, Hungary
City population: 1728868
Duration: 2011 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Residential, Building
Last updated: October 2021

The creation of pocket parks is an urban initiative that has steadily grown throughout Budapest since 2010 (Reference 1). Most of these projects are citizen-led, but there is often support provided in the form of education and consultancy by initiatives such as the Contemporary Architecture Center (KÉK), or sometimes the local government (Reference 8). These spaces, typically covering an area of 1400 square meters only, are multi-functional and provide a space for small-scale food production, recreation, community sharing, and can be a fundamental element of neighbourhood rehabilitation. Moreover, it provides positive environmental effects such as water retention and the improvement of the area's micro-climate. Pocket-parks are critical in increasing the number of green areas in neighbourhoods that have limited space. (Reference 9)

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Grey infrastructure featuring greens
  • House gardens
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
  • Community gardens and allotments
  • Community gardens

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Flood protection
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Regulation of built environment
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Inclusive governance
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social cohesion
  • Social interaction
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Improving physical health
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable consumption
  • Sustainable production

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Knowledge creation and awareness raising

Project objectives

The aim of pocket parks is to try and meet a variety of needs (References 1 and 5): - small-scale food production; - to improve the area's microclimate and air quality; - mitigate extreme events such as floods or heavy precipitation; - richer urban biodiversity; - better air quality; - to provide recreation such as bird watching, exercise; - to provide a small community gathering space; - enhancing public awareness of nature; - providing health and recreational benefits; - bringing together communities; - facilitate cooperation between residents, municipalities and NGOs.

Implementation activities

In the past few years, more than two dozen community gardens have been established in Budapest. (Reference 1) The implementation was sometimes aided by the local government providing the land as well as maintenance resources such as the water supply and soil. In a short period of time, green areas, school squares or empty downtown dental homes were neglected in a residential area, where local and healthy vegetables, fruit production, recreation, and networking could be built into multi-functional community spaces. (Reference 2)

Climate-focused activities

Climate change mitigation:

  • Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
  • Install vertical or horizontal artificial surfaces that help with carbon storage and cooling
  • Raise public awareness of behaviours, lifestyle and cultural changes with mitigation potential

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
  • Means for conservation governance
  • Public engagement

Biodiversity restoration:

  • Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)

Main beneficiaries

  • Citizens or community groups
  • Marginalized groups: Elderly people, Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Non-government organisation/civil society
  • Citizens or community group

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
  • Co-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Pocket parks and community gardens are mostly citizen led. There is support provided, in the form of education and consultancy, by initiatives such as the Contemporary Architecture Center (KÉK), that aims to increase the amount of pocket parks within Hungary. In some cases, the local government plays a role by providing the land as well as maintenance resources such as the water supply and soil. But, by and large, the movement is mostly self-organized. (Reference 1, 6, and 7)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (The National Environmental Programme is harmonised with the 7th Environment Action Programme of the European Union for the period until 2020 and the National Framework Strategy on Sustainable Development of Hungary approved by the Parliament. The Programme also serves as a basis for using the environmental funds of the EU for the 2014-2020 period. (Reference 3))
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (Since 1997, the comprehensive framework for environmental objectives and measures in Hungary has been represented by the National Environmental Programme. The Programme aims at defining environmental goals and the relevant tasks and tools for Hungary, while considering national conditions, long term social interests and future development targets and commitments related to global responsibilities, international co-operations and Hungary's EU membership.Two initiatives are currently under way that will likely be relevant drivers of NBS adoption in the future: Hungary's contribution to the Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES), and a national Green Infrastructure exercise, which will be finalised by 2020 (supported by the Environmental Operational Programme). (Reference 1 and 3) )
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The Budapest 2030 Long-Term Urban Development Concept. This strategic document aims to protect and increase green areas, so as to ensure ecological connectivity and develop walking and cycling corridors. It also promotes greater investment in brownfield sites, the prevention of urban sprawl, and 'smart' city development. (Reference 1))

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
  • Crowdfunding

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
  • Donations
  • Membership or entrance fees

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of land
  • Provision of goods
  • Provision of labour
  • Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Lowered local temperature
  • Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
  • Enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved social cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Increased access to healthy/affordable food
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved mental health
  • Education
  • Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
  • Other

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. Budapest - NBS for climate resilience and pollution control (n.d.). Oppla. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
2. Tart Kapukkal Varnak a Kozossegi Kertek! [The Community Questions Will Be Taken by the Killer! Blog Entry 08/04/2016]. GrundK3rt - Community Garden on Apáthy István street. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
3. Francesco, A. (2017) Pocket Park: Product Urban design, The Design Journal, 20:sup1, S1869-S1878, Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
4. Sandor, F. (2013). The Budapest 2030 Long-Term Urban Development Concept Prepared: on behalf of the Urban Development Department of the Municipality of Budapest Mayor’s Office. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
5. Blake, A. (2013). Pocket parks. University of Washington. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
6. Community Gardens and KÉK (n.d.). kozossegi kertek. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
7. Bende, C. and Nagy, G. (2016). Effects of community gardens on local society: the case of two community gardens in Szeged. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
8. Zacharias, M. et al. (n.d.). Sustainable community gardening in cities. Hortis – Horticulture in towns for inclusion and socialisation (n. 526476-LLP-1-2012-1-IT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP). Available at: Source link [Accessed: 19 Jun. 2020]
9. Marton Kallai - Urban Nature - Community Gardens in Budapest (2016). Maimano. [link unavailable in 2020]
10. Source link. (2018). Budapest - NBS for climate resilience and pollution control. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 18 Jul. 2020]