Dublin, Dublin (FUA), Ireland
City population: 1894440
Duration: 2023 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 2023 m2
Type of area: Vacant or abandoned land
Last updated: August 2025

A community garden opened in 2023 on the Technological University (TU) Dublin Blanchardstown campus. This environmental education and social inclusion project is a collaborative effort involving Fingal County Council, Global Action Plan Ireland, TU Dublin, and the local community. It provides a space for local groups and schools to grow fresh produce, reconnect with nature, and foster a stronger sense of community. Rooted in a successful template developed by Global Action Plan in Ballymun, this initiative promotes social and cultural inclusion alongside environmental education. The Green Living & Sustainability Community Garden (GLAS) aims to create an inclusive environment that welcomes individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. More than a site for cultivating plants, flowers, and vegetables, the garden serves as a hub for fostering social connections, enhancing well-being, and offering valuable educational opportunities. The garden provides individuals with the chance to engage in social horticulture, exploring the connections between food, health, biodiversity, and global issues such as climate change. It operates on organic and regenerative principles, with all tasks and harvests shared by volunteers. Additionally, the garden will support youth gardening projects and public workshops on topics such as growing food, composting, water harvesting, and waste management. Beyond its environmental benefits, the garden helps people connect with one another, positively impacting social, physical, and mental well-being.

The GLAS Community Garden in Blanchardstown
The GLAS Community Garden in Blanchardstown
Ref. 6

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Community gardens and allotments
  • Community gardens
  • Horticulture

Key challenges

  • Environmental quality
  • Soil quality improvement
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Improving mental health
  • Improving physical health
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social justice and equity
  • Social interaction
  • Environmental education
  • Sense of community and community engagement
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable consumption
  • Sustainable production

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Land use and Socio-economic change
  • Agriculture/ crop production
  • Rapid urbanization
  • Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
  • Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
  • Mental health issues (stress, anxiety)
  • Disconnection from nature
  • Loss of sense of place and identity
  • Poor community engagement

Key priorities

Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of areas for food production (community gardens, allotments), Transformation of previously derelict areas, Transformation of vacant land into green spaces, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs

Project objectives

To provide a space for local community groups and schools to reconnect with nature, fostering a stronger sense of community. To grow fresh produce for local consumption and improve the existing soil through various activities including composting To reconnect individuals with nature. To provide opportunities for local residents to connect and interact with each other. To develop new skills related to gardening and sustainability. To enhance individuals' well-being (physical and mental) through community engagement and horticulture. To provide environmental education and stewardship that fosters community resilience. To cater to citizens of all ages and groups including people with functional disabilities (2, 5);

Implementation activities

The GLAS @ TU Dublin garden in Blanchardstown opened in 2023, welcoming local schools, community groups, and individuals to engage with nature and contribute to environmental stewardship. Local residents, school children, and companies collaborated to level and prepare the garden ground, planting a variety of fruit trees and cultivating diverse vegetable crops. Accessible paths were constructed to accommodate individuals with mobility challenges, and composting facilities were created for organic waste. The garden serves as a hub for organizing activities that promote environmental stewardship and community involvement. Workshops on topics such as “The Power of Growing Your Own,” organic composting, “Know Your Soil,” water management, water harvesting, and waste management will be conducted to educate participants on sustainable practices. Among the activities planned for the garden are: Individual Volunteering: Opportunities for community members interested in social horticulture. Nature Explorer: An inclusive program offering nature connection activities for individuals, especially those with limited access to green spaces. Green Living Workshops: Sessions focused on composting, growing vegetables, and waste reduction. Youth Gardening: Horticulture activities designed specifically for young people. (2, 5, 7)

Main beneficiaries

  • Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
  • Non-government organisation/Civil Society
  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Researchers/University
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Young people and children

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Non-government organisation/civil society
  • Researchers/university

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
  • Co-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

This community garden project is a collaborative effort between Fingal County Council, Global Action Plan Ireland (NGO), TU Dublin, and the local community (1). The university owns the site, and Global Action Plan operates it, with financial support from Fingal County Council (10). The GLAS at TU Dublin is a living lab project focussed on offering communities a hands-on experience to learn about sustainable growing and to participate in establishing our shared environment as climate resilient and biodiversity-rich (1). Schools, community, and citizens act as volunteers, learning, planting and maintaining the site (2). Additionally, private companies can engage with the community to address their Corporate Social Responsibility goals (5).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Type of enablers

Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of land
  • Provision of labour
  • Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
  • Other

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved soil quality
  • Expected improved soil quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Expected increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
  • Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved social cohesion
  • Expected improved social cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Expected improved access to urban green space
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Expected increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved physical health
  • Expected improved physical health
  • Improved mental health
  • Expected improved mental health
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research
  • Expected increased support for education and scientific research
  • Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
  • Expected increased awareness of NBS and their benefits

Type of reported 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

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

1.
Technological University Dublin (2023). TU Dublin Launches Community Garden in Blanchardstown. Technological University Dublin, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Technological University Dublin (2024). GLAS at TU Dublin Community Garden Celebrates one-year engaging communities. Technological University Dublin, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Technological University Dublin (2023). Community Gardens for Wellbeing. Technological University Dublin, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Allevents (n.d.). Introduction to Composting. Allevents, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Global Action Plan (n.d.). GLAS Community Gardens. Global Action Plan, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Global Action Plan (2023). The GLAS @ TU Dublin Community Garden. Global Action Plan, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Fingal County Council (n.d.). Fingal LECP Socio-Economic Profile. Fingal County Council, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Ryan, C. (n.d.). Socio Economic Profile Of Blanchardstown. Fingal Country Council, p. 23 Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Global Action Plan (n.d.). About Us. Global Action Plan, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Fingal Public Participation Network (2022). A new community garden at TU Dublin Blanchardstown. Fingal Public Participation Network, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Global Action Plan (n.d.). Compost from home to eliminate food waste. Global Action Plan, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link];
GLAS Community Garden in Blanchardstown
The GLAS Community Garden in Blanchardstown
Ref. 4
The GLAS Community Garden in Blanchardstown
The GLAS Community Garden in Blanchardstown
Ref. 6
Glas garden
Glas garden
https://www.tudublin.ie/explore/about-the-university/sustainability/about/news-and-events/glas-at-tu-dublin-community-garden-celebrates-one-year-engaging-communities.php
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.