Rijnvliet Edible Neighbourhood (REN) is a unique co-created neighbourhood that uses Nature-based Solutions to deal with global urban challenges. It breaks new ground in terms of accessible urban agriculture that gives identity to a new residential area with a school and various public spaces. The public space in the area is designed as an edible, educative food forest landscape and was developed and planted in close collaboration with local residents.
Local
Netherlands
Utrecht municipality
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-09-16
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Nadia Last name of representative: Van Essen Gender: Female Nationality: Netherlands Function: PR & Communication Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Gustoweg 45 (soon to change to Kratonkade 1, Rotterdam because of moving) Town: Rotterdam Postal code: 3029 AR Country: Netherlands Direct Tel:+31 10 273 3028 E-mail:pr@felixx.nl Website:https://www.felixx.nl/
Rijnvliet Edible Neighbourhood (REN) is a new residential area in Utrecht, part of the Leidsche Rijn expansion that provides 1000 new ground-based dwellings. Initiated by local residents, the public space in the area is designed as an edible, educative landscape. The layout, based on the principles of food forestry, was developed in a participatory co-design procedure with residents, experts and the municipality. This has resulted in a public space design where all the greenery is edible for humans or animals.
The public space of Rijnvliet consists of a 15ha foodforest with more than a thousand (fruit)trees and 220 different (sub)species of edible plants, herbs & shrubs. The foodforest is built up with multiple layers of plants, forming an integrated ecosystem.
The entire district is embedded within a productive landscape, integrating three values: food production, usage and nature. Therefore the principles to create a ‘foodforest’ are merged with the functionalities required for the surrounding residential areas, providing a multiplicity of uses and unique access to nature for all generations. The abundant green and blue spaces are harmoniously blended with the built environment. The quality of life is enhanced by providing a rich human experience, high biodiversity and extensive habitat for birds, bats and other species.
The food forest enhances the ecosystem services of the entire area, including water management, heat reduction and air purification.
Nature-Based Solutions
Foodforestry
Biodiversity
Participation
Education
REN uses Nature-based Solutions to address climate change and provide multiple social, economic, and environmental co-benefits. One of the applied solutions is Urban agriculture, that plays an important role in sustainable urban development and helps urban residents to reconnect with nature. The food forest, as a form of urban agriculture, also enhances ecosystem services such as water management, heat reduction and air purification. It thereby realizes a sustainable urban future for people, animals and nature all together.
The food forest is built up with multiple layers of plants, together forming an integrated adaptive ecosystem, providing ample biodiversity. It creates a habitat that attracts insects, birds, bats and other biota that enforce each other. The seven different layers are: The canopy, consisting of original and planted large trees, low trees, consisting of smaller trees or half-standards, a shrub layer of fruit and berry bushes, a herb layer of multiannual vegetables and herbs, soil covers (a layer of plants that spread horizontally), underground layers of plants that produce roots or tubers and a vertical layer of climbing plants. The design also integrates an existing ecological connection accessible for surrounding wildlife.
The area was formerly used as grassland and had poor soil conditions. Regenerative soil health is achieved by using soil restoring properties of green manure crops, soil life and drainage. Pavement was minimized and permeable paving and gravel was used. Benches and pedestrian bridges are custom made by local workshops using harvest wood from the area, saving transport and reducing carbon emission.
REN offers a rich human experience and a unique, approachable, next-door access to nature. Elements such as the recreational pond, serving multifunctional purposes. This bioretention area provides water entertainment and physical activity, but also functions as a cooling element in summer. The amphibian pond and the nature friendly shore, provide opportunities for context education and self-learning by exploring.
“We have our own food forest; we think it is beautiful. We have our own apples, pears, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries. I can imagine that other people would like a food forest too.” - Resident Rijksstraatweg
The tree canopy path (boomkronenpad), designed by Artist Anouk Vogel, is a true eye-catcher and forms the architectural, artistic highlight of the food forest. The artwork is a four meter high, loop-shaped, narrow path that meanders at height through the treetops of the food forest. Its name can be translated from Dutch to ‘closer to the tree’. From up close you can experience the fruit growing and are able to pick fruits, leaves and nuts. This creates awareness of seasonal cycles. Over time, the trees will merge with the path, giving the feeling of walking right through nature. The path is connected with the school building and facilitates outdoor teaching and creates a direct link between people, the landscape and the benefits of nature. The overall design of REN integrates and stimulates many benefits for humans such as physical activity, context education, self-learning, calming environments and social encounters.
Both the bioretention areas and the food forest with canopy path, add to the richness of urban green infrastructure, deliver aesthetic, recreational, educational and quality of life benefits.
The initial idea of an urban food forest came from local residents in the neighbourhood next to the new urban planning area. The local government embraced the idea and continued interaction with the active citizens during the planning. Residents were involved in the design of REN from an early phase through an active participatory process. By making the performative aspects of the public space visible and understandable, users will value its ecosystem services and play an important role in protecting it.
