Events

Growing the Future Together: Participation in Urban Development and Agriculture

(The event will be conducted in German without translation)

29 September 2026, 13.00-14.00
Online upon registration

How can participatory approaches contribute to reshaping sustainable food systems and diverse habitats? The webinar focuses on collaborative processes in which different actors work together to develop new ways of shaping production, provision and space. These approaches open up new perspectives for more resilient, biodiverse and future-oriented living environments. We warmly invite you to explore these approaches with us, join the discussion and reflect on how they can be further developed.

 

About the speakers:

Kristin Lazarova studied architecture and urban planning in Stuttgart as well as urbanism and social change in Copenhagen. She designs, researches and teaches in the field of urban space. As project lead of the OpenCultures SubLab Open Planning, she works at the intersection of urban design and urban green spaces. Previously, she worked for and with planning offices in Stuttgart, Zurich and Berlin. Since 2021, Kristin has been involved in building the "Urbane Praxis" initiative. Until 2024, she headed the Urbane Praxis network office, a platform connecting civil society initiatives, public administration and politics. She is a member of the "Urbane Liga" and the "Tramdepot" and contributes to the "Learnscapes" programme at Floating University.

Saskia Bothe is an academic librarian, landscape ecologist and active in the field of urban gardening. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for urban greenery – particularly edible plants – whether in workshops for small-scale and community gardeners, during wild plant walks, or through environmental education programmes for schoolchildren and other interested groups. In the OpenCultures SubLab Open Planning, she acts as a link between citizen scientists in community gardens and researchers at the Julius Kühn Institute and TU Braunschweig. In this role, she is committed to advancing sustainable horticultural practices wherever possible.

In the webinar, Kristin and Saskia will introduce the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research project OpenCultures, which explores how climate knowledge can be translated into sustainable ways of living and climate-sensitive urban development through design principles. A particular focus of the webinar will be on the SubLab OpenPlanning, which investigates how citizens and civil society initiatives can develop greater capacity for climate action and self-efficacy through Citizen Science and participatory formats. The SubLab connects everyday knowledge with formal planning processes to promote a more democratic and open planning culture. Key aspects include a gender-sensitive and intersectional perspective, as well as the development of inclusive forms of participation.

Bertram Fischer is a board member of Mikro Landwirtschaft – Gemeinschaftlicher Gemüseanbau e. V. He studied economics and business administration, worked in the software industry, and co-founded the Mikro Landwirtschaft association. The non-profit organisation supports the development of community farms across Germany and works to establish community-based vegetable growing as infrastructure that can be integrated into municipal structures, contributing to food systems, biodiversity, climate adaptation, health, participation and local resilience.

Building on its experience with community farms in Mannheim and the Rhine-Neckar region, Mikro Landwirtschaft has in recent years gained practical experience in establishing and operating community farms, developed digital tools, guides, manuals and support services, and documented their ecological and social impacts. The association is currently establishing the Bundesstelle Gemeinschaftsacker, a nationwide support centre that assists municipalities with orientation, planning, decision-making and the implementation of community farms.

In his webinar contribution, Bertram Fischer shows how a local grassroots initiative has evolved into a transferable support model for municipalities. He explores how community farms can practically bring together participation, food, biodiversity and urban development – and what structures, tools and decision-making frameworks municipalities need to turn interest into projects that can actually be implemented.

Program:

Welcome & Introduction, Ina Säumel (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) (5 min)
Presentation: OpenPlanning (15 min)
Presentation: Mikro Landwirtschaft (15 min)
Questions from the chat & open discussion (25 mins)

The webinar will be recorded, with the exception of the open discussion.

The event will be conducted in German without translation. However, you are very welcome to provide questions and input in English as well.

 

Register now on Eventbrite.