Last updated: October 2021
The NBS is a socio-ecological initiative to create an urban garden that would serve as an outdoor space for creative endeavours in the Cracow's district Podgórze. The project was implemented by an association of cultural institutions, NGOs, artists' groups, landscape architects, social activists, cultural animators and artisans, who also activated a group of volunteers from among the residents. The initiative involves several activities including greenery planting, horticulture/vegetable garden, ecological education and art workshops. Space is rented from the municipality as an act of protection of naturalistic landscape from over investment and new residential buildings in the area. It is surrounded by modern developments [1,3,4]. The social garden was established in 2013 and it is still functioning with its original purpose [3].
Social Garden in Kraków
Source: https://www.facebook.com/poziomkowapolana/photos/a.1543623689200637/1791531261076544
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
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Effective management
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Promotion of cultural diversity
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable consumption
- Sustainable production
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Protection of natural ecosystems
Project objectives
1. Creation of a community-run garden which protects the neighbourhood from further urban development;
2. Provision of space for social integration through ecological and cultural initiatives [1,4];
3. Support of the processes of social integration and civil society enhancement [1,6].
Implementation activities
Implementation activities include:
- open-air picnics
- community gardening
- cleaning the site
- removing debris and weeds
- creative workshops (e.g. creation of vertical gardens, organic art, building green furniture etc.)
- protection from drastic environment changes (e.g. draughts in winter without snow)
- construction of eco-urban furniture: swings, seats, feeders, trash bin, composter
- community planting of flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs – horticulture
- building bird booths [3,5].
Main beneficiaries
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
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)
- 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
The project was implemented by an association of cultural institutions, NGOs, artists' groups, landscape architects, social activists, cultural animators and artisans, who also activated a group of volunteers from among the residents [1,3]. The initiative is coordinated by Żywa Pracownia (eng. The Live Workshop) project [4].
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
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 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
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Water management and blue areas
- Reduced risk of damages by drought
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- 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 appreciation for natural spaces
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported 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. Fanpage of the intervention, Source link (Accessed: 01 September 2020).
2. Drath, J., (2015) 'New social garden is emerging in Krzemionki' ('Na Krzemionkach powstaje społeczny ogród'), Source link,
Source link (Accessed: 01 September 2020).
3. Online article, 'Social garden wild straberry glade' ('Ogród społeczny Poziomkowa Source link, Source link, Source link (Accessed: 01 September 2020).
4. Website of the founding organization, 'Żywa Pracownia', Source link (Accessed: 01 September 2020).
5. Online article, 'Urban gardening on the level' ('Miejskie ogrodnictwo na POZIOMIE'), Source link, Source link (Accessed: 23 July 2017) (Website under construction in August 2020).
6. The Ministry of Family, Work and Social Policy website, 'Citizens Initiative Fund' ('Fundusz Inicjatyw Obywatelskich'), Source link (Accessed: 23 July 2017) (In August 2020, the link leads to the current version of the same website).
2. Drath, J., (2015) 'New social garden is emerging in Krzemionki' ('Na Krzemionkach powstaje społeczny ogród'), Source link,
Source link (Accessed: 01 September 2020).
3. Online article, 'Social garden wild straberry glade' ('Ogród społeczny Poziomkowa Source link, Source link, Source link (Accessed: 01 September 2020).
4. Website of the founding organization, 'Żywa Pracownia', Source link (Accessed: 01 September 2020).
5. Online article, 'Urban gardening on the level' ('Miejskie ogrodnictwo na POZIOMIE'), Source link, Source link (Accessed: 23 July 2017) (Website under construction in August 2020).
6. The Ministry of Family, Work and Social Policy website, 'Citizens Initiative Fund' ('Fundusz Inicjatyw Obywatelskich'), Source link (Accessed: 23 July 2017) (In August 2020, the link leads to the current version of the same website).
Social Garden in Kraków
Source: https://www.facebook.com/poziomkowapolana/photos/a.1543623689200637/1759004874329183
Social Garden in Kraków
Source: https://www.facebook.com/poziomkowapolana/
Social Garden in Kraków
Source: https://zywapracownia.pl/category/ogrody-spoleczne/poziomkowa-polana/