Gestire un Giardino Collettivo: Esperienze di Autogestione e Sociocrazia

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13 Novembre 2024

Gestire un Giardino Collettivo: Esperienze di Autogestione e Sociocrazia

Il desiderio di prendersi cura di uno spazio verde comune può portare a delle domande pratiche: “Cosa dovrò fare per non rovinare ciò che qualcun altro ha costruito?” o “Se taglio questo albero, rischio di danneggiare l’idea di qualcun altro?”. Questi dubbi sono naturali, specialmente in contesti dove il lavoro è condiviso e dove le decisioni devono essere prese insieme, senza un’autorità centrale. In un luogo come “La Città dell’Utopia”, dove l’autogestione è la norma, è fondamentale che ognuno capisca il proprio ruolo e contribuisca al lavoro collettivo in modo armonioso.

Un esempio di questa collaborazione è stato il campo di volontariato “Utopia Urban Garden”, finanziato dal programma europeo “Corpo Europeo di Solidarietà” (ESC), che ha portato a “La Città dell’Utopia”, dal 28 maggio all’11 giugno 2024, 16 volontari provenienti da Spagna, Italia, Kosovo, Francia, Portogallo, Ungheria e Germania. Questo progetto ha contribuito in modo significativo al recupero e alla manutenzione dell’orto urbano creato nell’area verde che circonda il casale Garibaldi a Roma in cui si trova “La Città dell’Utopia”, spazio che da anni accoglie “Laboratorio 53” e ora il progetto di “Piccola Radio”. Una volta che il gruppo si è consolidato, i partecipanti si sono dedicati al miglioramento dell’accessibilità del giardino, lavorando alla manutenzione dei sentieri e alla costruzione di nuove strutture, come il terrazzamento in lamiera. Con grande attenzione alla sostenibilità, hanno utilizzato legno riciclato per costruire cassette e realizzato etichette informative per le piante e gli alberi, portando avanti l’eredità di un attivista locale che in passato aveva catalogato molte delle specie presenti.

Un elemento importante di questo progetto è stato il metodo organizzativo adottato, ispirato alla sociocrazia, in cui le decisioni sono prese collettivamente e l’opinione di ogni partecipante è rispettata e discussa fino a raggiungere un consenso. Questo approccio garantisce che tutti e tutte possano contribuire alle decisioni, specialmente quando si tratta di preservare l’equilibrio naturale del giardino e decidere come migliorare le strutture esistenti senza intaccare l’ambiente. I volontari hanno quindi potuto sperimentare una metodologia organizzativa basata sull’equità e l’inclusione, acquisendo al contempo sia competenze pratiche siarelazionali, fondamentali per i futuri progetti.

Uno degli aspetti centrali del progetto è stato lo studio della biodiversità del giardino. I volontari hanno esplorato e documentato le specie botaniche presenti, contribuendo alla creazione di una mappa del giardino che faciliterà le future attività di volontariato e sarà utile ai visitatori.

Ogni attività realizzata durante il progetto ESC ha contribuito a rendere questo spazio verde sempre più accessibile e accogliente per la comunità locale. L’obiettivo a lungo termine è quello di mantenere il giardino come luogo di incontro e apprendimento, dove ogni persona può sentirsi parte di un progetto collettivo e contribuire attivamente alla costruzione di un futuro più sostenibile.

Progetti come “Utopic Urban Garden” dimostrano che l’autogestione e la sociocrazia, se ben applicate, possono creare ambienti collaborativi in cui tutti sentono di avere un ruolo significativo.

Nel nostro nuovo episodio, questa volta condotto in lingua inglese, siamo felici di ospitare Sofia, una giovane volontaria che ha partecipato al campo e che ci racconta le sfide e le soddisfazioni di questa esperienza, dall’organizzazione del lavoro fino all’impegno nel rendere il giardino sempre più accessibile e inclusivo per la comunità locale.

Un altro tema centrale del racconto di Sofia è lo studio della biodiversità nel giardino, dove i volontari hanno catalogato piante e alberi e creato una mappa dettagliata dello spazio verde, che sarà utile per i futuri volontari e visitatori. Sofia parla anche delle visite di studio presso cooperative agricole romane, che le hanno permesso di approfondire le sue conoscenze in agricoltura sostenibile e di comprendere come questi principi possano essere applicati al giardino urbano.

