News from the Office

Hyphen 67 News from the Office Office International du Coin de Terre et des Jardins Familiaux association sans but lucratif | June 2019 Hyphen 67 | 2019 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents: Leading article The French allotment gardens throughout history 3 Introduction Added value allotment gardening: creating more environmental justice 5 Some examples The Netherlands: The allotment garden site Hoge Weide in Utrecht (NL), a unique site, an element for more environmental justice 8 Belgium: Ecological gardening: An added value for allotment gardeners, neighbourhood, fauna and flora 10 France: Vegetable gardens like no others 12 Great-Britain: The allotments in the United Kingdom, an element for environmental justice 14 Norway: Etterstad allotment garden, a gem for all in the middle of the town 16 Germany: The German allotment gardeners resolutely work for more environmental justice 18 Austria: Socially motivated support services by the central federation of allotment gardeners in Austria 22 Addresses 24 Impressum 25 Hyphen 67 | 2019 2 LEADING ARTICLE The French allotment gardens throughout history Daniel CAZANOVE Vice-president of the French allotment and collective garden federation Very sensitive to all the social prob- Etienne under the leadership of Father lems of his time, father LEMIRE cre- Félix VOLPETTE. ated the allotments in Hazebrouck (city in the north of France) in 1896 In 1928, France had 383,000 allotment and then founded the French “ligue du gardens, 70,000 of which were culti- coin de terre et du foyer” (allotment vated by railwaymen on land put at federation). their disposal by the railway society. Starting with this new period, the pro- The purpose of this ecclesiastic was file of the gardeners began to change to provide the head of the family with with the arrival of new socio-profes- a piece of land, both to grow the vege- sional categories: employees, trades- tables necessary for home consump- men, craftsmen ... tion, but also to have a healthier activity away from the pubs. With the beginning of the Second World War, the occupation and the re- At the beginning of the twentieth cen- sulting shortages, the number of allot- tury, the league experienced a tremen- ments almost doubled to 700,000 in dous rise under the impetus of the 1945 before falling to 150,000 thirty “doctrine du terrianisme”, according years later. The glorious thirties, the to which every man has the right to creeping urbanisation, the surge of enjoy a piece of land. Father LEMIRE the consumer society with the open- created associative structures in or- ing of supermarkets, passed by, giv- der to allow the workers to free them- ing the gardens a cheesy and old-fash- selves from the guardianship of their ioned image. employer. All available spaces near homes and factories were cultivated However, for the last twenty years, the in northern France, but also in most desire for allotments has continuously major cities, like for example in Saint- grown. Consequently to their willing- Hyphen 67 | 2019 3 LEADING ARTICLE ness to reconnect with nature, to cul- tivate their own vegetables, the pledge of a healthy diet, but also their will- ingness to contribute to the greening of the city, more and more city dwell- ers are knocking on the doors of town halls or associations that manage these small plots of land generating long waiting lists. The crisis has also again brought people closer to the earth in order both to save money and of course to eat healthier products without pes- ticides (now banned in France). The increasing land pressure, as well as the changes having occurred over a century have contributed since the 2000s to a diversification of the types of gardens. Besides the tradi- tional allotments, the sizes of which are shrinking in order to adapt them to the time available for gardening, new forms of gardens have emerged, especially in the big cities: gardens at the foot of buildings replacing some- times neglected green spaces, shared gardens, gardens on the roofs. These gardens are mainly initiated by social landlords and local communities. The consideration of these types of gardens is a subject of reflection within the French federation. Whatever the form of the garden, the goal in France and in Europe is to create social bonds, conviviality, as well as to stimulate meetings and ex- changes between families of gardeners. The ecological dimension is also most important in the motivations of the candidate gardeners. Sitting in the shade of a garden shed with one’s neighbour to admire the work done, to follow the progress of the plant growth, are great both for the morale and the mind. Across Europe, allotments are an element for greater environmental justice. I will end with this quote from father LEMIRE, social and visionary priest: “The earth is the way, the family is the goal”. Hyphen 67 | 2019 4 INTRODUCTION Added value allotment gardening: creating more environmental justice Dr. Jons-A. Eisele The issue of environmental justice is from social and spatial position. The gaining more and more attention in social and spatial inequality, such as the