Green Exchange

MAMER GREEN EXCHANGE

Project location: Mamer, Capellen and Holzem

Estimated project cost: €15,000

Project description

1. The idea

Mamer Green Exchange is a free community event dedicated to plants, gardening and sharing knowledge between residents of the municipality.

The project will create a welcoming space where residents can bring and exchange plants, cuttings, seeds and suitable gardening materials, while meeting other members of the community and learning from one another.

The event will be open to residents of all ages and gardening experience levels. It will be designed as an inclusive and intergenerational activity, encouraging interaction between newcomers, families, children, older residents and people with an established interest in gardening.

The project is intended as a practical and social initiative rather than a commercial event. No plants, products or services will be sold as part of the project.

2. Main activities

The event will include several simple and clearly organised areas:

Plant Exchange Residents will be invited to bring healthy plants, cuttings, seeds or bulbs and exchange them with other participants.

Propagation Corner Participants will be able to learn simple propagation techniques and take home a cutting or small propagated plant.

Plant Clinic Local gardening professionals, nurseries or garden centres may be invited to participate on a voluntary, non-commercial basis and provide practical advice on plant care, repotting, pests, light, watering and propagation.

Repotting & Care Corner Participants will receive practical guidance on repotting and basic plant care.

Children’s Garden Corner Children will have their own small gardening activity, using child-friendly tools to plant a small plant or seed and take it home. The activity will introduce children to nature, responsibility and sustainable growing in a simple and enjoyable way.

Plant Passport Participants will be encouraged to label exchanged plants with basic information such as plant name, light requirements and watering needs. This will make the exchange more useful, particularly for beginners.

3. Community and integration

The main objective of Mamer Green Exchange is to use a shared interest in plants as a way of bringing people together.

Gardening is accessible to different generations, cultures and levels of experience. The exchange format encourages residents not only to receive something, but also to contribute something of their own.

The project will therefore encourage:

• interaction between residents;
• social integration and community participation;
• intergenerational exchange;
• sharing of practical knowledge;
• participation of families and children;
• connections between newcomers and established residents;
• collaboration with local organisations and gardening professionals.

The event can also provide a simple opportunity for residents who may not normally participate in community activities to meet other people in a relaxed environment.

4. Local partnerships

The project will seek the voluntary involvement of local nurseries, garden centres, gardening associations and other relevant local actors.

Their role would be to share knowledge and practical advice with residents.

Potential partners may include local greenhouses and nurseries and, where appropriate, larger gardening retailers such as Hornbach.

Any participation by commercial organisations would remain strictly non-commercial. The project would not include sales, paid promotion or commercial stands.

5. Sustainability

The project promotes sustainable behaviour by encouraging residents to reuse and exchange plants and gardening materials instead of buying new ones.

The event will also encourage:

• propagation instead of replacing plants;
• reuse of pots and containers;
• sharing of seeds and planting materials;
• responsible plant care;
• exchange of knowledge about sustainable gardening;
• reduction of unnecessary waste.

The equipment purchased through the project will be reusable for future community activities organised by the municipality, where appropriate.

6. Practical organisation

The project is intended to take place as a free public community event during spring 2027, on a date and at a location determined in cooperation with the Commune of Mamer.

The event will require a suitable indoor or covered community space, depending on availability. Wheater permitting, the event would ideally be held outdoors.

The municipality would coordinate the practical arrangements concerning the venue, public communication and implementation of the project.

The project itself is designed as a one-off event with a clearly defined scope and budget, without creating permanent staffing requirements or significant recurring operating costs for the municipality.

7. Accessibility and inclusion

Participation will be free of charge.

The event will be open to residents of Mamer, Capellen and Holzem, regardless of age, nationality or gardening experience.

Information and signage should, where practical, be provided in several commonly used languages in the municipality in order to make the activity accessible to a broad range of residents.

The children’s activity will be designed to allow families to participate together.

8. Estimated budget

The requested budget of €15,000 would cover the following elements:

Item

Estimated cost

Modular tables, exchange tables and display equipment

2,500 €

Reusable plant stands and storage/display equipment

1,500 €

Propagation and repotting equipment

1,500 €

Children gardening equipment and materials

1,200 €

Pots, trays, labels, soil and planting materials for activities

1,500 €

Reusable signage and multilingual information materials

1,000 €

Event logistics, transport and setup

1,500 €

Educational materials and plant-care resources

800 €

Communication and visual materials

1,000 €

Accessibility and miscellaneous event equipment

700 €

Contingency

1,800 €

Total

15,000 €

The budget is intended to cover the implementation of the project and reusable equipment/materials. Volunteer contributions and professional advice from local partners would be provided on an in-kind basis where possible.

9. Expected impact

Mamer Green Exchange will provide a simple, practical and inclusive opportunity for residents to meet, exchange plants and share knowledge.

The expected benefits are:

• stronger community connections;
• increased interaction between residents;
• greater participation in local community life;
• intergenerational knowledge sharing;
• increased awareness of sustainable gardening;
• practical environmental education for children;
• reuse and exchange of plants and gardening materials;
• cooperation between residents and local gardening actors.

The project aims to create a positive community experience that is accessible to both experienced gardeners and complete beginners.

10. Public interest

Mamer Green Exchange is conceived as a project of general public interest.

It is free for participants, has no commercial purpose and is intended to benefit residents across the municipality.

It falls within the objectives of the participatory budget by contributing to environmental awareness, community life, social integration and collective participation.

The project does not require the creation of a permanent service, permanent staff or significant recurring municipal expenditure.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Regards,

Maria Dochiu