Infine, Sofia ci racconta l’importanza del volontariato internazionale come esperienza formativa e di crescita personale, in cui la collaborazione con persone provenienti da culture diverse può aprire nuove prospettive e insegnare il valore della solidarietà. In questo episodio, Sofia ci guida attraverso il mondo della cooperazione internazionale e del lavoro comunitario, portando il suo punto di vista su cosa significhi contribuire a un progetto che costruisce ponti tra le persone e promuove un impatto positivo nella società e nell’ambiente.

Transcript

Speaker 2

So, first of all, I introduce the radio. We are Piccola Radio, that is small radio in Italian. We are small in every sense.

We started one year ago and we are still learning. And we wanted to make interviews because we recently made a training about interviews. We are doing a training about interviews.

And it’s something that you need to train very practically. So, every time we look for a chance to make interviews with people, they teach us to be very friendly, to create a very friendly environment for having a good interview. So, this is a friendly environment.

So, our radio is made by Italians and immigrants. Usually when we introduce ourselves in Italian, we say that we make small and simple questions and we want small and simple answers. Simple in the meaning that we want a simple Italian.

So, today we are speaking in English. So, it doesn’t matter, but to make you understand that we want simple Italian because we want to be listened by Italians and migrants. First question, obviously, if you want to introduce yourself.

Speaker 1

Yes, of course. My name is Sofia. I come from Sweden, southern parts of Sweden.

And I’m 29 years old. I’ve never volunteered before. I haven’t traveled so much either.

It’s many first times here at “La Città dell’Utopia”. I’m studying permaculture, agroforestry, food forest. There are three different kinds of systems.

I’m about to study sociocracy.

Speaker 2

Where are you studying this topic?

Speaker 1

I’m studying it in Sweden, in the district Skåne. It’s in the middle part of southern Sweden, on the countryside. We have a place there called Holma.

It’s a school. It’s like a little utopic part in the middle of Sweden.

Speaker 2

Utopic, because now you are in “La Città dell’Utopia”. Did you define it as utopic before being in “La Città dell’Utopia”?

Speaker 1

Yes, I did, because I live in the city. Especially in Malmö, the city I’m from. It’s quite a long way to the forest and other green areas.

They say Malmö is the city of parks, but parks isn’t so wild. We created a utopic vibe with self-sufficiency. The group of people coming there is also very special in some ways.

It really is utopic. I can feel now also, if I compare it with “La Città dell’Utopia”, it’s almost the same vibe. We study permaculture.

Another system in permaculture is making food forestry.

Speaker 2

I have a question. I want to know, did you choose what you studied before, or is this your choice?

Speaker 1

Of the course I chose? Yes. Before that I studied some agriculture, like gardening on a bigger level.

In greenhouses. I don’t really like the big part of gardening and big producing. It’s not for the long term.

You make for the money. What we’re making at our school is not for the money. It’s for self-sufficiency and long term systems.

Why did you choose this speciality? Why? Because I don’t like money.

Maybe the main reason. I don’t think it’s sufficient at all. I don’t like that kind of system.

It’s a lot of lobbyism.

Speaker 2

I said it’s a friendly environment, but I have to make you an exam question. If you can give a definition of agroforestry. How did they teach you what it is?

Speaker 1

Agroforestry is systems where you use trees. Especially in the food forest we’re mimicking the forest. How it grows in the forest with different layers.

You have layers on the ground growing special plants. You have other plants growing up the trees. You have trees that are usually not trees.

It’s a long term system.

Speaker 2

How many years did you study it?

Speaker 1

I started my course in August last year. We’ve been studying for 11 months.

Speaker 2

This is a school, not a university. It’s a school.

Speaker 1

I don’t know the name either in English or in Italian. I don’t have so good grades when I was finishing school. I couldn’t go to university.

I still can’t. I’m about to study at my grades more.

Speaker 2

In Sweden you have to have a minimum of grades to access the university. If you don’t have them, can you change them in the future?

Speaker 1

Yes, you can study the parts you missed when you were younger and went to school. We can also do that at our school. I’m sorry for not knowing the name in English.