environmental debate, especially of residential areas, in relation to be- in connection with urban and district ing affected by pollution on one hand development. Numerous examples and the access to environmental re- recorded and examined in a number sources on the other hand, should be of studies that were conducted in the eliminated. last years, show that the issue is grad- ually reaching the municipal planning Environmental impacts could be trig- and implementation practice, too. gered through traffic noise at much frequented roads or aircraft noise on Already in 2011 at one of the first na- approach paths of airports, through tionwide congresses on environmen- air pollution because of traffic or in- tal justice, the environmental and dustry, a high surface sealing or in- social associations requested in a res- adequate supply with green and free olution from politicians that environ- spaces and could be spatially distrib- mental justice should be given great- uted differently. They can significantly er consideration in the fight for social affect the living conditions in the ur- equity. In 2016, the environment min- ban districts. isters of the German states demand- ed a participatory approach involving The city construction programme all stakeholders for the implementa- ‘Soziale Stadt’ (social city) especial- tion of the issue on the federal state ly focuses on disadvantaged urban level and the consideration of environ- districts. Because socio-cultural mental justice in subsidy programmes problems, wrong-doings in city plan- and planning. The Federal Ministry of ning, as well as environmental and the Environment presents the issue of health burdens are in direct correla- environmental justice as benchmark tion, funding programmes as part of for its policies and orientation in dif- the ‘Soziale Stadt’ should universally ferent areas of activity. consider aspects of planning, environment and health. What’s behind the term of environmental justice? Green spaces are Starting point is the documented multifunctional connection between environmental Green and free spaces are of an out- quality, health and social situation. standing importance for the environ- Environmental justice is on one hand mental quality of your living environ- aiming for the avoidance or rather ment. The extent and quality of these the reduction of the spatial concen- spaces, as well as their access are a tration of pollution and on the other significant field of action in connec- hand for guaranteeing a fair access to tion to environmental justice. Green environmental resources independent spaces have a positive effect on the Hyphen 67 | 2019 5 INTRODUCTION Social networking becomes and social situation. While the diver- more and more important sity of allotment gardens can be in- Often there is a close network in the fluenced primarily by the associations social environment of the urban dis- and gardeners themselves, connect- trict. Collaborations with schools and ing elements and integration into the nurseries use the potential that allot- green space structure are tasks of ment gardens offer regarding nature municipal planning and development. and environmental education, while The closer both stakeholders work to- collaboration with local associations gether, the more successful the imple- and organisations can fulfil important mentation will be. social functions. Gardens as a functional open space Numerous examples, which are pre- in the urban environment meanwhile sented especially at the regular com- also go beyond allotments in the tra- microclimate of their surroundings, petitions, show the diversity and cre- ditional sense. Many positive exam- are important prerequisites for biodi- ativity of individual associations. ples show the possibilities for locally versity in the city and offer space for Current social issues are reflected connecting stakeholders interested local recreation, leisure time, move- in the structures of many allotments, in gardening in the city as a part of ment or could be used for nature and here they often develop amazing solu- various (allotment) garden projects. environmental education. This multi- tions with local stakeholders. Multi- Mobile community gardens such as functionality is an essential feature for culturality, integration, neighbourhood the Neuland project in Cologne, col- the quality of green spaces. assistance, inclusion or voluntary so- laborations between allotment asso- cial engagement in many areas – as- ciations and international communi- Allotments can notably combine pos- sociations have to face up to these ty gardens such as the ‘Bürgergarten itive environmental impacts and so- challenges. Functioning concepts in Habinghorst’ in Castrop Rauxel or al- cial requirements. The access to al- allotment garden associations are ternative allotment garden concepts lotment gardens should be especially an important prerequisite for fair ac- such as the ‘Ökotop Heerdt’ in Düssel- ensured for people and families that cess and use of the environmental dorf impressively demonstrate the va- are socially disadvantaged.

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