Community gardens are spaces for socialising, leisure and learning, with a strong socio and cultural potential that will increase the quality of life of its users. They are an integral part of the ecological ecosystem of the county, and are located in parks and green spaces of leisure, bringing a new use to the public space where different generations can live together.
The community Gardens of Cascais are implemented on municipality land that is made available to citizens for the practice of horticulture. These lands, usually inserted in green spaces of leisure, are divided into plots of approximately 35 m2 and equipped with tool sheds, composters and water points.
The use of space requires compliance with the rules established in the Regulation of Community Gardens. This includes the correct use of the resources offered, a healthy coexistence among horticulturists, as well as compliance with the techniques of a sustainable and chemical-free agriculture. All horticulturists receive training, both practical and theoretical, on sustainable agriculture and on the norms of coexistence in the common spaces of the vegetable gardens.
The Hortas de Cascais programme now has four types of community gardens or vegetable gardens in the schools and vegetable gardens in the day centres and the garden of the Pisão farm (learning and leisure centre), increasing the number of visitors and customers in organic products.
With this project the municipality of Cascais wants to promote local sustainable agriculture as well as healthy food habits, and to implement innovative green spaces that respond to the real needs of the population. There are several entities involved in this project: the Municipality of Cascais, Cascais Ambiente, local associations of citizens, local parishes and social organisations.