2009 Seminar Belgium

From 7^th to 9^th September 2009, 116 participants from 11 national federations discussed the issues of a sustainable ecologic use of allotment gardens in a seminar of the OFFICE INTERNATIONAL du Coin de Terre et des Jardins Familiaux a.s.b.l. organized in Ghent (Belgium).

Special attention was given to apple and vegetable species as well as to the global environmental issues with regard to current market conditions. 

After the various specific lectures, two workshops discussed the following subjects:

1. How can allotment gardeners become the ambassadors of environmental protection?
2. The future of the allotment gardens

These discussions offered the opportunity to show (based on a variety of practical examples) how allotment gardeners can meet the existing requirements. The presented ideas and suggestions are future-oriented and show the way of how allotment gardeners can contribute to a sustainable environmental policy.

 The seminar also allowed preparing the international congress planned for 2011 in Copenhagen.

The following summary of the outcome of the seminar provides the current findings, which will be used as a basis to further develop a future-oriented concept for allotment gardens:

• Work group I : In what way can allotment gardeners be ambassadors for environmental protection?
• Work group II : the allotment garden of the future

You can find the text of the lecture "Healthy Tomatoes" by clicking on this link.