1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
- Turn an abandoned, degraded urban area into an ecologically sustainable, biologically diverse urban garden
- Provide horticultural and ecological education services
- Provide a place for recreation
- Help bring the community together through socializing
- Help locals develop a better connection with nature
- Encourage people to take responsibility for creating their own environment
- Improve the aesthetics of the area
- Encourage the Municipality to support the creation of other similar gardens by demonstrating the effectiveness of the Vitosha bio-garden
(Ref. 1; Ref. 5; Ref. 6)
- Provide horticultural and ecological education services
- Provide a place for recreation
- Help bring the community together through socializing
- Help locals develop a better connection with nature
- Encourage people to take responsibility for creating their own environment
- Improve the aesthetics of the area
- Encourage the Municipality to support the creation of other similar gardens by demonstrating the effectiveness of the Vitosha bio-garden
(Ref. 1; Ref. 5; Ref. 6)
Quantitative targets
The level of contamination of the garden's produce and water used for irrigation were tested by the national food safety agency (Ref. 2).
Monitoring indicators defined
- Amount of heavy metals, nitrates, and other harmful substances in the vegetables grown in the garden
- Indicators for the quality of the water used for irrigation: active radiation, content of zink, iron, led, copper, cadmium, nickel, chromium, arsenic, phenols, and aluminium
(Ref. 2).
- Indicators for the quality of the water used for irrigation: active radiation, content of zink, iron, led, copper, cadmium, nickel, chromium, arsenic, phenols, and aluminium
(Ref. 2).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"
food production: A communal bio-garden was created by a group of citizens in Sofia in 2014 on a municipal piece of land. The creation of the garden was supported by the Municipality through their programme “Green Sofia”.
social justice: - Educational, volunteering, and recreational events have been organised for children, and also for Syrian refugees
(Ref. 1; Ref; 2; Ref; 3; Ref; 4; Ref; 5; Ref. 6)
social justice: - Educational, volunteering, and recreational events have been organised for children, and also for Syrian refugees
(Ref. 1; Ref; 2; Ref; 3; Ref; 4; Ref; 5; Ref. 6)
Implementation activities
- One side of the garden is for rest and features flowers, trees, and benches
- The other side features orchards, vegetables, seeds, and herbs
- Construction waste was cleaned from the area
- All elements in the garden have been combined in a way which allows them to support each other and protect each other from pests
- Two "Useful Insect Hotels" were added, constructed with the help of children, a beehive, and a compost bin
- Permacultural principles were applied in the design, such as forming raised beds which do need digging and minimize the need for irrigation
- The level of contamination of the garden produce and water was measured
- Only organic materials and natural processes are relied upon to maintain the garden
- The local residents take care of the garden
- Educational, volunteering, and recreational events have been organised for children, and also for Syrian refugees
(Ref. 1; Ref; 2; Ref; 3; Ref; 4; Ref; 5; Ref. 6)
- The other side features orchards, vegetables, seeds, and herbs
- Construction waste was cleaned from the area
- All elements in the garden have been combined in a way which allows them to support each other and protect each other from pests
- Two "Useful Insect Hotels" were added, constructed with the help of children, a beehive, and a compost bin
- Permacultural principles were applied in the design, such as forming raised beds which do need digging and minimize the need for irrigation
- The level of contamination of the garden produce and water was measured
- Only organic materials and natural processes are relied upon to maintain the garden
- The local residents take care of the garden
- Educational, volunteering, and recreational events have been organised for children, and also for Syrian refugees
(Ref. 1; Ref; 2; Ref; 3; Ref; 4; Ref; 5; Ref. 6)
Type of NBS project
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Please specify technological innovation
It is the first bio-garden in Sofia, and because it provides an alternative, more sustainable way of production and consumption of food in an urban setting. (Ref. 1; Ref. 4; Ref. 5; Ref. 6).
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
The organisers would like to encourage the creation of other bio-gardens in Sofia, but no plans have been mentioned (Ref. 1).
