Uppsala University: Climate-smart food grown on campus here.
ENPNewswire-June 24, 2021--Uppsala University: Climate-smart food grown on campus here
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Release date- 23062021 - Uppsala University Campus Garden is a project which aims to build a garden to grow food on Uppsala University campus with the goal of reducing the University's climate impact in terms of carbon emissions.
'We are creating the garden on the previously unutilised space at Villavagen 14, using recycled materials and with solutions that produce zero waste', says Sagnik Sinha Roy and Otilia Bjorndahl Joao, project leaders.
They are inspired by permaculture principles and the aim is to integrate the garden with existing ecosystems.
'We are hoping to involve and engage different actors and levels of the University and the larger society to promote sustainable awareness, reflection and community. The aims of the garden are thus both ecological and social, utilising our multidisciplinary background.'
Sagnik Sinha Roy and Otilia Bjorndahl Joao met last summer (2020) when they were volunteering at Flogsta Food - a community garden by the Flogsta Park. They had been talking about how many unused lawns there are in Uppsala, not least around campus, heard about Uppsala University's 'climate pot', decided to send in an application with the idea of a community garden - and received the funding.
'What had begun as conversations over gardening sessions then turned into something real, says Sagnik Sinha Roy.
In January, they invited volunteers to join the planning process. In March, their employment at the Climate Change Leadership node (CCL) started, and in April they had their first day's work in the garden.
This is part of a collaboration with Akademiska Hus, which is lending the land free of charge - was this a prerequisite?
' When we learned that Akademiska Hus owned the land, we got in touch with them and presented our project. They are working to increase biodiversity in the area and value the green spaces around the campus as part of the knowledge environment. They also provided land and funding for a similar project at the SLU campus, 'Ultuna Permaculture', so they let us use the land for free.'
SEK 187,000 from the climate pot, will cover all costs involved in this project. CCL has also contributed with funding.
How would you like to describe a community garden?
'A community garden can mean a lot of things.'
'The community garden gives us a chance to come together and nurture the...
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