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Allotments, community gardens and floating gardens 

By 2050, the majority of people (67 %) will live in urban areas [1], one of the reasons why urban agriculture and gardening is becoming a topic of growing interest. In addition to providing fresh food to urban areas, community and rooftop gardens provide environmental, social and health benefits, as well as opportunities for economic development. Urban agriculture does not only address climate issues by supporting CO2 storage in urban areas, but it also addresses environmental issues created by food transport and logistics by allowing food to be grown closer to home, thus supporting food security in the long run. Urban agriculture can be implemented in cities in various ways such as vertical farming, community gardens, private orchards, and terrace/rooftop gardens. This factsheet focuses on 3 main types of urban agriculture: community gardens, allotment gardens and floating gardens. 

Community gardens can be considered as part of urban land gardened collectively by a group of people. Community gardens utilize either individual or shared plots on private or public land to produce fruit, vegetables, and/or plants [2]. In some cases, cities could take the opportunity to turn unused urban land into productive community gardens and assign them through open calls or through public private partnerships with local association. Community gardens can have a positive impact on locals, contributing to improved mental and physical health through exposure to nature and healthy sources of food and a sense of belonging to a community. 

Floating garden, Liverpool, United Kingdom. URBAN GreenUP. Source: https://www.urbangreenup.eu/cities/front-runners/liverpool.kl#lg=1&slide=11. 

 

Allotment gardens consist of separate parcels of land assigned to individuals or households for personal use [2]. 

 

Floating gardens are floating green ecological units integrated in a water environment, which can provide habitats for various aquatic and terrestrial species. Floating gardens can take many forms including pontoons, floating platforms and barges (URBAN GreenUP). Floating gardens may provide habitat for varied marine/terrestrial species, opportunities for urban agriculture and climate change mitigation. 

Telheiras allotment garden, Lisbon, Portugal. NATURVATION. Source: https://una.city/nbs/lisboa/telheiras-allotment-garden

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While community gardens and allotment gardens are widely distributed around urban areas in the EU and beyond, it is crucial to reflect on how to properly plan and design these kinds of solutions, tailoring them to various contexts. Specific expertise is needed in understanding the community to be activated, target groups most in need, and appropriate places to set them up.  

 

Concerning floating gardens, while some established models or applications have already been introduced to the market and have been implemented around urban areas, floating gardens materials, implantation techniques and management options are still to be further explored. 

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CARTIF
Resilient Cities Network
JRC

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Climate resilienceNature based solutionsWater
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