Last updated: October 2021
It is a community garden initiated by the autonomous assembly of the Poblenou neighborhood. It has changed location a number of times, eventually occupying the empty lot of demolished buildings. Over time the garden has expanded, taking over an adjacent empty space, as well as other yards in the neighborhood. The garden is not maintained for strictly productivity purposes, especially because much of its soil has been contaminated by a soap factory. It is, rather, used as a space for social encounter and knowledge sharing on planting and working with the earth on a communitarian basis (Ref 1 and description provided by CEU). This NBS is also part of a wider movement, the 15M movement in Spain (Ref 1), which had influence on the creation of larger similar global economic 'occupy' movements (Ref 5). Video for the opening party of the 8th self-managed squatted garden in the Poblenou neighborhood, Barcelona from April 11, 2020 shows that the idea of the first garden has lead to the creation of at least 8 of these gardens in the city (Ref 6).
Urban Garden of Poble Nou
http://masteremergencyarchitecture.com/2020/01/15/political-gardening-in-barcelona/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
- Community gardens
- Horticulture
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Conversion of former industrial areas
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable consumption
- Sustainable production
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Other
Project objectives
The social assembly of the Poblenou constitutes a commission of urban gardens with the objective of recovering empty spaces of the neighborhood for the residents through the practice of the urban agriculture community (Ref 1). The project also intends to be a neighborhood, collective, self-managed and assembly social project (Ref. 3)
In general there is the agreement that it is necessary to maintain the autonomy in front of the local administration to maintain the neighborhood and community spirit of the equipment created. (Ref 1)
The social dimension given to the orchard as a meeting place is key to attracting neighbors (Ref 1).
Implementation activities
A system for collecting water from public hydrants has been established, the water collected by this system is only for the community area. The irrigation of the plots has to be carried out with the collection of water from the nearest public source or through the water collected from the rain (Ref. 1)
The development of the activity in the orchard was developed at first between the discretion and the will to become a space for the residents of the neighborhood. The context of crisis and the discrediting of the banks and the construction sector legitimized the practice of urban agriculture to the neighbors, and many neighbors who knew the existence of the garden were interested in participating. The lack of space within the orchard generated the occupation of an adjacent plot and the creation of the second "Horts indignats" (urban orchard) by the middle of 2012. This second orchard was much more visible and had a better quality soil as well as more hours of sunlight. At the end of 2012, a local terrain was occupied adjacent to the Ateneu Flor de Maig, with the objective of providing food to the Ateneu cooperative, but the initiative was dismissed for fear of damaging the consolidation of the Ateneu Flor de Maig. Occupants of a third orchard were expelled and occupied another property (Ref 1). The project also intends to be a neighborhood, collective, self-managed and assembly social project (Ref. 3)
The irrigation of the plots has to be carried out with the collection of water from the nearest public source or through the water collected from the rain. As part of the 15M movement, the indignant garden refuses to participate in agreements with the local administration (Ref 1). The orchard is managed entirely by the neighbors (Ref. 1)
The 8th self-managed squatted garden in the Poblenou neighborhood, Barcelona was opened in April 11, 2020, indicating the presence since the initial reporting of this NBS of 8 total community gardens created (Ref 6).
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Citizens or community group
- District/neighbourhood association
- Social enterprise
- Other
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
- Taskforce groups
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
- Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
- Citizen monitoring and review
- Other
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The experience of the Orchard Commission of the 15M movement in Plaza Catalunya influences some neighbors, who decide to launch the space recovery project. The orchard is defined as a "free, self-managed and communal space where decisions are made in assembly, an open access space and a meeting point for the neighbors, a garden but also a space for creation". The management of the orchard is based on an assembly where all users of plots participate and is open to all neighbors who want to participate. The assembly also regulates the provision of water. Although a system for collecting water from public watering holes has been established, the water collected by this system is only for the community area. The irrigation of the plots has to be carried out with the collection of water from the nearest public source or through the water collected from the rain. As part of the 15M movement, the indignant garden refuses to participate in agreements with the local administration (Ref 1).
The orchard is managed entirely by the neighbors (Ref. 1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
(It is a voluntary initiative of a group of citizens that deliberately kept themselves detached from public institutions (1). )
... a national policy or strategy?
No
(It is a voluntary initiative of a group of citizens that deliberately kept themselves detached from public institutions (1). )
... a local policy or strategy?
No
(It is a voluntary initiative of a group of citizens that deliberately kept themselves detached from public institutions (1). )
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Crowdfunding
Type of funding
- Donations
- Other
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
- Provision of other services
- Exchange of services
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Other
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Promotion of cultural diversity
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Comuns Urbans a Barcelona (no date). "Huerto Indignado de Poblenou". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 31, 2020)
2. Cessation of activity: Source link (website not available in 2020)
3. García López, J. (2019). "El huerto de Poblenou, espacio de resistencia en el que aún florece el espíritu del 15M". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 31, 2020)
4. Metrópoli Abierta (2020). "Lucha vecinal contra una residencia de estudiantes en Poblenou". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 31, 2020)
5. Álvarez-Benavides, A. (2018). Open Democracy. 15M's social and political effects in Spain. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 3 Aug 2020.
6. ELSFUMATS. (2020). Self-managed squatted garden in the Poblenou neighborhood, Barcelona. April 11, 2020. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 12 Aug 2020.
2. Cessation of activity: Source link (website not available in 2020)
3. García López, J. (2019). "El huerto de Poblenou, espacio de resistencia en el que aún florece el espíritu del 15M". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 31, 2020)
4. Metrópoli Abierta (2020). "Lucha vecinal contra una residencia de estudiantes en Poblenou". Available at: Source link (Accessed: July 31, 2020)
5. Álvarez-Benavides, A. (2018). Open Democracy. 15M's social and political effects in Spain. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 3 Aug 2020.
6. ELSFUMATS. (2020). Self-managed squatted garden in the Poblenou neighborhood, Barcelona. April 11, 2020. Available at: Source link. Accessed on 12 Aug 2020.