Government support for micro-flowering projects - Montpellier

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Since 2010, the city of Montpellier has supported a community-based agreement on micro-flowering projects ('Projets de microfleurissement') around the city. Micro-flowering projects are participatory urban gardening projects involving the planting of annuals and perennials, vegetable and ornamental on municipal public space. Citizens are able to green the streets of the city using planting pockets, with the support of the local government. The inhabitants who requested micro-flowering permission then maintain the areas. The instrument enables the inhabitants "to be actors of their neighborhood" (Ref. 1). Subsequently, formal 'greening permits' for micro-flowering projects were developed in 2018 which can be requested by inhabitants so the "the municipal agents come to drill the concrete of the sidewalks and the City provides the plants" (Ref. 9 and 10). This instrument entry focuses on the community-based agreement that preceded the formal permits.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Agreement-based or cooperative instrument›Community-based agreement with the support of the government

Challenges addressed

Soil quality
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Social cohesion
Nature appropriation / stewardship

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

The community-based agreement aims to create a greener city. Indeed, one objective is biodiversity preservation: "Bees, wild grasses, and even wild tomato plants ... biodiversity reinvests the street" (Ref. 2). Moreover, micro-flowering projects also contribute to providing refuge and food for wildlife by creating new habitats. In addition to ecosystem restoration and ecological benefits from urban greening, the micro-flowering projects encourage social interaction by developing contact between neighbors. The policy instruments further contributes to urban cooling, reducing heat islands, increasing the permeability of surfaces and therewith reducing runoff, and improving air quality.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Allotments, community gardens or agricultural areas

External building greens

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Good practice characteristics:

Support multifunctional NBS

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Inclusivity

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Minicipality of Montpellier, Directorate for Lanscape and Biodiversity (Mairie de Montpellier, Direction Paysage et Biodiversité)

Instrument design:

Involvement of non-governmental actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Citizens or community groups / NGOs

Type of actor involvement:

Co-planning or co-design of instrument (e.g. boards, advisory role)

Civil society consultation through e.g. workshops, surveys

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

Citizens request permits and are responsible for the upkeep of plants after installation by the city. The Greening Permits for Micro-flowering Projects are supported by the neighborhood associations and the town hall. These participatory urban gardening projects are subject to a request by residents. A feasibility study will first be undertaken by the city services in order to analyze the technical conditions for the implementation of your project. Particular attention will be paid to its location with regard to the rules for occupying the public domain (safety and movement of people with reduced mobility), the presence of underground networks, scheduled works (roads or facade) or the heritage character of the streets. The project will be validated depending on its feasibility.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory role)

Co-management/Joint management

Targeted actors:

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs

Financing

Sources of funding:

Public local authority’s budget

Budget:

Unknown

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

There is currently no evidence in public records about the extent of achieved impacts. Relevant environmental impacts to monitor are: Lowered local temperature, Improved air quality, Increased green space area, Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems, Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species. Relevant socio-cultural impacts to monitor are: Improved social cohesion, Improved liveability, Improved access to urban green space, Increased opportunities for social interaction, Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces, Improvement in people’s connection to nature, Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging, Increased appreciation for natural spaces, Increased knowledge of locals about local nature.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The micro-flowering projects have been running for over 12 years and have been formalized in 2018 into 'greening permits', providing an interesting example for other cities about community-based agreements that are supported by the government and later taken up into being an urban planning instrument. Clear and detailed guidelines on greening permits, which plants to plant and on the procedure to get a permit are communicated by the municipality through practical guiding material (Ref. 11).

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

1. Montpellier (2017). "Un nouveau micro-fleurissement dans le quartier centre, rue roucher". Actualités. Available at: https://www.montpellier.fr/evenement/19886/3624-un-nouveau-micro-fleurissement-dans-le-quartier-centre-rue-roucher.htm (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 2. Gazette (2016). '"Nature en ville : aux fleurs, citoyens !". Available at: http://www.biodiville.org/a/621/nature-en-ville-aux-fleurs-citoyens-/ (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 3. UNA (2021). "Micro Flowering Projects around the city". Available at: https://una.city/nbs/montpellier/micro-flowering-projects-around-city (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 4. Saurel, Philippe (2016). Ville de Montpellier, Développement Durable - Rapport 2016. Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiy2bfF2r74AhVXR_EDHTJ0A3YQFnoECAIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.montpellier.fr%2Finclude%2FviewFile.php%3Fidtf%3D25724%26path%3D6f%252F25724_626_RAPDD2016.pdf&usg=AOvVaw09-90vliFtv-5vWWFhgYc5 (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 5. Montpellier (n.d). "Montpellier main verte !". Available at: https://www.montpellier.fr/1794-montpellier-main-verte.htm (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 6. Les Semeurs de Jardins. (n.d) Accueil. Available at: https://semeursdejardins34.wordpress.com/ (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 7. Ansart, Cédric & Emmanuel Boutefeu (2013). "Sous le pavé, les fleurs". MétroPolitique. Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiG-Pzk2774AhVhSvEDHfG6DpkQFnoECAUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmetropolitiques.eu%2FSous-le-pave-les-fleurs.html&usg=AOvVaw37blaJ4r9OdngD8NUSLZ0O (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 8. Taste of France (2019). "Urban Jungle". Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwilktrw2774AhW0SfEDHb4FCX4QFnoECAcQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffrancetaste.wordpress.com%2F2019%2F10%2F18%2Furban-jungle%2F&usg=AOvVaw2tfAEY_4VVMvAfoI20n9P9 (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 9. Montpellier (n.d). "Bon de végétaliser". Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiL4JX62774AhWGSfEDHb-GByIQFnoECAMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmontpellier.eservices.montpellier3m.fr%2Fpermis-de-vegetaliser%2F&usg=AOvVaw222X6F5STjVuv_yiaGSEzI (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 10. Hamdaoui, Salah (2018). "Le "flower power" se développe à Montpellier". France Bleu. Available at: https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/insolite/le-flower-power-se-developpe-a-montpellier-1538578763 (Accessed: June 21, 2022). 11. Montpellier (n.d.). "Guide Pratique, Bon de végétalisation". Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjX9cf8tdL4AhUnRvEDHaHsD6AQFnoECAUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature-en-ville.com%2Fsites%2Fnature-en-ville%2Ffiles%2Fdocument%2F2021-12%2Fbon-de-vegetalisation-guide-pratique.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0pRpxub1c38Gl2kNw3hqYz (Accessed: June 21, 2022).

Photos

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