Social interaction

Interkultural Garten was founded in 2009 as an initiative of the Society for the Promotion of Occupational and Social Integration. The aims of the project are social integration between migrants and locals from the same neighborhood, healthy and free-off-charge food supply for those who are in need, as well as the improvement of the natural environment in the neighborhood. The garden plot is located on the former Reese barracks ground (Ref. 1).

Huerto del Miravete is one of the several school gardens that have been supported by municipal, regional and national policies for environmental education on orchards. Huerto del Miravete was a two-year-long project, for the creation of a school garden and irrigation system for use by students in the elementary school system. (Ref 1)The presented intervention is an effort to introduce students to the traditional orchards of the region and the labours involved with them, and to educate on ecological processes through student participation in the garden.

The Sea Heroes Garden is a community garden that was initiated by citizens on an empty lot with the goal to create a garden in which children can play, fruit and vegetables are grown organically and social activities are organized.(1) In the garden, multiple measures allow for storm water retention and the vegetation provides habitat for a broad variety of species. (5).

The Naturfreibad Haunstetten is an artificially designed bathing lake in the south of Augsburg with a water surface of 9,200 m² and a maximum depth of four meters. After the regeneration of 1,5 hectares of green space surrounding the lake, the baths were reopened in 2010 (Ref. 1).

Until the 1990's Bidston Moss was a landfill site and was "unsafe for public access", thus giving a negative impression (close to several residential areas). Restoring work begun in 1995, and in 2006 development started in Bidston Moss through a Newlands scheme: including new features and landscape enhancements to “unlock the full potential” of the area (“as a valued and well-used community woodland for local people and wildlife.”). (Ref. 1, 2)

"Located near several schools, the renovation of this 1,900 m² area, shrubby massifs, grassed areas and varied plants, comes directly from the initiative of local residents" (Ref.1). "During the renovation, the municipal departments ensured the enhancement of biodiversity and ecological management by favoring species that require little watering and phytosanitary treatment" (Ref. 2, page 12).

The entire neighbourhood area was calling for interventions, considering the conditions of decay of this part of the city. The initiative was requested by the residents of the area, in particular considering the state of plants and trees. What needs to be provided is a new surface of grass to replace the terrain on the ground to avoid problems of flooding and new plantations. The park has an important function in terms of mitigation of anthropogenic pressures, but also in terms of social value for the residents. (Ref.1.)

The project was started by a group of local people with the aim of turning a barren piece of land into allotments. The aim was to benefit residents/members of the public by growing their own (local) food (and learning e.g. how to grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers for wildlife as well as bee-keeping). 29 allotments were created. (Ref. 1, 2, 3)

Hillyfields Community Park is situated in the Ward of Gillingham North in Medway (ref. 1). It is an open space with some remnant orchard. This space was in an area with high social deprivation and unemployment and was improved between 2005 and 2009 to include natural play elements, better accessibility, host community projects and recreational facilities, and be a safer space (Ref 1, 3).

North Wirral Coastal Rangers and volunteers are working together to plant discarded Christmas trees to stabilise sand dunes between Leasowe Bay and the Gunsite area of the North Wirral Coastal Park. The Christmas trees help to catch and trap sand blowing in from the beach and in a few years will create artificial dune shapes, benefiting plants and animals. (Ref. 1)

In 2016 the Rangers and volunteers undertook a dune restoration project at the Gunsite. They advertised for the public to drop off their old Christmas trees at a collection point. The trees were then used to reinforce the dunes and trap sand. This was very successful and in 2017 they continued with the project, again with great success. In 2018 they ran a high profile social media campaign using Twitter and Facebook, asking for more Christmas Trees. This has generated a huge response and generated over 900 trees. It also prompted Radio Merseyside to interview Dave Stevenson, the Coastal Ranger, over the project and how it was helping to stabilize and re-establish the dunes (Ref 8).