Botanical garden and its greenhouses renovation

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Rouen

Region

Europe

Native title of the NBS intervention

Jardin des Plantes et rénovations des serres

Short description of the intervention

Located in the south of the town, this garden is an ideal place for family walks. Very popular, it also responds to a scientific vocation for the conservation of plant species from the five continents. In the spring of 2013, the Jardin des Plantes was enriched by a honey garden with a pedagogical vocation, which houses plants whose juice is used by bees to produce honey. The City of Rouen undertook the renovation of historic greenhouses, work on which was completed in 2019. The objective is to enhance the treasures of this extraordinary greenery (Ref. 1). "The collections reach more than 6000 species and the garden contributes to the development of sciences, to the preparation of medical students and to the dissemination of species, thanks to the exchange of seeds" (Ref. 10).

Address

114 Ter Avenue des Martyrs de la Résistance
76100 Rouen
France

Location

The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).

Area boundary

POINT (1.0752411442672 49.423428649834)

POINT (1.0737777272386 49.420939518121)

POINT (1.0779243121775 49.419600803135)

POINT (1.079631801188 49.421911380765)

NBS area image

Source of NBS area image

Google Earth Pro (August 27, 2020). Coordinates offer a rough approximation of extent of NBS.

Total area

85000.00m²

NBS area

85000.00m²

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature

Website of the intervention

https://www.rouen.fr/jardindesplantes

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2015

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2017

End date of the intervention

2019

Present stage of the intervention

Completed

Please specify "other" stage of the intervention

"The participatory fundraising campaign started at the "Garden Seeds" Festival, in May 20-21 2017. The City will again rely in 2018 on this event to promote another call for donations" (Ref. 4)

2. Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

-Objective of the renovation of the greenhouses: "to bring to light all the treasures of this extraordinary greenery." (Ref. 1)
-"Objective: to bring the premises up to standard, which will give access to the treasures hidden in this place, which is now partly closed to the public. These are 8,000 species that the curious will be able to discover after the work. Classic plants but also others much rarer" (Ref. 2).
-To make this renovation a solidarity project (Ref. 2)
-"Witnesses of a magnificent architectural past, the greenhouses of the botanical garden are among the rarest in France. Some of them are included in the inventory of Historic Monuments. Therefore, their restoration has become indispensable today for three reasons:
-improve the working conditions of municipal agents
-achieving significant energy savings
-to strengthen the pedagogical and scientific vocation of the garden." (Ref. 2)
-"The rehabilitation of aging structures, requalification of conservation areas, and greater accessibility to the public will make it possible especially to reinforce the landscape and historical character of the site but also to develop environmental education activities." (Ref. 6, page 1)

Quantitative targets

-"Three zones are concerned, the central greenhouse, the tropical greenhouses and a group of 7 greenhouses, or 15 greenhouses in total." (Ref. 1)
-Botanical Garden is 8 hectares (Ref. 1)
"More than 6,000 species are included in the collections." (Ref. 1)
Approximately 10 000 visits per day in summer (Ref. 6, page 1).

Monitoring indicators defined

Number of plant species conserved; visits per day in summer (Ref. 6, page 1)
Number of greenhouses (Ref. 1)
Area of botanical garden (hectares) (Ref. 1).

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)

Climate change mitigation

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Habitat and biodiversity conservation

Green space creation and/or management

Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)

Environmental education

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Creation of opportunities for recreation

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Tourism support

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

Preservation of natural heritage

Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure

Preservation of historic traditions

Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?

Reduce energy demand, with the use of renewables or energy efficiency improvements

Please specify "other Climate change mitigation activity"

Renovate greenhouses to require less energy for heating (Ref. 8).

Climate change mitigation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Implement solutions to help reducing energy consumption or support the use of sustainable energy resources

Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?