Speaker 2

It’s quite particular because I’ve never heard of this kind of system. Did you apply what you studied during this voluntary camp here in “La Città dell’Utopia”?

Speaker 1

Yes, I would say I did. Yes, definitely. You have a lot of trees here also.

Of course we’re working on the vegetable garden. The most thing I like in the garden here at “La Città dell’Utopia” is the trees and the perennial plants and the weeds.

Speaker 2

It’s funny because we met you before cutting trees.

Speaker 1

Yes, exactly. I really love digging in the soil, digging in the ground, cutting trees, working with big things.

Speaker 2

A person studying agroforestry is not expected to cut trees, but sometimes you have to.

Speaker 1

Yes, you have to. The deadwood is also really good for use to recycle. We were also visiting Gianfranco in… I forgot the city’s name. Manzina? Yes, somewhere. Outside Rome. Yes, outside Rome. He also had a lot of plantings with hazelnut trees.

You can call that also agroforestry system that he’s doing.

Speaker 2

Because it’s using trees.

Speaker 1

Yes, exactly.

Speaker 2

Trees are the main protagonist, the main character of agroforestry. Can you give examples of how to use trees? Like ways where they are not used usually that could be very interesting, useful in normal cultivations?

Do you have something in mind?

Speaker 1

The first thing I’m thinking of is art. It’s for the human’s well-being, for getting warmth to burn, to warm up your house. You can cut pieces to make art.

You can use them to build the garden with and make all different kinds of things. Use it as insect habitats. If you’re using deadwood, it’s really good for biodiversity, for insects to live in.

If you have more insects, you have pollinators that pollinate your plants. I don’t know if I can come up with something really special you’re doing with trees. But everything you need them for.

Speaker 2

I am, for example, passionate about coffee. It’s a thing recently, talking about shade-grown coffee. Coffee growing in forests.

Because apparently, growing under shade made by trees, it’s better for coffee. I don’t know if it’s always better for every kind of plant. If you study the fact that the trees produce shade and you use it for a better cultivation.

Is it something you study?

Speaker 1

We are using that kind of systems also, where you have plantings of trees in long roads. Then you can plant vegetables under, for the shading. They’ll manage from the hot sun.

That’s also a system in agroforestry.

Speaker 2

So shade is an ally for the agriculture. Sorry, shade is? It’s an ally.

It doesn’t prevent the sun and the light to arrive to the plant, but it helps it grow better.

Speaker 1

Yeah, it helps to make not too much sun, especially for vegetables, plants. They don’t thrive in such much sun. So, yeah, it gives kind of the perfect amount of shade.

Speaker 2

I’ve never seen the garden here so beautiful. Yes, it has been quite abandoned during COVID, like everything that was outside the houses. But even before, there were not people taking so much care about it.

Seeing everything done with all this care, I guess, gives us more will to preserve it. Because one thing is like, everything is abandoned, so I don’t have will to change it. Now that everything is very well made and re-established, you feel, if you stay here more time, you feel some kind of responsibility to take care of this, of all this work.

Speaker 1

Yeah, we actually talked about that today, that our group leader said, yeah, as you said before, there hasn’t been taken care of so much, the garden, before. But I said, but now I think the people who watch what we’re working with will be motivated also. So, yeah, I really believe in that, as you’re saying.

Speaker 2

The problem of having places organized in this way, where everything is very decided and common in society, is that it’s not easy to plan. Because there are no managers and coordinators that are able to plan, especially something technical like this. So maybe we can start to talk, because your school, you said to me, it has a peculiar way of organization that you call sociocracy, that you are studying too, you said before.

So what can you tell us about sociocracy? Because no one of us ever heard of this word.

Speaker 1

No, I don’t know so much about the term.

Speaker 2

This is another exam question.

Speaker 1

Yeah, but I don’t know so much about the term sociocracy, because I’m about to study in it. But my school, they’re managing their school by sociocracy. It means, I can say what I know right now, I’m going to know more by Christmas this year, I will know everything.

But it means you have the same salary, everybody who’s working, you don’t have these levels, you don’t have a boss, everybody is worth the same. And it’s a way of managing things and decide, it’s a kind of decision system, where everyone needs to be heard. And if someone doesn’t think the same, or no, not the same, it’s not everybody should think the same, but if someone, it can be just like one person, doesn’t agree, you have to manage that and discuss it again, so everybody agrees.

