1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Hannover
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Ein Vermehrungsgarten für Hannover
Short description of the intervention
With the progressive monopolization of the seed trade and the industrial cultivation of hybrid varieties as well as the restrictive seed legislation, the cultivation of old crops has steadily declined and about 90 per cent of the old crops have been lost. This initiative aimed to reverse the trend by the cultivation of old crops, dissemination of their seeds among farmers and educational workshops to protect and increase their biodiversity.

The project involved the building of the propagation garden on an approximately 4500 square meter area in Ricklingen. This project started in 2013 and it involves interested residents, cooperating with Transition Town Hannover (TTH). The city of Hanover supported the initiative by providing the property and financial aid for the construction of the garden. The project has been provided with professional network from BUND (Kreisgruppe Region Han­nover), the School Biology Center, the VEN (Association for the Conservation of Crop Diversity eV) and Leibniz University, Institute of Horticultural Production Systems and the Chamber of Agriculture In 2014, the basic restoration work on the property was completed. (Reference 1, 5).
Frame beds were installed in 2016 while a garden house was built in 2017. The project was funded by the City of Hannover until 2017 but it continues until the present with the help of volunteers (Reference 9).
Address

Bauerwiese 42
Hannover-Ricklingen
Hannover
Germany

Location
Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place
Total area
4500.00m²
NBS area
4500.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Previous derelict area
Website of the intervention
https://www.hannover.de/Leben-in-der-Region-Hannover/Umwelt-Nachhaltigkeit/Natu…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2013
End date of the intervention
ongoing
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Please specify "other" stage of the intervention
The activities in the garden are ongoing.(1)
Goals of the intervention
The goals of the intervention include: 1) Protecting the biodiversity of the cultivated plants at risk - contributing to the proliferation and conservation of varieties which are no longer commercially available, but historically valuable and currently lost; 2) Transfer of knowledge about these plants, their use and cultivation to ordinary people and practitioners; 3) Contributing to the adaptation of old seeds to the new climate conditions; 4) Establishing a practice-oriented network on the cultivation of crops in the region. (Reference 1)



