Last updated: September 2024
A small biodiversity park was established in Härlanda Park, an old prison complex which today houses a culture centre, a pre-school and office space. The area was previously used as a small lily garden, but this project implements more biodiversity-promoting features such as a bee hive, varied flowers and trees, different types of soil and insect hotels. The municipal real estate company Higab owns the park and partnered with Stadskupan, which works with urban beekeeping, biodiversity, and rewilding, to design and create the park. They also involved Vägen ut! (translates to "the way out"), a social enterprise that employs people who are far from the labour market due to substance abuse issues to help maintain the park in a socially inclusive way. The park has pedagogic features and events for local businesses and organisations as well as the public. The beehive was established in 2022, while the entire biodiversity park was established in 2023. The project will go on for three years and be evaluated yearly. [Ref. 1, 2, 3].
The sound walk at Mångfaldsgården
Ref. 5
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Rewilding
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Improving mental health
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Employment/job creation
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Disconnection from nature
- Social fragmentation and isolation
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks)
Project objectives
1. Creating habitats for bees, butterflies and other pollinators [Ref. 1-4].
2. Convert an unused space into a biological diversity farm that will benefit pollinators and the plantation of a diversity of plants, flowers and trees [Ref. 2].
3. Make the park socially inclusive by employing marginalised people and inviting local businesses/organisations [Ref. 1-4].
4. Teach visitors about biodiversity [Ref. 1, 2, 5].
5. Creation of a calm and green place where both people and pollinators should thrive [Ref. 1].
6. Create a sound garden for park users to have immersive experiences [Ref. 5].
Implementation activities
1. Higab partnered with Stadskupan in 2021 and established a beehive with 50,000 bees set up on the site in the yard of Härlanda Park [Ref. 3-4]. Stadskupan manages the project and takes care of the park together with Vägen ut, a social enterprise where people who are far from the labor market work [Ref. 1].
2. Also, soil, sand beds and ridges were introduced to allow for the planting of plants, flowers and trees [Ref. 1].
3. In 2023 the project focused on developing an entire farm with a focus on ecological sustainability and social inclusion [Ref. 1].
4. In June of 2024, Stadskupan, in collaboration with Higab, hosted sound walk events with the use of advanced microphone technology. The microphones capture various frequencies and sound waves found in nature (e.g. bird songs and plant movements). Participants on the walk can enjoy the sounds in headphones (Ref. 5).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
- Restore valued species
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
- Marginalized groups: Children, young people or youth groups , Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Higab, the municipal real estate company, owns the park and is part of initiating the project, which they frame as part of their sustainability work. Stadskupan, a private company, provides the beehive and designed the park. Vägen ut! is a social enterprise involved in the practical aspects of establishing and maintaining the park. Other stakeholders are the organisations or businesses present at Härlanda Park, partially run by the City of Gothenburg, who are invited to interact with the project
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
(Not specified, but the project is said to contribute to Higab's sustainability efforts. Higab is a municipal company and affected by the City of Gothenburg's environmental goals and strategies. )
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Expected increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Achieved enhanced support of pollination
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
- Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
- Achieved increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved mental health
- Expected improved mental health
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
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.
Sandin, K. (2023). Ny gård på Härlanda fängelse blir paradis för bin och fjärilar. Vårt Göteborg, Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Higab (2023). Pressmeddelande: Ny gård för biologisk mångfald på Härlanda Park. Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Higab (2021). Nu surrar det på kåken. Accessed on August 29, 2023, [Source link];
4.
Stadskupen (n.d.). Higab. Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Swanberg, L. (2024). Lyssna på naturens röster i Härlanda. Vårt Göteborg, Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Vägen ut! (2013). Företagspresentation. [Source link];
7.
City of Gothenburg (n.d.). Om Härlanda Park. Accessed on August 29, 2024, [Source link];
Härlanda
Ref. 1, Photo: Higab
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.