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Utrecht’s “edible neighbourhood” receives international recognition
The Dutch city of Utrecht, led by mayor Sharon Dijksma, has once again demonstrated its qualities in the field of sustainability and innovations. The project named Rijnvliet, Edible Neighborhood has received the Innovation in Politics Award in the ecology category.
This Utrecht’s sustainable residential area is a result of the collaboration between the local residents and the municipality. The Rijnvliet, Edible Neighborhood is an innovative urban planning initiative centred upon accessible urban agriculture.
In Rijnvliet, the public space was created with food forest concepts in mind. A large food forest with edible plants and trees will soon take the central position of this socially-inclusive neighbourhood which aims to create perfect harmony between people and nature. The living space also provides ecological services such as water management, heat mitigation, and air purification, making Rijnvliet a particularly healthy neighbourhood to live in.
The plan for the layout of the edible residential area has been worked out by Æ Food Forestry Development, Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners and De Zwarte Hond. The new residential district also includes around 1100 new homes. Residents must work together to keep the food forest in good shape which further strengthens social cohesion, making this project truly unique.
The Innovation in Politic Awards have been reserved for Europe’s most creative and innovative projects since 2017, with the goal of making them more visible to the general public. There are nine categories in which innovation, involvement, and sustainability of nominated projects are evaluated. A public jury of more than a thousand European citizens decided to recognize Utrecht’s efforts in the field of ecology this year.
The Deputy Mayor of Utrecht Klaas Verschuure stated: “This is a beautiful recognition for all the effort and hard work the citizens from Rijnvliet and the Municipality have put into this. Collaboration and participation are never a quick fix, we have learned a lot from each other.”
“Commitment to and love for our city and neighbourhood was always the binding factor. The appreciation and acknowledgement from other European citizens is the cherry on the cake,” Vershuure concluded. (photo credit: Foto door Jeroen Musch)
