The “Hortus IST”, a biodiversity and permaculture garden, celebrated on March 20 its second anniversary with a picnic. Located next to the Interdisciplinary building, at Alameda campus, the “Hortus IST” has lettuce, broccoli, broad beans, leek and chard, respecting permaculture principles, which involve a space divided by ”zones and sectors and types of plants” in which there is “rotation of cultures so that the soil breathes”, explains Rita Santos, 5th year Engineering Physics student and member of AmbientalIST student group.
The 2nd anniversary was celebrated with a picnic open to the entire community, followed by a sunflower sowing, a bee seed bomb workshop and an acoustic concert.
The “Hortus IST” is a collaborative project and the entire community can get involved, both in volunteer meetings at 1 p.m., on Wednesdays, and even by donating seeds. “The seeds come from different places, we avoid buying them”, explains Silvia Di Salvatore, researcher at the Marine, Environment and Technology Center (MARETEC) and coordinator of “Hortus IST”. The broad bean seeds, for example, came from Odemira. “A professor gave them to us. These seeds have been in his family for 50 years “, she says. The professor continues to monitor the broad beans, and photographs their growth. “He sends me photos and says ‘look, how big they are'”, shares the coordinator of “Hortus IST”.
“This space promotes social bonding and informal learning”, says Pedro Baptista, 4th year Engineering Physics student and member of AmbientalIST. According to Rita Santos and Pedro Baptista “the sense of belonging to the community” provided by this “therapeutic” activity is, simultaneously, a way of creating an “oasis of biodiversity” (with two insect hotels). The “Hortus IST” is also intended to be a “breakout space” with tables and chairs arranged so as not to damage the meadow, adds Silvia Di Salvatore.
The products grown here are regularly donated to Casa de Apoio ao Sem Abrigo (CASA) and to Refood. The “Hortus IST” initiative is part of Técnico + Green project (Técnico Sustentável, IST-Environment), which aims to develop an integrated plan of initiatives at the campus, in order to make outdoor spaces welcoming, biodiverse and sustainable.
