Last updated: October 2021
Located in the backyard of a memorial house, this NBS was created with 2 purposes in mind: to offer a green oasis to the inhabitants of Iasi but also to educate them since the garden itself relies on volunteers primarily who have the opportunity to come and work in the garden, assist in the process of growing food and learn how to lead a healthy life. In a way, this garden is seen as an escape from city life and it combines education with practical skills and community cohesion (1)
Implementation stage of the NBS
https://bunadimineataiasi.ro/actiune-inedita-asociatia-mai-bine-iasi/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Community gardens
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Noise reduction
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Real estate development
- 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, Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Project objectives
1. increase a sense of community ownership and stewardship.
2. foster the development of community identity and spirit.
3. bring people together from a wide variety of backgrounds (age, race, culture, social class).
4. provide opportunities to meet neighbours.
5. Community gardening is a healthy, inexpensive activity for youth that can bring them closer to nature, and allow them to interact with each other in a socially meaningful and physically productive way.
6. add beauty to the community and heighten people's awareness and appreciation for living things.
7. provide a place to retreat from the noise and commotion of urban environments.
8.increase property values in the immediate vicinity where they are located
9. offer alternative voluntary work.
10. teach practical life skills.
11. restore oxygen to the air and help to reduce air pollution. (1, 2, 4)
Implementation activities
The garden was organized through a call for volunteers (3)
Main beneficiaries
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
- Marginalized groups: Elderly people, Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
- Taskforce groups
- Dissemination of information and education
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Museum "Mihail Sadoveanu" of the National Museum of Romanian Literature Iasi, The Agricultural and Veterinary Medicine Univ. and the Mai Bine Association joined together to reorganize and provide continuity to the Sadoveanu Social Garden. Mai Bine Association applied for a grant, the museum offered the space and the university the know how (2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
(This NBS does not mention that its implementation comes from an Eu Directive but it stipulates that it is part of a program between Switzerland and the European Union, through which Switzerland helps less developed countries in EU with cultural, social and environmental issues. The program is called the Swiss contribution to the enlargement of EU and aims to consolidate Switzerland’s relations with the EU and its member states.(5))
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€50,000 - €100,000
Source(s) of funding
- EU funds
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
- Provision of expertise
- Exchange of services
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
- Other
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Unknown
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 access to healthy/affordable food
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, No impacts reported
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. Agerpres (2015), Comunicat de presă - Asociația Mai Bine, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
2. Buna Dimineata Iasi (2015), Grădina Socială Sadoveanu” – O acțiune inedită organizată de Muzeul „Mihail Sadoveanu” și Asociația “Mai bine”, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
3. Ziarul de Iasi (2015), O incursiune în trecut: casele memoriale din Iași atrag anual zeci de mii de vizitatori, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
4. Adevarul (2016), Locul mirific din România unde îl poţi găsi pe Popa-Smântână, asculta pe poetul pasionat de canţonete şi admira pe Marele Maestru al Franc-Masoneriei , Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
5. Asociatia Mai Bine, Revitalizăm o grădină, înviorăm o comunitate, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
6. Source link, (2015), “Cartiere pentru oameni”- Întâlniri consultative pentru ieșeni, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
2. Buna Dimineata Iasi (2015), Grădina Socială Sadoveanu” – O acțiune inedită organizată de Muzeul „Mihail Sadoveanu” și Asociația “Mai bine”, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
3. Ziarul de Iasi (2015), O incursiune în trecut: casele memoriale din Iași atrag anual zeci de mii de vizitatori, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
4. Adevarul (2016), Locul mirific din România unde îl poţi găsi pe Popa-Smântână, asculta pe poetul pasionat de canţonete şi admira pe Marele Maestru al Franc-Masoneriei , Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
5. Asociatia Mai Bine, Revitalizăm o grădină, înviorăm o comunitate, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)
6. Source link, (2015), “Cartiere pentru oameni”- Întâlniri consultative pentru ieșeni, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-8-2020)