, Gauthière and Saint-Jacques."
https://www.clermontinfos63.fr/actualite-18303-clermont-ferrand-trois-quartiers-vont-entrer-en-mutation.html (Accessed: July 20, 2020).
Pictures of the NBS
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