Quantitative targets
Building a propagation garden on a 4.500 square meter plot.(Reference 1)
Monitoring indicators defined
Protection and maintenance of the biodiversity of the old cultivated crops; Improved adaptation of the old crops to the changing climate conditions; Increased sustainability of food production in the city.(Reference 1)
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
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Effective management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social cohesion
Social interaction
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Economic development: agriculture
Employment/job creation
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Preservation of natural heritage
Promotion of cultural diversity
Preservation of historic traditions
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?
Genetic-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Create new habitats
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
Means for conservation governance
Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
Raise public awareness
Public engagement
Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
Capacity building
Protect and apply traditional knowledge and conservation practices
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Implementation activities
-Harvesting and propagation of seeds;
-Running sowing seminars on the basic principles for the cultivation of the cultivated plants and their maintenance - with the plant-specific processing shown in a teaching kitchen;
-Delivery of seed and young plants to houses, small farmers as well as the initiation of crop plants for interested and appropriately trained people;
-Establishing educational and cultural programs on the topic of "plant production and reproduction".(Reference 1)
-Practice of organic gardening and crop rotation;
-Setting up of frame beds in 2016, building of a garden house in 2017; transformation of the roof to a green roof in 2017 with the support of Ewald roofing company;
-Allowing of beetles, bees, etc to work in the garden as they provide benefits like pollination (Reference 5).
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Community gardens and allotments
Allotments
Other
Please specify "other allotments and community gardens"
Propagation garden
Please specify "other Climate change adaptation activity"
Maintain the diversity of crops that can adapt to changing climate and environmental conditions by cultivating and propagating seeds (Reference 1)
Vegetation Type
Garden beds
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Raw materials
Pollination
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Mental and physical health and wellbeing
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Social and community interactions
Please specify "other cultural service"
Educational services - Transfer of knowledge about these plants, their use and cultivation to ordinary people and practitioners (Reference 1, 2)
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by 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
In cooperation with Transition Town Hannover (TTH) initiative, a citizens' community established a 'propagation' garden for old crops. A number of private individuals contributed to the garden in various ways (providing expertise on architectural planning, organic farming, provision of tools, services and labour) and the city of Hannover provided land for the garden without a lease and alos provided financial support in the construction of the garden. The Lower Saxony Bingo Environmental Foundation also supported the development. The project has been provided with professional network from BUND (Kreisgruppe Region Han­nover), the School Biology Center, the VEN (Association for the Conservation of Crop Diversity eV, Region Hanno & shy; ver) and Leibniz University, Institute of Horticultural Production Systems and the Chamber of Agriculture.
(Reference 1, 2).
Key actors - initiating organization
Citizens or community group
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Researchers/university
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)
Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
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 is in line with the 'More nature in the city' ("Mehr Natur in der Stadt") program which aims to improve biodiversity in Hannover.(Reference 3, 6)
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
Citizens developed the garden on their own initiative.
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The project is in line with the 'More nature in the city' ("Mehr Natur in der Stadt") program which aims to improve biodiversity in Hannover.(Reference 3, 6)
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Biodiversity strategy or plan
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
It is planned to provide the project with a professional network consisting of the BUND (district group Hanover), the school biology center, the VEN (Association for the conservation of crop diversity, region Hannover), Leibniz University, Institute of Horticultural Production Systems and the Agricultural Chamber.(Reference 1)
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 City of Hanover has provided the initiative with an approximately 4,500 square meters of land in the district of Ricklingen without lease and helped with financial support in the construction of the garden.(Reference 2)
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?
Set up specifically for this NBS
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
Other
Please specify other source of funding
Citizens' donations. (Reference 2)
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 land
Provision of goods
Provision of labour
Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Other
Business models
Local stewardship model
Green education model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Social
Cultural innovation
Please specify social innovation
A cultural innovation that combines ecologic, educational and cultural elements within a novel initiative that aims at the protection of old crops for the first time in the region.(1)
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
Reduced biodiversity loss
Increased number of species present
Enhanced support of pollination
Restoration of derelict areas
Please specify other economic impact
Diversity in agricultural production
Description of environmental benefits
Green space and habitat: The conversion of an abandoned site (which was previously used by the Christian community for leisure activities) into a propagation garden increased the green space in the area. (Reference 4)
Many vegetables that have disappeared in recent years because of the limitation of industrial agriculture to grow them, were cultivated. This maintained the diversity and multiplied the number of non-commercial vegetables that can adapt to changing environmental conditions and stress such as drought (Reference 7).
The growing colonies of bees provide good pollination in the propagation garden and allotment garden. (reference 9).
Economic impacts
Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Generation of income from NBS
Description of economic benefits
Increase in agricultural production; Diversity in agricultural production, generation of income from NBS: Many vegetables that have disappeared in the recent years because of the limitation of industrial agriculture to grow them, were cultivated. This maintained the diversity and multiplied the number of non-commercial vegetables that can adapt to changing environmental conditions and stress such as drought, thus providing benefits to the agricultural sector. (Reference 7).

