Urban Garden Sarajevo
Connecting Nature – Urban NbS on the River Miljacka, Sarajevo
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General Description
The Urban Garden Sarajevo is a pilot NbS project carried out within the European Commission-funded Connecting Nature project. It proposes creating an urban garden in a state-run Children's Home located adjacent to a Centre for Healthy Ageing, promoting intergenerational learning through the joint design, management, and maintenance of the garden.
The broader context includes greening of the riverine vegetation along the Miljacka river (which flows into the Sava, a major Danube tributary) and improving water quality. If successful, the City of Sarajevo intends to roll out the model in similar settings across the city.
Innovative Aspects
- Co-production approach – citizens actively engaged in project development, contributing to cost reduction and the creation of green jobs.
- Development of a Co-production Guidebook and a practical guide on using co-production for nature-based solutions.
- Combines intergenerational social innovation with ecological river restoration.
- Scalable urban model designed for replication across Sarajevo and the wider region.
Environmental / Social / Economic Aspects
Environmental: Riverine greening along the Miljacka river, contributing to biodiversity enhancement and water quality improvement.
Social: Protection from pollution, improved aesthetics, intergenerational learning space, and a recreation zone for the local community.
Economic: Engaging volunteers and creating green jobs through co-production of urban green spaces.
Other: The garden functions as a recreation zone connecting citizens with nature in an urban setting.
Link to Spatial Policy
Related to the planning and implementation of ecosystem-based restoration of the city of Sarajevo, especially the riverine vegetation of the Miljacka. Integrates NbS into local spatial planning frameworks, using a "Theory of Change" approach to define targets.
Challenges & Solutions Applied
- Water quality improvement through riparian NbS
- Biodiversity enhancement along urban watercourses
- Green space management through citizen co-production
- Health and wellbeing through accessible recreation spaces
- Creation of new economic opportunities and green jobs
Angažman dionika
Citizens were actively involved through co-production methodology. The co-production framework developed for this project is documented and available as open guidance for other cities seeking similar approaches.
Key Takeaways for Replication
- The model is directly applicable to other cities in the Western Balkans and broader Danube region.
- Co-production reduces costs while increasing community ownership and long-term sustainability.
- Intergenerational approaches to NbS create multiple social benefits simultaneously.