Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples

Creation of an additional spot for a vegetable garden, which is a utility of the charitable society for inclusive employment (Gesellschaft für integrative Beschäftigung mbH) in Bremen. With the land provided by the city and with the financial help of Aktion Mensch organization the initiative aimed to establish an additional area for the gardening and horticultural activities that will involve disabled people. The project aims to increase social inclusion of the disadvantaged groups as well as promote urban subsistence and sustainable solutions in food production. The initiative also involves educational activities (Ref. 2, 3).

The two-year project "Integrationsgärten" aimed at the creation of three social integration gardens for refugees at different residential districts: transitional house Arbergen 2 (2016), a transitional house at Tannenbergstraße (2016/2017), and in Huckelriede (2017). The project involved various gardening activities and cultural events that aimed at increasing social integration of the refugees, improving their language skills, as well as stimulating neighborhoods to social engagement and participation in environmental issues in the neighborhood (Ref. 2, 3).

Rehabilitation of the public green space of the Park Krekovic through employment of people with a risk of social exclusion. The initiative cleaned the green areas of the park, rehabilitated the gardens with planting actions, and maintained the overall infrastructure. (ref 4)

The project focused on the creation of a rooftop community garden located near a metro station in Bilbao that aims at educating the residents of the neighborhood on how to grow vegetables, how to eat healthily but also offers free practice hours for every person that wants to have their own plot. The project was initiated by the Bilbao's Center of Innovation, a center that aims to contribute to the economic, strategic and solidarity development of the Municipality of Bilbao (Ref 1).

In 2015, Bilbao City Council launched a pilot project of municipal urban gardens in the district of Rekalde. These urban gardens aim to improve the quality of life of residents by promoting a healthy lifestyle within the neighborhood. Additionally, the municipal urban gardens support a broader initiative to create ecological connectivity across the city’s Green Belt, by linking forest parks with urban parks. (Ref 1)

Ametzola is a neighborhood of Bilbao District 7 located on the left bank of the Bilbao estuary. In 2005 the construction of a park began since the neighborhood was seen as being alienated from other quarters of Bilbao and solicited a regeneration and integration into the urban life of the city. (Ref 1)

The multifunctional Southern City Park in Nurnberg was organized in the place of the large car park alongside the railway. Construction of the new green area between Celtisplatz and Tafelfeldstrasse was built in three construction sections. In the western part, the green playground with cableway, slide and climbing rocks was arranged, the Karl-Bröger-Platz was equipped with benches and a fountain, whereas to the east a large green area with 76 newly planted trees was established (1, 4) Perennial plantings were arranged in eastern section of the park, which members of the Bund Naturschutz maintain on a voluntary basis. The park is also a place where social and cultural events are organized. (4)

The re-urbanization of the Poligono de Levante neighbourhood included the creation of two large urban parks to form a green area of 47 722 m2 and several environmental considerations such as a bridge for fauna (Ref 1), as it is a strategical zone of Palma . It is a combination of different initiatives, some of which include green elements (Ref 1 and Ref 3).

The government of Mallorca promotes orchards, as part of an ecological movement in Spain. As a result, five orchards were constructed, reclaiming abandoned urban spaces by the Mallorca city government in 2010.
The project has three pillars: strengthening social cohesion and inclusion, creating opportunities for education and for recreation. They were also constructed with pensioners in mind (Ref 2).
There would be an annual draw to give to distribute the orchards. However, this got delayed since 2013. In 2019, the municipality took back the property from the previous owners, and one of the orchards was taken from the list of orchards due to its bad conditions (Ref 5). In 2020, there was going to be a new draw for the distribution of orchards with new focus groups requirements but due to Covid19, this project has been paused (Ref 5).

Intercultural Garden Nuremberg Langwasser e.V. is a community garden project aimed at sustainable urban development and tolerance between different social and cultural groups. People of different origins work together on their own plots (about 25 m² each), without a fences between neighbouring plots and consciously in interaction through horticulture and other activities. All the grounds are used as vegetable and flower gardens. Environmentally friendly production is desired and promoted (1). Other opportunities offered in the garden are intercultural activities and self-designed educational work. (10) The association actively promotes integration through social activities, which, as stated by the association “can include things like providing German lessons, organizing small festivals and even settling of a dispute happened once”. (7)