The propagation garden have two employees as of 2015 (reference 9).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved social cohesion
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
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Description of social and cultural benefits
Cultural heritage and sense of place; education: The culture of vegetable propagation is preserved by providing knowledge and skills on cultural techniques in agriculture. It is a place of knowledge transfer between layman and the experts. Regular tours, as well as opportunities for cooperation and learning in the practical area, are main components of the project. (Reference 1)
In the garden, the beneficial insects and other organisms like bees, beetles are treated with respect and left on the ground because their importance is acknowledged. This increases awareness with regards to the significance of flora and fauna. (Reference 5)
Social justice and cohesion: The garden does not only serve as an additional accessible green space for the residents, but it also provides an opportunity to interact, learn, work and do relevant activities together. In addition, it improves the sustainability of agricultural practices by ensuring the diversity of old crops that are beyond the limits of industrial agriculture. This improves the accessibility to rare and tasty crops that are cared for. (Reference 1, 4 7)
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
-4500 sqm garden is open to the public (Reference 2);
Environmental, social and economic impacts
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
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Effective management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social cohesion
Social interaction
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Economic development: agriculture
Employment/job creation
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Preservation of historic traditions
Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
Sustainable consumption
Sustainable production
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Paid employment positions
Voluntary work opportunities
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Positive distribution of NBS benefits
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
unknown
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
The propagation garden has been able to develop well in the COVID-19 crisis with the help of a fixed small group of volunteers who are already familiar with the gardening practices employed. Hygiene and distance rules were observed.
Thee volunteer work in the garden was open and spontaneous at first without the need for registration and duration of collaboration work. This resulted to many helpers working for a short period, leaving a few inexperienced volunteers. The COVID-19 situation has brought the realization that management should be changed from spontaneous and open (which cause more stress than help to the management) into a more systematic operation where appointments were required prior to collaboration. (Reference 10, information as of May 28, 2020).
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Other
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
Other
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
The garden is co-managed by the citizens and informally monitored by them on the ongoing basis.(Reference 1)
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 (project information on city website)
Ref.2 (project's website)
Ref.3 (city website)
Ref.4 (VEN's website)
Ref.5 (VEN's website)
Ref.6 (VEN's website)
Ref.7 (VEN's website)
Ref.8 (VEN's website)
Ref.9 (VEN's website)
Ref.10 (VEN's website)
List of references
1. Hannover.de. (no date). The propagation garden for Hannover. Available at: https://www.hannover.de/Leben-in-der-Region-Hannover/Umwelt-Nachhaltigkeit/Naturschutz/Mehr-Natur-in-der-Stadt/Projekte-f%C3%BCr-%E2%80%9EMehr-Natur-in-der-Stadt%E2%80%9C/Ein-Vermehrungsgarten-f%C3%BCr-Hannover. Accessed 14 July 2020.
2. Kornelia Stock. (2015). Propagation garden Hanover - why we exist? What do we want to achieve?' (). Available at: https://vermehrungsgarten.de/node/13. Accessed 14 July 2020.
3. Hannover.de. '"More Nature in the City" continues' ('"Mehr Natur in der Stadt" wird fortgesetzt'). Available at: https://www.hannover.de/Leben-in-der-Region-Hannover/Umwelt-Nachhaltigkeit/Naturschutz/Mehr-Natur-in-der-Stadt/%22Mehr-Natur-in-der-Stadt%22-wird-fortgesetzt. Accessed 14 July 2020.
4. VEN. (2015). Ricklingen Aktuell provides information about the propagation garden. Available at: https://vermehrungsgarten.de/node/106. Accessed 14 July 2020.
5. VEN. (no date). Garden. Available at: https://vermehrungsgarten.de/garten. Accessed 14 July 2020.
6. Kornelia Stock.. (2015) More nature in the city - the propagation garden is one of them. Available at: https://vermehrungsgarten.de/node/27. Accessed 14 July 2020.
7. VEN. (no date). Variety of useful plants: lively, ecological, independent. Available at: https://www.nutzpflanzenvielfalt.de/unser-selbstverst%C3%A4ndnis. Accessed 14 July 2020.
8. Kornelia Stock. (2015). Preliminary balance sheet for the first half of 2015. Available at: https://vermehrungsgarten.de/node/96. Accessed 14 July 2020.
9. Kornelia Stock. (2015). Looking back on a full, rich year. Available at: https://vermehrungsgarten.de/node/145. Accessed 14 July 2020.
10. Kornelia Stock. (2020). The propagation garden is reorganized. Available at: https://vermehrungsgarten.de/node/662. Accessed 14 July 2020.
Comments and notes
Comments
Re:5 I don’t know how to explain the innovation better.

I could not find information of monitoring and evaluation of impacts.
Pictures of the NBS
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/Propagation%20Garden%20Layout.png
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/Propagation%20Garden%20Location.JPG
Please specify other source of non-financial contribution
The project has been provided with professional network from BUND (Kreisgruppe Region Han­nover), the School Biology Center, the VEN (Association for the Conservation of Crop Diversity eV, Region Hanno & shy; ver) and Leibniz University, Institute of Horticultural Production Systems and the Chamber of Agriculture. (Reference 1, 2)