WELLCOM. Commoning Wellbeing in Barcelona Urban Gardens: Characterization and Assessment

Urban gardens are becoming an integral part of life in Barcelona, growing from just over 20 in 2012 to more than 180 by 2025. Initially valued for local food production, these spaces are now recognized for their broader contributions to social wellbeing, mental health, and environmental resilience. Many of these benefits are linked to their collective nature; but what community means in this context remains unclear. Barcelona’s gardens reflect a wide spectrum of models, from government-promoted allotments to grassroots-driven collectives. Understanding this diversity is essential to realizing the full potential of urban gardens as social and ecological assets. WELLCOM addresses this gap through an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods study with four main goals: (1) characterize the diversity of community practices in Barcelona’s urban gardens; (2) assess how these practices relate to social, environmental, and health outcomes at both individual and neighborhood levels; (3) identify challenges and opportunities under different governance models; and (4) propose policy measures to strengthen community-based practices in gardens and green spaces. WELLCOM is expected to energize Barcelona’s urban gardening movement, support self-organization, and reveal new insights into urban social vulnerabilities. Policy-wise, it will inform the tailoring of existing programs to diverse garden types, support the city’s Urban Agriculture Observatory, and close key knowledge gaps’; especially around the social and health benefits of gardens beyond ecosystem services.

Budget: 26.422,56 €