Last updated: October 2021
Together with citizens, municipality, NGOs and urban green space developers and managers, GREEN SURGE contributed to the improvement of Ljubljana’s urban green spaces in the LivadaLAB initiative. This project combined research insights with the expertise of the youth NGO Zavod Bob, University of Ljubljana, the Institute for Sustainable Development, construction company LAVCO, urban management company TISA, and a number of local businesses. Together, they implemented a project which successfully integrates youth and environmental policy goals for the City of Ljubljana. It engaged over 30 young citizens in developing a multifunctional open public green space with the aim to further promote, support and foster the active role of citizens, especially marginalized groups, in improving the quality of urban green spaces in Ljubljana. This project is one of the initiatives under the overarching Uran Learning Labs (ULLs) project by Green Surge, which was applied to 20 European cities. (1, 4 and 5)
Urban Living Lab (2017)
Photographer: Anja Manja Segulin, retrieved 08/13/2018 from Mojca Fajdiga
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- 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
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Strategy, plan or policy development
Project objectives
The aim of the project was to create, in cooperation with relevant stakeholders, a model of innovative planning and introducing multi-purpose green city infrastructure. Engaging more young people with urban green space planning is the practical goal that will contribute to the development of a new urban green area (Livada) in Ljubljana. The strategic goal of the ULL is to upscale the experience from the urban green space development project. The main ambition is to consider project-based learning as an improved approach to strategic planning and governance of urban green spaces for increasing the range of ecosystem services of urban green spaces. (1 and 2)
Implementation activities
In a participatory planning process, using a project-based learning approach, the participants managed to substantially increase the range of ecosystem services at the 6,000 m2 test area. The site has transformed from a partially afforested and unused marshland into a thriving community space offering a place for hangout, sports, culture, local food production and experience of rare biotic diversity in urban nature. The site has transformed from a partially afforested and unused marshland into a thriving community space offering a place for hangout, sports, culture, local food production and experience of rare biotic diversity in urban nature. The site has five raised beds with a total area of 30 m2. In the period May-September 2016 the users produced over 15 kg of vegetables. In total over 100 people had at least one meal benefit from vegetables grown at the LivadaLab. In the August-October 2016 period, participants were provided with the opportunity to experience marketed crop cultivation in a large 100 m2 garden. the project has featured in city journal and daily newspaper with over 250.000 printed copies issued), on national TV, at scientific international events (EU GREEN WEEK and European Forum of Urban Forestry 2016) and the Urban October 2016 event, the World Habitat Day and the World Cities Day.(1 and 2)
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Main partners of the ULL are the Biotechnical Faculty University of Ljubljana, as an educational and research organisation; the nongovernmental organisation Zavod Bob, an organisation working with youth; and the Municipality of Ljubljana, as the institution responsible for planning, governing and developing the city of Ljubljana. The municipality is involved with three departments, namely the Department for Culture, the Department for Environmental Protection and the Department for Urban Planning. (3)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project's aims were aligned within the EU policy agenda on Sustainable European Cities. (5))
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- EU funds
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
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Achieved 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
References
1. Ljubljana Municipality. (n.d.) Top green achievements. available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
2. Van der Jagt, A., Anton, B., Reil, A., DeBellis, Y., Fischer, L., Kowarik, I., Cvejić, R., Mårsén, A. (2017) CITIES AND RESEARCHERS LEARNING TOGETHER: WHAT DOES IT TAKE? Green Surge. (attached) available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
3. European Commission (n.d.) Final Report Summary - GREEN SURGE (Green Infrastructure and Urban Biodiversity for Sustainable Urban Development and the Green Economy). available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
4. Olafsson, A. S., Pauleit, S. (2018) GREEN SURGE
FINAL PROJECT REPORT. Green Surge Newsletter, Aug 2014, No 1. available on Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
5. European Commission (2016) SOLIDARITY FOR YOUth. available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
6. Zavod Bob (n.d.) Livadovci iščemo nove člane! Klikni tukaj za več informacij. available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
2. Van der Jagt, A., Anton, B., Reil, A., DeBellis, Y., Fischer, L., Kowarik, I., Cvejić, R., Mårsén, A. (2017) CITIES AND RESEARCHERS LEARNING TOGETHER: WHAT DOES IT TAKE? Green Surge. (attached) available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
3. European Commission (n.d.) Final Report Summary - GREEN SURGE (Green Infrastructure and Urban Biodiversity for Sustainable Urban Development and the Green Economy). available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
4. Olafsson, A. S., Pauleit, S. (2018) GREEN SURGE
FINAL PROJECT REPORT. Green Surge Newsletter, Aug 2014, No 1. available on Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
5. European Commission (2016) SOLIDARITY FOR YOUth. available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
6. Zavod Bob (n.d.) Livadovci iščemo nove člane! Klikni tukaj za več informacij. available at Source link. accessed on 8th November, 2020.
Urban Living Lab (2016)
Mojca Fajdiga, retrieved 08/13/2018
Urban Living Lab (2018)
Mojca Fajdiga, retrieved 08/13/2018