Last updated: October 2021
The Hanging Gardens of Jonfosse is a "nature garden". It is used to be a derelict area, but now the area is leased by the nature protection association Natagora to the SNCB-Holding as an opportunity to preserve the rich biodiversity of the place. Natagora uses the project as a teaching garden and they organize public visits during various events. They use the community's help for maintaining the area. In addition to the management, the gardeners usually meet on Saturday afternoons to maintain the plots (Ref. 1).
Hanging Gardens
https://liegeetbassemeuse.natagora.be/index.php?id=1623
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Protection of natural ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Project objectives
The garden is a refuge for biodiversity and is now home to many animal and plant species that have become rare in the city. This garden is now part of the Nature Network (Reseau Nature) as a teaching garden and is also made public during various events. Nature Network is one of Natagora's training for professionals, about biodiversity in green spaces. It is for any professional in the green sector: garden contractors, workers in green spaces in towns and municipalities, nurserymen, landscapers. The objective is really to make it a place of pedagogy and awareness (Ref. 1). The goal is to live with the garden and its evolution throughout the year, observe nature, respect it, preserve some native species (Ref. 2).
Any volunteer who participates in the Jonfosse Gardens project must respect a charter: preserving natural environments, fighting against the proliferation of invasive alien species, preference for native plants, freedom from the spontaneity of wildlife, refusal of chemical pesticides. "We favor the many varieties of tomatoes, indigenous vegetables, etc." (Ref. 2).
Implementation activities
The area is only 1300 m2. Plants, insects, pools, vegetables, vegetable gardens: activities are now numerous. "We started by installing a hive. There are now five of them ", which testifies to the quality of the habitat developed on the spot.
All this is being maintained by a dozen active volunteers, but they are not there to do production. Some volunteers set up a small vegetable garden, but that's all (Ref. 2). "Quickly, Natagora saw the opportunity that presented itself to preserve the rich biodiversity of the place, which initially consisted of scrub. "We progressed with a machete on the ground, at the beginning," adds Pierre Tomasovic" (Ref. 2).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
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
Natagora manages the volunteers and the Nature Network's work that sustain the gardens. Any volunteer who participates in the Jonfosse Gardens project must respect a charter: preserving natural environments, fighting against the proliferation of invasive alien species, preference for native plants, freedom from the spontaneity of wildlife, refusal of chemical pesticides. "We favor the many varieties of tomatoes, indigenous vegetables, etc." The important thing is to ensure diversity. "We have 36 kinds of roses, we associate the honey plants and the production (Ref. 2).
"The area is leased by the Natagora nature protection association to SNCB-Holding" (Ref. 2).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Asset-backed funding (e.g., leasing)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Increased protection of threatened species
- Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
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) Natagora (n.d.). "Jardins Suspendus de Jonfosse - LIÈGE". Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 9, 2020).
(2) Hermann, Benjamin (2014). "Les Jardins suspendus de Jonfosse, ce trésor caché de Liège". L'Avenir. Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 9, 2020).
(2) Hermann, Benjamin (2014). "Les Jardins suspendus de Jonfosse, ce trésor caché de Liège". L'Avenir. Available at: Source link (Accessed: October 9, 2020).