Last updated: May 2025
HortaFCUL is a project created and managed by the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Lisbon to raise awareness and promote the practice of permaculture as a solution to the ecological, social, and economic problems the world is facing (1). This initiative began in 2009 on the University campus through a garden, which allowed HortaFCUL to start conducting some activities that could answer some socio-environmental challenges, such as food security and sovereignty, ecosystem degradation and climate change (13), by raising awareness, teaching, and practising many aspects involved in permaculture and urban agriculture (2). Its focus has been on regenerating soil in an urban environment and creating productive landscapes for people and other beings (12). They grow different types of plants (vegetables, shrubs, trees) in different ways (swales, raised beds, greenhouses) to increase plant diversity and foster ecosystems (13). The project is managed by students and researchers, who hold educational activities, such as courses, workshops, and dissemination activities (events, discussions, fairs, and conferences) (2). The project is organised according to a non-hierarchical sociocratic model, in which all decisions are made as a group, and where all ideas, critiques, and suggestions are seen as added value and an opportunity to improve techniques and knowledge (3). Additionally, it is open to the community, allowing anyone interested to participate and volunteer (1). HortaFCUL is also one of the pioneering permaculture projects in operation in the Lisbon region and is now recognized as a national reference centre for permaculture (2). Since its inception, HortaFCUL has sought to be a hub that attracts people, organizations, and other initiatives, and it is currently a point of contact between different projects and associations, such as local businesses, educational institutions, and networks (5).
Before and after of the plot at the university campus
HortaFCUL - Facebook Page
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Community gardens
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Institutional green space
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
- Environmental education
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
- Food scarcity / security
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Soil degradation and loss
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Food insecurity due to disruptions in food production and distribution
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Protection of agroecology approaches (agroforestry & silvopastoral systems), Sustainable use of natural resources to improve livelihoods and food security (eg. community- based wildlife or forest management), Educational and awareness raising programs, Scientific research of biodiversity or ecosystems
Project objectives
The goals of the intervention include:
To contribute to solutions to the issues of food sovereignty (2)
To raise awareness about the ethics, principles, strategies, technologies, and tools of permaculture, as well as demonstrating how to apply them in our daily lives (1)
To enhance the campus' ecosystem services and, thus, contribute to the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (12)
To provide an opportunity for scientific activities in the context of education for various courses related to environmental and sustainability areas (academic/scientific function) (12)
To support urban biodiversity on campus (ecological function) (12)
To promote outdoor leisure spaces that enhance mental health and connect people with nature (social function) (12)
To disseminate information/knowledge and raise awareness in the community about the importance of these new green spaces in an urban environment (12)
Implementation activities
Its objectives are achieved through the development of prototype spaces (garden, greenhouse, etc.) and also with the workshops, training and events that they organise (1). HortaFCUL is spread between 5 sub-projects (12). Hortinha is the cradle of the project and was HortaFCUL’s only area of intervention on campus during the first 7 years (2009-2016). It started as a permacultural agroforest oriented towards food production in an old campus lawn. Hortinha gradually expanded its area during its 14 years of existence, and it is, nowadays, a 170m2 edible garden that includes a small pond and a recreational area with a shelter (12). In 2016, a vacant lot area of approximately 1500m2 close to Lisbon’s main highspeed ring road was converted into the Permaculture Living Lab (PermaLab). More recently, in 2021, HortaFCUL was a pioneer in promoting the implementation of the first Mediterranean fast-growth Miyawaki forest in a 300m2 lawn. In 2023, HortaFCUL pioneered the creation of two biodiverse outdoor classrooms, called Bioislands, using a methodology applied in EU’s LIFE Desert Adapt, whose main goal was to develop solid and science-based tools to mitigate desertification processes occurring in the Mediterranean region. Lastly, in 2023, HortaFCUL supported the creation of the agro voltaic system called HortaSolar, a new approach that intends to create synergies between photovoltaic-based energy production and food production (13).
Main beneficiaries
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Public sector institution
- Other
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling)
- 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
The initiative was initiated by a group of students at Lisbon University (1, 11, 12). It is coordinated and managed by a team of volunteers, called "Guardians" of Horta (11). This community is composed of students, alumni and researchers from the Faculty of Sciences of Lisbon University (12)
There is a second circle of people who collaborate and help with specific project activities, which are called "Friends of Horta" (11). There is a third circle of people who participate in the events and workshops, sharing their views and interests in permaculture (11).
Faculty of Sciences Directors Board: logistical support agent of the project (11)
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c): main scientific partner (12)
NGOs VIDA and URBEM: partners (12)
Lisbon University has provided financing for extracurricular activities within the community garden, such as the production of essential oils (7)
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
Capacity-building projects, NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation, City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city, Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Research organisation / University
- Other funding sources are unclear
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Other funding types are unknown
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
- Other
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Achieved lowered local temperature
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Achieved enhanced carbon sequestration
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved stormwater management
- Achieved improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Achieved reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Achieved 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)
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Achieved increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Generation of income from NBS
- Achieved generation of income from NBS
- Other
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Achieved increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Achieved increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Sobre Nós . Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
2.
MoreiraP., Avelar, D. (n.d.). HortaFCUL 2.0 Proposta de reabilitação do jardim Mediterrâneo. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
3.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL QUEM SOMOS. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
4.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Os Nossos Espaços e Estruturas. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
5.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Sinergias. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
6.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Óleos Essenciais. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
7.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Produção de Cogumelos. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
8.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Banco de Sementes. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
9.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Permaculture Living Lab "A Ciência da Permacultura". Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
10.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL Projectos Escolas. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Facultade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa (n.d.). HortaFCUL. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
12.
Vaz Pato, A., Ulm, F., Sousa, M., Haag, A., Dias, T., Ribeiro, D., Penha-Lopes, G., Reynaud, R., Vicente, B., Rosa, I., & Avelar, D. (2024). Living the sustainable development: a university permaculture project as an ecosystem service provider. The HortaFCUL case study (2009-2023) . Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
13.
Vaz Pato, A. (2024). Actuar localmente, pensar globalmente: 15 años de HortaFCUL. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
14.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL - Sinergia - Red Convenir. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
15.
EURES (EURopean Employment Services) (2023). Labour market information: Portugal. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
16.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL EDUCAÇÃO & FORMAÇÃO. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
17.
Instituto Nacional de Estadisitca (2023). RENDIMENTO E CONDIÇÕES DE VIDA 2023. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
18.
HortaFCUL (n.d.). HortaFCUL ENVOLVE-TE. Accessed on October 21, 2024, [Source link];
Crop at the community garden
HortaFCUL - Facebook Page
Social place in the community garden with benches to sit on.
HortaFCUL - Facebook Page
Welcome signs to the community garden
HortaFCUL - Webpage
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.