{"id":3880,"date":"2013-10-23T15:31:57","date_gmt":"2013-10-23T13:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sustainable-everyday-project.net\/urbact-sustainable-food\/?p=3880"},"modified":"2013-10-23T15:33:36","modified_gmt":"2013-10-23T13:33:36","slug":"community-garden-charter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sustainable-everyday-project.net\/urbact-sustainable-food\/?p=3880","title":{"rendered":"Community garden charter"},"content":{"rendered":"

28th August, 2013<\/p>\n

Contributor: \u00a0Lyon<\/p>\n

The City of Lyon and community garden stakeholders are co-writing a charter to define and to promote key principles and best practices. Following up a diagnostic made in the beginning of 2013, this document wishes to tackle various topics such as: governance, social link, health risks and polluted soil, food production, etc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Concept\/ Motivations<\/em><\/p>\n

The city of Lyon counts around 28 hectares of collective gardens, including allotments (for personal\/private use) and community gardens. Allotments mostly exist since the early 50\u2019s, and community gardens have emerged during the last decade, due to citizen demand and public social policies.<\/p>\n

About 2\u00a0000 people are involved in those gardens through various organizations: NGOs, neighbourhood committees, etc. and there is a big diversity of gardens: sizes, practices, purposes, constraints, etc. They can be settled on both private and public land.<\/p>\n

A common guideline through diversity<\/strong><\/p>\n

The allotments are a heritage from the past, based on ancient public policies made for workers who came from the countryside to work in factories. Small plots were \u201cgiven\u201d to families to grow their own food. The city grew around those areas, and the situation toward the allotments users stayed quite unclear according to modern laws (private use of public spaces). Even if allotments count for 95% of the gardening land (26 Ha), they are seen as \u201cprivate properties\u201d and there is no view over volume and practices in the food production. However, the municipality wishes to initiate the change.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the city of Lyon has been supporting the raise of community garden. In 13 years, about 35 have been created, either by funding actions or allowing the use of public space by NGOs (with clear contracts). The original main purpose was to maintain or create social link, and promote the (re)use of public spaces, especially in deprived areas.<\/p>\n

Regarding the success of the project, the city is now facing both a huge demand from citizens for new gardens and a wide diversity of stakeholders, needs and uses (such as growing food). To frame partnerships, define common principles and promote best practices, the municipality is working on a charter, with community gardens\u2019 stakeholders. It is also based on the strong network of community gardens, the NGO \u201cLe Passe-Jardins\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Result<\/em><\/p>\n

The creating process started end of 2012 with working on a diagnostic with the NGO \u201cLe Passe-jardins\u201d.<\/p>\n