Community Garden Tilburg University
Our campus is a vibrant and green environment; a safe and open environment. To work together effectively and to know and acknowledge each other’s talents, connections and encounters are essential. A brand-new Community Garden becomes a place where our community can jointly spend time outside for some necessary fresh air, social encounters, and inspiration.
A place for social encounters & inspiration
This garden is a space where students and staff could meet as volunteers to put a pause on the increasingly digital and hectic nature of our everyday lives. This is a dedicated space on the edge of campus, next to Academia building, where flowers could blossom, vegetables could grow, and members of our Tilburg University community could jointly spend time outside for some necessary fresh air, social encounters, and inspiration.
I am very proud of this student and staff initiative that contributes both to our green and sustainable campus, and to the well-being of our staff and students. I hope that it really will be a Community Garden were students and staff will meet and work on the garden together
- Paulina Snijders, Vice-President of Tilburg University Executive Board
Students & Tilburg Young Academy
The Community Garden is an idea of student Lauren Fergus. She presented this idea during Opening Academic Year 21/22. In addition to a group of enthusiastic students, the Tilburg Young Academy, a group of academics has supported this initiative. Together they are motivated to make the garden a success. Meanwhile, with the cooperation of Facility Services, the designs have been made and approved and construction can begin.
David Peeters (president Tilburg Young Academy): Tilburg Young Academy envisions a space where colleagues and students from the different Schools meet one another, both spontaneously and during dedicated events, as a fertile ground for novel ideas and inspiration. As a joint effort between students, scientific and non-scientific staff, and the university board, the Garden showcases how collaboration across Schools and divisions can lead to great results.
The Community Garden is an inspiring example of a student's idea that blossomed into reality, sowing change across the campus and nurturing a greener, sustainable future for our community
- Iveta Ivanova, student representative of the user committee
Sustainability & biodiversity
Sustainable choices were made in construction of the garden. Because sustainability is structurally embedded in our operations. We want to be pioneering, to take responsibility and to set an example on campus. We take ecological principles into account in our construction activities, landscape design and the implementation of other projects, and we contribute actively to strengthening biodiversity.
Paul Hoeijmans, director Facility Services: "We take ecological principles into account in our construction activities and landscape design. We contribute actively to strengthening biodiversity. The garden is designed with exactly this in mind. We capture rainwater, users actively participate in maintenance, and there will be a great diversity in plants and trees. A new and inviting ecosystem on a formerly dull and concrete corner of campus. It will be great place to eat your lunch, have a small meeting or just to enjoy everything the garden has to offer."
Do you want more information on the garden, or join the user commitee? Send an email to communitygarden@tilburguniversity.edu!