Genetic-focused

Species-focused

Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Protect and enhance urban habitats

Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems

Protect species

Undertake specific measures to protect species

Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species

Undertake specific measures to protect valued species

Take measures for ex situ conservation

Means for conservation governance

Raise public awareness

Public engagement

Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation

Please specify "other Type of NBS project"

seed heritage (Ref 1)/biodiversity maintenance in-situ and ex-situ: "The collections reach more than 6000 species and the garden contributes to the development of sciences, to the preparation of medical students and to the dissemination of species, thanks to the exchange of seeds" (Ref. 10).

Implementation activities

-A public subscription is launched to individuals and companies for the renovation of the greenhouses of the garden plants. (Ref. 2)
-Renovation of the greenhouses (15 in total) (Ref. 1)
-Educational workshops and guided tour organized for adults and children (Ref. 1)
-Hives and honeyflowers garden created in the garden in 2013 (Ref. 1)
-"The central greenhouse, which dominates the perspective from its elevation, lightly bears its almost 170 years. Listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments, it shelters plants from an arid environment, Mediterranean utility plants and even carnivorous plants. In the aviaries, parakeets, parrots, Chinese quail, golden pheasants and other amazing birds compete in color with the surrounding flowers, while in freedom, peacocks, ducks and water turtles roam the edge of the small canal" (Ref. 1).
-"Conservation and enhancement will partly take place in tropical greenhouses. They will host the most important collection of ornamental plants in the garden" (Ref. 8).

Type of NBS project

Maintenance and management of urban nature

Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity

Other

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Parks and urban forests

Botanical gardens

Community gardens and allotments

Other

Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries

Nature in buildings (indoor)

Other

Please specify "other parks or (semi)natural urban green area"

Hives and honeyflowers garden created in the garden in 2013 (Ref. 1).

Please specify "other allotments and community gardens"

a honey garden with a pedagogical vocation, which houses plants whose juice is used by bees to produce honey (Ref 1)

Please specify "other green indoor area"

-" the central greenhouse, the tropical greenhouses and a group of 7 greenhouses, or 15 greenhouses in total." (Ref. 1)

Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens

1 honey garden with a pedagogical vocation, which houses plants whose juice is used by bees to produce honey; unknown number of Hives and honeyflowers garden created in the garden in 2013 (Ref. 1)

Vegetation Type

Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS

Ref. 1: Playground, Bowling green, Pool, Ping pong table, Picnic table, Sanitary, Other equipment, Bandstand, merry-go-round, statuary, aviaries, shop selling sweets and drinks

Amenities offered by the NBS

Playgrounds

Swimming areas

Educational and research amenities (nature protection centre, monitoring stations)

Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café)

Other

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Provisioning services

Medicinal resources

Genetic materials from all biota

Regulating services

Pollination

Habitat and supporting services

Habitats for species

Maintenance of genetic diversity

Cultural services

Tourism

Inspiration for culture, art and design

Recreation

Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)

Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals

Other

Please specify "other cultural service"

Educational workshops and guided tour organized for adults and children (Ref. 1).

Scale

Spatial scale

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality

Citizens or community groups

Young people and children

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Government-led

Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative

The main initiator is the City of Rouen. Thanks to financial local and regional partners (Region Normandy, the Rouen Normandy Metropolis and supported by a parliamentary endowment of Valerie Fourneyron and Luce Pane) and crowdfunding, the project of renovation could be financed. The Foundation called "Fondation Patrimoine" (Heritage Foundation) is hosting the crowdfunding platform (Ref. 5)
-The honey garden was created by the City of Rouen in collaboration with the beekeeping association CIVAM (Center for Initiation and Popularization of Modern Apiculture in Haute-Normandie) (Ref. 1)

Key actors - initiating organization

Local government/municipality

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Please specify other Key actors - Other stakeholders involved

a parliamentary endowment of Valerie Fourneyron and Luce Pane (Ref 5)

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Regional government

Local government/municipality

Public sector institution

Business association or network

Private foundation/trust

Researchers/university

Citizens or community group

Other

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used

Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget

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 city itself is the initiator of this project which is mentioned into their COP 21 commitment towards sustainable development and climate change. At the section "Support Biodiversity at the heart of Rouen" (Ref. 7)

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

Yes

Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section

The city itself is the initiator of this project which is mentioned into their COP 21 commitment towards sustainable development and climate change in the section "Support Biodiversity at the heart of Rouen" (Ref. 7)

If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.