Speaker 2

Exactly, so you look for a complete total agreement.

Speaker 1

Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2

How do you say it in Italian? Unanimity.

Speaker 1

Yeah, exactly. And they say the problem with the sociocracy is that it takes time, depending on the group also, how many people is in the group, how many people who don’t agree. But I would say we’ve had some meetings with our teachers, when they have their meetings, we all have our meetings together, and it doesn’t take such long time, because we are divided in smaller groups, and then we meet in the bigger group, so yeah, it’s like an agreement, a cooperative agreement.

Speaker 2

This kind of looking for the total complete agreement of everyone, was the same method we used in Italy to write the articles of our constitution.

Speaker 1

Oh, okay.

Speaker 2

Back in 1945, or 46? 46, fantastic.

Speaker 1

Wow.

Speaker 2

So back in 1946. I didn’t know that we used this kind of method.

Speaker 1

No, but it’s a natural way of having an agreement. I think everybody should be heard.

Speaker 2

Maybe the most natural, maybe voting is some kind of unnatural actually, because it’s more like bureaucratic in some way. So if you wouldn’t have studied agroforestry, or before deciding to study agroforestry, what would have you done? Or what would have you studied?

Speaker 1

Yeah, okay. I have a lot of interests. If I wouldn’t choose something about nature, I think I would have chosen something about activism.

Speaker 2

About activism? Yes. Political activism.

So one thing, when I moved to Rome, because I’m not from Rome, one thing that really surprised me is the amount of places like this, like Città d’Utopia, but also places like Acrobacs that you visited recently, that are occupied political places, that are very politically identified. Is there something like this in Malmo? So places that shouldn’t exist by law, because they are occupied, but they exist and they somehow do so many things that they gain their existence?

Speaker 1

I know here in Italy you have a lot of squatted places. Because of rules, we have a hard time squatting places in Sweden. But we have a lot of organizations.

We’re renting studios and cafes. But no, I wouldn’t say we have a place, a home like “La Città dell’Utopia”

Speaker 2

If you in your school, you actually do what you did here, so practical, very practical work, planting plants or building things?

Speaker 1

Yes, we are very practical, like hard work. Today, the things we’ve done today, we haven’t planted the plants that they bought for the vegetable gardens, but we’ve built much, cut some trees. So usually that’s what we’re doing, growing mushrooms.

In my school, we also have a course of carpentry, so building. It’s not the course I’m going to, but we have a lot of projects going on in our school. We are working in the garden, the others are working in the carpentry.

Speaker 2

Then you join your efforts, I guess, for people working in the garden, they build something for the garden, and the people in carpentry, they build something useful for the garden.

Speaker 1

We usually call the carpentry if we want to build something big in the forest, in the garden, forest garden.

Speaker 2

Sala really liked the fact that you join efforts between different courses and groups to make things. I was wondering if you do very important big works, like using heavy machinery or is something more like smaller, without heavy duties?

Speaker 1

Yes, sometimes we work heavy machinery. We usually don’t like to take in tractors and bigger machines. We say we are the machines, but sometimes we have to do that for moving rocks, maybe big rocks, we can’t take them ourselves.

I think the simple answer to that question is that we are making what we are needing, what we are in need of. If we need a new table, we are going to make it, but we are also looking at the place and see what we can do here in a sufficient way. Can we make a system that’s good for the plantings?

We’ve recently made, what is it called? First material. First we make the materials and then we use it.

We buy a lot of things to build with, so the things we are, if you think about the trees we are cutting, we are using them mostly for art and burning. We make biochar, a lot of biochar and a lot of different things we buy to make bigger projects, like we are making a dome near the garden. I’m not sure what a dome is, it’s like, you can think of it like a greenhouse.

Speaker 2

What’s the life you would like to have?

Speaker 1

The life I would like to have?

Speaker 2

It’s like a research on happiness, in some way.

Speaker 1

I haven’t really found that yet, I haven’t come up with what I want. I think my visiting here at “La Città dell’Utopia” has put me some way in the right direction. But I would like to live a free life.

A free life, not with any boundaries.

Speaker 2

Thank you.

Speaker 1

Thank you, everybody.