‘Bûûmparks’ bring much-needed green space to Schaarbeek
The Bûûmplanters co-op, which collects and distributes discarded trees and other flora, is planting mini gardens along a street in Brussels, and hopes that others will take similar initiatives
Pop-up garden
Dubbed Bûûmparks (bûûm is Brussels dialect for “tree”), the idea is to inject a little green space into areas in Brussels that are sorely in need of them. Each Bûûmpark is the size of one parking spot. The first four test gardens are all in Camille Simoensstraat.
“There’s plenty of space here in the street for an initiative like this,” says Bûûmplanters founder Yoeri Bellemans, “and the residents are very enthusiastic. I think that if everyone thinks constructively, a whole lot of projects could pop up in the region in the coming years.”
Stamp of approval
Bûûmparks have the blessing of the municipality and of Brussels Mobility. The structures were approved as part of Vakantie in Brussel, a call for projects by the capital-region that create a more liveable community.
Three more Bûûmparks are on the way next week. All are safe until the end of September as part of the programme, but what will happen after that is unclear.
Bûûmplanters is a neighbourhood organisation that helps schools, businesses and homeowners to find trees and plant them on their own property.
Photo: The kids of Camille Simoensstraat helped build the Bûûmparks and certainly know how to use them
©Bûûmplanters
