1. Rent-a-garden in the
21st century
> Nothing new, but different(iated)…
> From philanthropy to partnership
Jeroen van Schaick
TUDelft & weekend child of the allotment garden
j.vanschaick@tudelft.nl
Johan van Schaick
Former board member ‘Bond van Volkstuinders’ & active gardener
vanschaick@planet.nl
Harvest in the 1980s…and anno 2009
2. …nothing new Since 13th century ‘coelghaerden’
The first urban allotment gardens pre-WW I (cabbage gardens) in NL
(1910-1913)
Allotment parks Tuinwijck (East), Hofwijck (South), Nieuw-
Amsterdam (West) 1909-1942 Committee for
(location and size on the map are approximations)
allotment gardens Amsterdam
Elite initiative (national movement since18th century)
Social-cultural welfare of citizens
Garden-for-the-urbanite
During WW I (and later WW II) the management and
development of these and other new terrains focused on
food security
Part of a international
movement:
- Charitative, utilitarian and recreational gardens
- First Dutch allotments 1838 in Franeker
- International congresses
- Linked to the garden city movement
3. Three kinds of gardens:
Interbellum A. Kitchen gardens, the smallest gardens in which the gardeners
The underlying map (1931) is the analysis on which the AUP grow their own vegetables, potatoes and fruits. Only small barns
are allowed.
(Amsterdam extension plan) is based
B. Allotment gardens with a small wooden home without
The AUP granted ‘Allotment garden parks’ a separate land use status permission for overnight stay
After WW II this led to a shift from land-by-chance to “permanent” C. Allotment gardens with wooden home and permission for
locations overnight stay (increasingly done since 1931)
1918 – now
Amsterdam Association of
Allotment gardeners (BVV)
- Prolonging the park-based organisation of gardeners
after food crisis of WW I was over and the
municipality wanted to stop municipal-garden-
exploitation for food production
- Looking after interests of gardeners, e.g. in light of
urbanization (e.g. in relation to municipality and other
land owners)
- Propaganda for the relevance to exploit allotment
parks
- Increasing knowledge of horticulture amongst
gardeners
1929 – now
National association
4. ALLOTMENT-GARDEN PARKS nowadays
Municipality of Amsterdam
41 parks
of which 24 BVV
and 16 other clubs/associations (17 parks
6.000 allotment gardens
ca. 150 m2 - 400 m2
- kitchen gardens (9x)
- gardens with day-time cabin (5x)
- gardens with overnight cabin (27x)
The map is based on a compilation of data from 2003 and 2006
from the municipality of Amsterdam and Ministerie VROM
-
5. The rise of the
metropolis…and a new
desire to go back to nature
and ‘pure’ food
Diversification of users
and uses of the allotment
garden…trendy! But also
just growing food…
…and emergence of new
organisation forms
The map is based on a compilation of municipal data (2003) by Ministerie VROM
6. from philanthropy …to partnership
- A strong history of community organisation
- Allotment garden development hand-in-hand with urban
development?
- Influencing municipal policy (social & urban development) to secure
land for gardens by :
- partnering up with other stakeholders
- raising the degree of organisation amongst gardeners
- connecting to grassroot initiatives
7. from philanthropy …to partnership
Challenges for associations of gardeners
- Getting recognition as an equal partner for other stakeholders to stand
strong in debates with the municipality
- From aiming for ‘draagvlak’ (basis for support), to aiming to become a
desired partner for municipalities
- Scaling up to regional level, while incorporating grass-root initiatives
8. Further reading
Historic studies
Jansen, L. (1968) Oorsprong en ontwikkeling van het volkstuinwezen in Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Dienst der
Publieke werken van de gemeente Amsterdam/Bond van Volkstuinders Amsterdam.
Zantkuijl, F. (1974)Van coelghaerde tot vrijetijdstuin: een empirisch-sociologische studie over het volkstuinwezen.
Amsterdam: Algemeen Verbond van Volkstuinders Vereenigingen in Nederland
Vermeulen, P. (1980) Enkele aantekeningen over de volkstuin als recreatievorm aan de stedelijke periferie.
Amsterdam: Vrije Universiteit
Policy studies Amsterdam
DRO (2004) Ruimtelijke inventarisatie – Tuinparken Amsterdam. Amstyerdam: Gemeente Amsterdam
DRO (2004) Van volkstuincomplex naar tuinpark - Ontwerpverkenningen naar modernisering van
volkstuincomplexen in Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Gemeente Amsterdam
Vries, S. de & Schöne, M.B. 2004. Volkstuinen in Amsterdam; de sociaal-culturele dimensie.
Wageningen, Alterra, Research Instituut voor de Groene Ruimte. Alterra-Document
Other:
DVD-video World Report Foundation, FAO & ETC “Small urban producers organizations – Key partners for
susteainable development (contribution to better cities - successful examples and lessons learned –empowerment)”