REN is a circular productive and educative landscape that creates social cohesion within a community by requiring a coordinated effort for its care and maintenance. This results in a strong and resilient community, also in the face of other challenges including climate change.
The first inhabitants of REN, both the adults and their children, have been involved in tree planting in the public space during organized tree-planting days. The active citizen group will continue to think along about the matter of co-maintenance. The productive landscape of REN gives inhabitants a responsible feeling and a good reason to care for their environment in a way that is extremely rare in cities.
“Rijnvliet, Edible Neighborhood, has broken new ground in urban planning working from the grassroot level up. The ecological project should be held up as an example of how to create new neighbourhoods for people, and for biodiversity. It is clear that this has not only created a sustainable future but an excellent quality of life and sense of community.” - Edward Strasser (CEO Innovation in Politics Institute)
The productive landscape of Rijnvliet serves as a backbone and creates social cohesion within a community by requiring a coordinated effort for its care and maintenance. To identify the residents’ wishes for the planning of the food forest, a workshop was organized by the designteam (Felixx, De Zwarte Hond and AE Foodforestry). Altogether we looked at the possibilities for creating an outdoor area that will have positive impacts on experience of nature, living comfort, and health of the residents of Rijnvliet. De results of this workshop were integrated in the final design of the neighbourhood.
Through organized tree-planting days, the new residents and school children were involved in the plantation process from the beginning. The active participation in the implementation of the food forest principles in public space, gives residents a strong stake in the future of the area and is the best assurance for long-term commitment to the stewardship of their Edible Neighborhood.
“It was an honor to plant fruit trees together with the children of Rijnvliet. They are the most important farmers of the food forest and key to the success of Rijnvliet, Edible Neighborhood."- Klaas Verschuure (previous alderman)
The municipality of Utrecht works from five principles to attain the goal of a ‘healthy urban living’ for all of its citizens. Creating a ‘healthy urban living’ is among other things done through the living environment and the food environment of the citizens of Utrecht. An example of a project which aligns with these principles is the Edible Neighbourhood.
Utrecht municipality planned to expand a residential area in Utrecht, as part of a bigger expansion development project. Meeting The Netherlands’ housing assignment in a sustainable way, Stichting de Groene Longen van Rijnvliet (green lungs foundation) involved local residents from the start. Together with Metaalkathedraal (Ecological society) they started an initiative with local residents providing an alternative approach for the neighbourhood. In collaboration with them, Felixx developed an Ambition document for the area that proposed the design for a food forest and edible neighbourhood. This document served a conversation starter with Utrecht Municipality. Metaal Kathedraal was an intermediary between the residents and the municipality and organised information evenings where they informed local residents on the design and the project. The input from the residents was embraced by the municipality.
De Zwarte Hond Architects developed the masterplan of the urban area of Rijnvliet. Felixx developed the public space within the masterplan using their expertise in landscape design and Nature-based Solutions. Xavier San Giorgi, founder of Æ Food Forestry Development was asked by the residents initiative, and developed the food forest principle for Rijnvliet. Van Wijk, Nieuwegein organised the planting and is responsible for the maintenance of the Foodforest. Van Wanrooij developer – specialized in garden cities was the designated developer for Rijnvliet.
The local school was also involved, providing input from a different angle, serving as a representative for children and educational purposes.
Felixx Landscape Architects and Planners is expert in implementing Nature-based Solutions in landscape and urban planning projects. Felixx believes a better world requires a better organization of our environment. Felixx specializes in addressing urgent global challenges with locally embedded design solutions. For the development of the Rijnvliet area, an ambition document was composed. The question was: What are the possibilities with all possible limitations taken into account? The ambition document was composed in close collaboration with local residents, and other experts on the field were asked to join. One of them was Xavier San Giorgi, food forest expert and founder of Æ Food Forestry Development. For Rijnvliet, he developed a customized food forest principle that was presented to the municipality and was later implemented in phases. The municipality embraced the residents’ idea for a food forest principle for the neighbourhood from the start.
Metaal Kathedraal (Ecological society), organised several meetings with residents, designers and architects and the municipality during design and construction phases. The organisation is still closely involved in the neighbourhood, offering food forest and foraging workshops and meetings, creating awareness, social cohesion and responsibility. Every month there is a neighbourhood meeting in which they make an inventory and inform. How can we make our own neighbourhood and our living environment vital together? How are we going to produce the supply of food locally together? How do we measure the current quality of the neighbourhood and how do we optimize it?
Derived from the strengthened resident engagement, a number of educational, recreational, and (nature)inclusive initiatives were set up for Rijnvliet. These are evolving initiatives that continuously add new values to the initial design. Examples are the beehives on a ‘bee island’, an isolated nesting island for birds, harvesting expeditions and maintenance programs dedicated to the food forest.
‘the neighbourhood will become more beautiful because of this’. We hope that this will be something guiding towards a better future. We hope that this will yield other types of vegetation which will help residents connect with each other. Also, it is interesting to see where the food comes from and that they will like it to harvest it eventually.”
