Provision of labour

Based on an urban regeneration project in the city district of Arrenberg, an association called “Awakening of the Arrenberg” formed in 2008, consisting of citizens, entrepreneurs and real estate owners seeking to transform their district. Under the umbrella of the project “climate quarter Arrenberg” initiated in 2014, whose goal is to make the district CO2 neutral by 2030, the development of a city farm covering 60,000 sqm on former railway premises - a Europe-wide unique project in urban farming – is one of their most important plans that make up their vision of becoming carbon neutral. (Ref. 1, 2 and 3). The goal of the farm is to produce healthy and locally produced food, while creating employment opportunities and remaining carbon-neutral, using power only from the sustainable power plant that will be installed for the project. (Ref. 2) In February 2020, the implementation has not yet started, but the “Awakening of the Arrenberg” association says the vision of the urban farm is stronger than ever before and that the project has received funding approval, with experts now working on feasibility studies. (Ref. 8).

From 1850 to 1956 the area Eskesberg was a limestone mine, after that up until 1972 it served as a landfill. When taken over by the city of Wuppertal, groundwater contamination and outgassing required a large remediation to remove toxic substances and recover the area according to nature conservation guidelines. (Ref. 8) Since 2005, it has been turned into a nature conservation area covering 8.5 ha where several rare plants and animals have resettled and thus the area also serves as an important recreational space for residents (Ref. 1, 2, and 3). The project was initiated by the local government, who also collaborate with different partners for maintaining the nature conservation area, such as the biological station, which organizes excursions, performs monitoring on the terrain and sets up bee hives. Also, residents apart from visiting the area can actively participate in its maintenance as volunteers, guided by the city of Wuppertal and the NGO Biologische Station Mittlere Wupper. Furthermore, the nature conservation association of Wuppertal and scientists from the university of Cologne are involved in the intervention by conducting research on the terrain (Ref. 1, 2, 3 and 6).

On 'De Roma', an old cinema that has been renovated into a theatre, a green roof of 650m2 was created which improves biodiversity and contributes to Antwerp's climate change adaptation (Ref. 1, 4). A bee house was also later installed on the roof (Ref. 2). The green roof is created by volunteers of De Roma and Kopspel, which is an organization that provides learning-working places for student of 'Deeltijds beroepssecundair onderwijs (Part-time Secondary Professional Education) and temporary employment for people that want to turn back to the labour market (Ref. 1).

A part of the Translink Biodiversity Project, the garden will support a wide range of native wildlife and plant species as well as enhance pupils’ learning experience. (ref 2). The children of An Droichead will gain a new understanding of the environment around and a biodiversity community garden that could be used by the children and local community as an integral learning resource. (ref 1)

A new wildflower meadow has been created at a new estate on the outskirts of Belfast. The Mount Eagles Drive Action Group held a wildflower planting event with two local Colin primary schools, namely, Christ the Redeemer and Our Lady Queen of Peace to provide a unique opportunity for children to learn about nature, and, in particular, how wildflowers are an essential part of our landscape, enhancing the biodiversity of our native insect, plant and animal species. (ref1) Pupils from Christ the Redeemer and Our Lady Queen of Peace schools spent a morning planting a wide variety of wildflower plugs and seeds in the Mount Eagles wildflower meadow, under the expert supervision of highly trained horticulturalists. (Ref 3)

Offord Road community garden is a place for the residents of West Reading (i.e. those who live, work, go to school in the area). Reading Borough Council set up the community garden (i.e. the green space) at the Oxford Road end of Western Elms Avenue through a grant called ‘Section 106’ (thus giving the site back to the community in 1996). (Ref. 1, 2, 7)

A project began in June 2017 to plant grass, flowers, trees, and shrubs on 10 hectares of “muddy spots”, or unused lands that were being eroded and increasing of dust particles in the city. The aim of the project was to improve the air quality and stop these muddy areas being used as unregulated parking spots. The project was initiated and is partly implemented by the municipality, while volunteers also took part in the initiative, brought together by the citizen group called When we Become 100 000 – we Will Plant a Forest. The project planned to use compost from the new composting facility in Sofia, which reuses food waste. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2)

‘Colorieten Hof’ is a community garden in which vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown sustainably. The garden is a social meeting place for elderly, neighborhood citizens and female immigrants who can learn Dutch and about Belgian culture (Ref. 1, 3).

In 2017, the municipality of Sintra approved the municipal Solidarity Gardens Program, which aims at enabling the inhabitants of Sintra to "value solidarity and, in some way, value natural resources" (ref.4).
This intervention aims to create small gardens in urban areas. Not only as a tool for subsistence for families in situations of social vulnerability but also to generate access to areas that tend to deteriorate, through correct management and profitability of resources. Eventually, the NBS aims to promote actions for the implementation of sustainable urban development, focused on strengthening family and local agriculture (1)

On the brownfield of an abandoned train station and its surrounding terrain, active citizens and neighbors developed Utopia town, a living lab for creative urban development, cultural and creative industries, and citizen engagement. Under the guiding principle “edible train station – edible town", next to other projects, an urban garden with organic cultivation was developed on 1,000 sqm of the terrain at the former train station Mirke as a focus area for their activities due to its favourable location in order to show that gardening is possible in urban spaces, even on balconies or terraces (Ref. 1, 2, and 3). The main building of the Utopiatown has a bar, a concert venue, a food sharing station, and a free bicycle lending service that is operated by volunteers. (Ref. 9). Gardening workshops that are offered to citizens with little experience of gardening are planned to be further extended with seminars and practice classes for students (Ref. 3). Since its beginning, the area of the “utopia town” has grown rapidly and is now providing opportunities for multidisciplinary academic research. (Ref. 12)