Urban Terroir: a project to raise awareness of urban nature through taste

The project seeks to identify the plant of a specific urban area and creatively transform it into a collection of locally crafted culinary products made from wild or cultivated urban plants. This line of local products_—_branded with the names of the neighborhood and its streets_—_is distributed through local community and cultural centers and prepared by chefs during public neighborhood events, fostering pride, conviviality, and a renewed connection to place.

The project is structured around the following activities:
• A participatory inventory of biodiversity and local edible resources, conducted with residents through exploratory walks and urban tours.
• Co-creation of recipes with local residents, based on
the identified edible resources and the productive potential of the neighborhood.
• The production of a range of preserves, designed in collaboration with artists and designers.
• Distribution of these preserves to local players and community spaces, as a way of promoting the neighborhood and its unique resources.
• Culinary events and workshops where chefs use the preserves to cook with and for the community, strengthening local ties and food culture.
• The implementation of an annual urban walks program, open to both the general public and school groups, to raise awareness about biodiversity and sustainable food.

Objectives:
• Raise awareness of urban biodiversity, pollution, and sustainable food;
• Foster active citizenship through creative, hands-on participation;
• Enhance the visibility and identity of an urban neighborhood through its natural and cultural resources;
• Strengthen the sense of belonging and pride among residents, especially in underrepresented areas.

Initially launched as a pilot in the Rosa Parks neighborhood in Paris, the project is designed to be replicable and adaptable to other urban contexts across Europe, particularly those undergoing ecological and social transitions.

This is an existing pilot project that was tested in Rosa Parks (North east of Paris) and that can be adapted to another neighborhood in another European city as needed.