Article from Zmag, January 31, 2022

The first initiative for a public orchard in Zagreb was launched last year at Jarunu, and the ZMAG association joined the realization of the idea.

In many cities around the world, and recently in our Varaždin, public / social orchards are planted with fruits that belong to all citizens for free. Public orchards not only contribute to greening cities and mitigating the effects of climate change, but are also places to socialize, play and learn.

The increase in the number of urban gardens in our cities is especially present during the pandemic, and the Public Orchard Initiative on Jarunu was launched by sociologist Vesna Janković last year, with the aim of repurposing the meadow between A. Stipančića and V. Ranogajca streets.

Since then, the initiative has connected with other experts, local and national environmental associations, including the ZMAG association, and communication with the competent city offices has been initiated.

On Wednesday 26 January, the first zoom meeting of the interested public was held, where citizens were introduced to the potential of space and examples of good practices, and were also presented the first sketches of possible landscaping of meadows according to the principles of permaculture, made by landscape architect Petra Pavleka from ZMAG.

You can follow more details, as well as the course of the initiative, by joining the Facebook Inicijativa za javni voćnjak na Jarunu.