GartenLeistungen: Urban Gardens and Parks: Multidimensional Services for Socially, Ecologically and Economically Sustainable Area and Material Flow Management

The transdisciplinary research project GartenLeistungen explores the multidimensional (ecosystem) services of urban gardens, parks and green spaces for urban society. An extended evaluation of these services provides information that should be taken into account to a greater extent in political decisions on the design of sustainable urban land management. The project team therefore investigates material flows (water, biomass, food, energy), ecological impacts (e.g. on urban climate, biodiversity) and social impacts (e.g. quality of life, social interaction, integration, participation, transformative learning), quantifies and evaluates them on the basis of participatory assessment procedures. Furthermore, the project examines the actor and governance framework of urban land management, in which the definition of public and private space is negotiated and defined in relation to the whole spectrum of public parks and green spaces, community gardens and private gardens - and thus also the question of access to and participation in green spaces of recreation, exchange and nature experience is regulated.

Together with the municipal administrations of Stuttgart and Berlin and an exemplary selection of innovative park projects and urban garden initiatives the developed analytical instruments will be applied to concrete case studies, discussed with activists, users and administrations and made available to support practical planning and development processes. Together with the cities, the urban gardening initiatives and innovative park projects, real world laboratories will be designed, implemented and accompanied over three years. Action strategies for the protection and development of urban gardens and green spaces are to be jointly designed, which can then be further implemented and consolidated in an associated implementation phase if necessary.

ZIRIUS investigates the characteristic actor-network constellations and governance structures as well as the social functions of urban gardens and parks. At the same time, ZIRIUS is responsible for the methodological design and implementation of real world laboratories and designs, supervises and advises the project partners within the research processes.