City specific climate change policy or plan

Please specify other vegetation type

plant species from the five continents (Ref 1)
houses plants whose juice is used by bees to produce honey (Ref 1)
greenery (Ref. 1)
botanical garden (Ref 2)
-Hives and honeyflowers garden (Ref. 1)
Mediterranean utility plants and even carnivorous plants. In the aviaries, parakeets, parrots, Chinese quail, golden pheasants and other amazing birds compete in color with the surrounding flowers, while in freedom, peacocks, ducks and water turtles roam the edge of the small canal" (Ref. 1).
-plants from temperate environments, carnivorous plants, as well as cacti found in five different deserts. (Ref 8)
- paphiopedilum rothschildianum , a very rare plant native to Borneo (Indonesia) , (Ref 8)

Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify

The Garden is part of many partnerships, with correspondents from more than 40 countries, making available its seed heritage. However, for this renovation project, the city of Rouen with the financial support of the Normandy Region, the Metropole Rouen Normandie and parliement agents as well as the heritage foundation "Fondation Patrimoine" which host the crowdfunding platform. The honey garden was created by the City of Rouen in collaboration with the beekeeping association CIVAM (Center for Initiation and Popularization of Modern Apiculture in Haute-Normandie) (Ref. 1)

Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify

"Scientific missions are precise: conservation and valorisation of plant species (local flora or certain regions of our planet)." (Ref. 3, page 2)

Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify

Financed partially by the City of Rouen and regional and local authorities (Ref. 2).

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-financing governance arrangements

Yes

Co-governance arrangement

A crowdfunding project

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

€500,000 - €2,000,000

What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?

2200000 (Ref. 8, 2018)

What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?

Unknown

What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?

200 000 (Ref. 8).

Please specify cost savings

50 000 (Ref. 8).

Please specify total cost (EUR)

-"This project, costing 2.2 million euros - partly funded by a participatory campaign - will allow visitors to walk more through the greenhouses, while opening them onto the large public park thanks to a more modern architecture" (Ref. 8, 2018).
-Previously, the total cost was "planned to be 1, 3 Million of euros partly financed by the the municipality, in partnership with the Normandy Region, the Rouen Normandy Metropolis and supported by a parliamentary endowment of Valérie Fourneyron and Luce Pane." 250 000 euros of this total cost will be financed through crowdfunding: "The restoration of greenhouses in the botanical garden enters its financing phase ... participatory. A will of the City so that everyone can mark her/his attachment" (Ref. 2).
-"The site represents a technical challenge, particularly in terms of temperature management, with three different climates to maintain. An automatic climate control system has been installed. "The theme of the premises has been changed and there has been work on the temperature instructions", adds Vincent Lécuyer. The estimated savings are 50,000 euros on an annual heating bill of 250,000 euros for all the premises in the gardens" (Ref. 8).

Source(s) of funding

Public national budget

Public regional budget

Public local authority budget

Crowdfunding

Type of fund(s) used

Earmarked public budget

Donations

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Business models

Green education model

Green heritage model

Please specify other environmental impact

-achieving significant energy savings (Ref 2)

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Public actor (e.g. municipality)

Citizens / local communities

5. Innovation

Type of innovation

Social

Governance innovation

Cultural innovation

Novelty level of the innovation

Unknown

Please specify novelty level of the innovation

"Witnesses of a magnificent architectural past, the greenhouses of the botanical garden are among the rarest in France. Some of them are included in the inventory of Historic Monuments" (Ref 2).

Replicability/Transferability

Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)

Please specify Replicability/Transferability

The City will again rely in 2018 on this event to promote another call for donations" (Ref. 4).

6. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Climate change

Reduced emissions

Green space and habitat

Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

Reduced biodiversity loss

Increased number of species present

Enhanced support of pollination

Increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed

Other

Please specify other economic impact

cost savings: " The estimated savings are 50,000 euros on an annual heating bill of 250,000 euros for all the premises in the gardens" (Ref. 8).