- Resident Rijksstraatweg (Groene Longen)
The adjacent elementary school appointed a special ‘food forest teacher’ and implements outdoor education, in their program. The knowledge gained through this program evokes fascination for the environment and gives more awareness about healthy food and biodiversity. The tree canopy path is an artistic addition to the food forest and perfectly complements the educational benefits.
The tremendous amount of plant species that are present in the food forest, attract a lot of biodiversity to the area. The soil health has been improved by using soil restoring properties of green manure crops, soil life and drainage. Additionally, the food forest enhances the ecosystem services of the entire area, including water management, heat reduction and air purification.
Rijnvliet, Edible Neighborhood breaks new ground in urban planning by using participatory design to realize an entire new city district around accessible urban agriculture. Health was placed at the center of city development by weighing all decisions on their impact on citizens' health. Residents co-created the public space as a 15ha food forest with over a thousand (fruit-) trees, 220 different edible plant, herb & shrub species. The design of the public space and the participatory process make Rijnvliet a pivotal development in Utrecht’s transition towards a greener economy and strong local communities.
Both in and around Utrecht, green areas will be affected by the fast growing number of citizens. The outlook of a dense city points out the need for a better societal and recreational use of the green areas in and around the city and to use nature-based solutions as a means to enhance climate adaptation and mitigation, to increase biodiversity, to stimulate active mobility and to increase well-being. In order to let nature fully work for the citizens’ needs, creating solutions in cooperation is essential. Only by involving and listening to citizens from the start, we can work towards healthy urban way of living for everyone.
The productive landscape serves as a backbone and creates social cohesion within the Rijnvliet community. Care and maintenance of the food forest require a coordinated effort of residents together. This resident engagement is the best guarantee for continuous evolution of the educational, recreational, and natural qualities of Rijnvliet, realizing a sustainable urban future for people and nature together.
The cooperation between the neighborhood and the municipality was exceptional. Rijnvliet’s innovative and pioneering approach to city-making, earned Utrecht municipality the European Innovation in Politics Award beginning of 2022.
What started as a normal residential development project, turned into an exciting participatory process, resulting in a climate resilient, edible neighbourhood. REN is an initiative of Stichting de Groene Longen van Rijnvliet (green lungs foundation) & Metaalkathedraal (Ecological society) and a collaboration with Utrecht municipality, De Zwarte Hond Architects, Æ Food Forestry Development and Van Wijk, Nieuwegein: planting and maintenance of the Foodforest. By involving from the start so many experts from different fields, together with local residents, Rijnvliet was able to become something more than your everyday neighbourhood. This multiangled approach made REN an exceptional project in which a new emerging form of urban agriculture offers enormous opportunities for making our cities more sustainable.
Taking Nature-based Solutions as a design method and a nature-inclusive approach, REN offers a wide variety of added values for humans and nature. For example, the area had poor soil conditions. By using soil restoring properties of green manure crops, soil life and drainage, regenerative soil health is achieved. The implementation of the foodforest that enhances the ecosystem, makes that the quality of life is enhanced.
The concept of an edible neighbourhood | The diversity in plant species and vegetation types| The Nature-based Solutions approach | Collaborations with a diverse group of people, from experts to citizens | Educational and social cohesion programme
In theory, the complete concept of REN as edible neighbourhood can be replicated to new to build residential development projects. The principle of the Food forest or edible neighbourhood can be applied to any new, but also into existing urban areas. Especially the rich diversity of plant species, the different vegetation types and the multiple layers that form an integrated ecosystem is an important element, that can be implemented and literary planted elsewhere. Important is to start from a Nature-based Solutions approach and make room for nature in urban areas. Combine human needs with nature and make use of organism that enforce each other.
There are a few conditions one need to take into account: In order for it to succeed, a smooth collaboration with citizens, stakeholders, experts and the municipality is key. The set-up of this process, the organisation of multiple experts and an open-minded municipality, will result in a surprising outcome. Also, a specialized maintenance team or park service should be designated that can offer continuity in maintenance of the food forest after planting. Next to that, a continuously evolving educational programme that enhances the sense of community, responsibility and knowledge about nature is essential.
REN addresses climate change by implementing a set of Nature Based Solutions. Such as: the planting of a rich diversity of plant species, the different vegetation types and the multiple layers (from climbers to the canopy) that form an integrated ecosystem. This system is because of its diversity – no monoculture – better resistant to diseases and pests. By planting native and local species, but also more ‘out of the box’ vegetation types that enhance biodiversity. A rich biodiversity is also achieved by the diversity in plant species and vegetation types that attract different biota.
Green and blue areas are cooler. REN beats local heat stress and thereby global warming by making room for nature that regulates temperature in urban areas. The abundant green and blue spaces are harmoniously blended with the built environment. The ecosystem services of the area, also include water management, heat reduction and air purification.
Think global, act local. REN stimulates a local circular economy. Furniture that is used in the area, such as park benches are made of locally felled trees that were made available by the local municipality. The furniture was manufactured by people that have a distance to the regular labour market.