Description of environmental benefits

Climate change:
-Reduced emissions: (expected) "The site represents a technical challenge, particularly in terms of temperature management, with three different climates to maintain. An automatic climate control system has been installed. "The theme of the premises has been changed and there has been work on the temperature instructions", adds Vincent Lécuyer. The estimated savings are 50,000 euros on an annual heating bill of 250,000 euros for all the premises in the gardens" (Ref. 8).

Green space and habitat:
-Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems (local habitats for local species): (achieved) "in freedom, peacocks, ducks and water turtles roam the edge of the small canal" (Ref. 1).
-Reduction of biodiversity loss: (expected) "They will host the most important collection of ornamental plants in the garden . Among them, many orchids, collected in the 19th century by Eugène Boullet in the primary forests of South Asia, “within areas that have now disappeared” and then bequeathed to the garden in 1936" (Ref. 8).
-Increased number of species present: (achieved) "the park nevertheless remains faithful to its primary mission as a botanical garden with its living collections and its seed banks" (Ref. 1). "the dissemination of species, thanks to the exchange of seeds" (Ref. 10).
-"in freedom, peacocks, ducks and water turtles roam the edge of the small canal" (Ref. 1)
-Enhanced support of pollination: (achieved) "The Jardin des Plantes has an educational honey garden which houses plants whose juice is used by bees to produce honey" (Ref. 1).
--"The garden represents a living, architectural, cultural and tourist heritage incomparable with its 5,600 plant species conserved"(Ref. 6, page 1)
-achieving significant energy savings (Ref 2)

Economic impacts

More sustainable tourism

Other

Description of economic benefits

More sustainable tourism: (expected) " "Many have an emotional bond, a strong history with this garden which welcomes 560,000 visitors per year" (Ref. 2). "One of the purposes is to make all greenhouses accessible to the public" (Ref. 4). -"The garden represents a living, architectural, cultural and tourist heritage incomparable with its 5,600 plant species conserved"(Ref. 6, page 1). Approximately 10 000 visits per day in summer (Ref. 6, page 1).

cost savings: " The estimated savings are 50,000 euros on an annual heating bill of 250,000 euros for all the premises in the gardens" (Ref. 8).

Please specify other environmental justice issue

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Achieved impacts

Indicators

-"Its cultural, pedagogical, scientific and conservation missions are integrated into a sustainable development approach." (Ref. 5)
-Crowdfunding initiative for a collaborative financing towards the renovation of the greenhouses (Ref. 1, 2 and 5)
-The garden offers to an ideal place for family walks and discovery (Ref. 1)
-"The rehabilitation of aging structures, requalification of conservation areas, and greater accessibility to the public will make it possible especially to reinforce the landscape and historical character of the site but also to develop environmental education activities."
-"The garden represents a living, architectural, cultural and tourist heritage incomparable with its 5,600 plant species conserved"(Ref. 6, page 1)
-Approximately 10 000 visits per day in summer (Ref. 6, page 1)
-achieving significant energy savings
-improve the working conditions of municipal agents (Ref. 2)

Environmental, social and economic impacts

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)

Analysis of specific impact categories

Job creation: The NBS created ...

No information available

Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...

Improved access to green and/or blue spaces

Other

Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?

No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project

COVID-19 pandemic

"As part of the prefectural decree of August 12, 2020, wearing a mask is compulsory in the Jardin des Plantes sector in Rouen, both in a closed place and in the open air" (Ref. 1, August 26, 2020). Stay at home orders were 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

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

Yes

Link to monitoring/evaluation reports

https://www.fondation-patrimoine.org/les-projets/jardin-des-plantes-rouen

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Impact assessment mechanism

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

Unknown; however: The crowdfunding website of the "Fondation Patrimoine" can be an assessment tool to follow the project updates and the progress of collecting finances.

Some press releases have been moved to this website, but they do only go back until 2016: https://rouen.fr/espace-presse

Link to the output of assessments

https://rouen.fr/espace-presse

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

7. Sources

References

Web links relevant to the intervention

List of references

1. Ville de Rouen (n.d). "Jardin des Plantes". Available at: (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
2. Nouvellon, Marie-Charlotee (2017). "Appel aux dons pour les serres du jardin des plantes". Available at: https://www.tendanceouest.com/actualite-229299-rouen-un-appel-aux-dons-lance-pour-restaurer-les-serres-du-jardin-des-plantes.html (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
3. Ville de Rouen (2017). Guide du Jardin des Plantes. Edition 2017. Available at: https://rouen.fr/sites/default/files/download/2017/guide_jardin_des_plantes_17.pdf (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
4. Hubard, Christophe (2017). "Amoureux du jardin des plantes de Rouen, à votre bon cœur !". Available at: https://www.paris-normandie.fr/rouen/amoureux-du-jardin-des-plantes-de-rouen-a-votre-bon-cur--NM9835917 (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
5. Fondation Patrimoine (n.d). "JARDIN DES PLANTES ROUEN". Available at: https://www.fondation-patrimoine.org/les-projets/jardin-des-plantes-rouen (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
6. Ville de Rouen (2015). Communiqué de Presse: Soutenir la biodiversité au cœur de Rouen. Available at: https://presse.rouen.fr/sites/default/files/communique/cp20151210_cop21-biodiversite.pdf (Website not available in 2020).
7. Ville de Rouen (2015). Communiqué de Presse: Soutenir la biodiversité au cœur de Rouen. Available at: https://presse.rouen.fr/sites/default/files/communique/cp20151210_cop21-biodiversite.pdf (Accessed: Website not available in 2020).
8. Normand, Mathieu (2018). "Rénovation des serres du Jardin des plantes de Rouen : un patrimoine à redécouvrir bientôt". Actu France. Available at: https://actu.fr/normandie/rouen_76540/renovation-serres-jardin-plantes-rouen-patrimoine-redecouvrir-bientot_18982920.html (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
9. Bertrand, Pascale (2018). "Les serres du Jardin des plantes de Rouen jouent la transparence". Paris Normandie. Available at: https://www.paris-normandie.fr/loisirs/les-serres-du-jardin-des-plantes-de-rouen-jouent-la-transparence-BI13933376 (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
10. Comité des Parcs et Jardins de France (n.d.). "Jardin des plantes de Rouen". Available at: https://www.parcsetjardins.fr/jardins/375-jardin-des-plantes-de-rouen (Accessed: August 26, 2020).
11. Fondation des parks et jardins de France (2019). "Serres du jardin des plantes de la ville de Rouen". Available at: https://www.fondationparcsetjardins.com/les-jardins-restaures/serres-du-jardin-des-plantes-de-la-ville-de-rouen-37 (Accessed: August 26, 2020).

Comments and notes

Comments

Section 3/Services: Tourism is selected as it is mentioned Ref. 6, page 1: "Classified as a botanical garden in France, it represents an incomparable cultural, architectural, cultural and tourist heritage with its 5,600 plant species conserved and its 10,000 visitors a day on average in summer". (Added on section 6/Impacts)

Canal is selected as an ecological domain as it is mentioned in Ref. 1: "in freedom, peacocks, ducks and water turtles roam the edge of the small canal" (Ref. 1).

Section 4/Stakeholders: NGOs is selected because "The honey garden was created by the City of Rouen in collaboration with the beekeeping association CIVAM (Center for Initiation and Popularization of Modern Apiculture in Haute-Normandie) (Ref. 1)" (Added section 4/Enablers/Partnership)
-Private Sector is selected because "A public subscription (Call for donation) is launched to individuals and companies for the renovation of the greenhouses of the garden plants."(Ref. 2 and 5)

Public Images

https://www.paris-normandie.fr/loisirs/les-serres-du-jardin-des-plantes-de-rouen-jouent-la-transparence-BI13933376

An aerial view of a garden with paths and a fountain

https://rouen.fr/jardindesplantes