HortaFCUL

How it started

The HortaFCUL project was created at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências Lisboa) in 2009, driven by a group of students interested in permaculture and how it could provide solutions to some current ecological, social, and economic problems. It began with the submission of a proposal to the then faculty dean.

With the support of Ciências and the dedication of some volunteers, HortaFCUL is a permanent food garden next to building C2, a space that connects agriculture to gardening, integrating a constantly changing social dynamic, a space considered the heart of the project.

Objectives

This project arose with the objective of raising awareness and demonstrating more ecological practices, based on the ethics, principles, strategies, techniques, and tools proposed by permaculture.

It aims to enhance the ecosystem services of the campus and thus contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for CIÊNCIAS.

For more detailed information, please consult the HortaFCUL 2025 Report:

You can also consult the HortaFCUL 2009-2023 Report:

Compost and soil regeneration

Soil is the matrix that sustains life, and urban soil is generally eroded and polluted; therefore, when it comes to urban gardening, soil regeneration is one of the challenges.

More than just plants, we cultivate soil in an urban environment, and we are progressing towards transforming the management of the Faculty's organic food "waste" into a circular process, a closed loop, contributing significantly to the environmental sustainability of the campus. 

One of the main ideas underlying our actions is to not think of organic waste as garbage, but rather as a precious resource. We started composting garden waste in our spaces from the beginning of the project. But we dream of extending this vision to the entire Faculty. To achieve this, we began composting debris from all the green areas on campus. This process reduces carbon emissions and the ecological footprint of the campus, as well as lowering the costs of the entire operation. Additionally, the compost, when incorporated into the campus soils, contributes to their regeneration.

Gardening for biodiversity

We invite you to look at Nature. Find the secret corners, the leftover pieces, the seemingly abandoned spots in a garden (yours or your neighbor's). You might be surprised to find a web of interactions. If we look at natural systems, we rarely find plants growing in straight, evenly spaced lines – instead, polycultures are Nature's way of cultivating. Furthermore, beyond plants, there is an intricate web of life and relationships between them, animals (especially insects), and fungi. In all these relationships, there is competition, parasitism, and mutualism in symbiosis. Nature may seem a little chaotic when compared to most man-made gardens. But within natural chaos, there is order. In general, what we try to do in permaculture is to mimic natural patterns and reinvent them in a way that increases the diversity of all life forms while being useful and productive for humans.

But then, how do we do that?

The idea is that, more than just farming, we are creating ecosystems. These ecosystems are intended to be productive landscapes for people, but also for other beings. Therefore, we cultivate different types of plants (vegetables, shrubs, trees) in different ways (trenches, raised beds, greenhouses). By increasing plant diversity, we are increasing the diversity of insects and fungi. All forms of life on Earth have evolved together for millions of years to the present moment. By cultivating a diverse garden instead of a monoculture, we are cultivating a garden that is also more resilient.

Sociocratic organizational model

The HortaFCUL project is coordinated and managed by a team of volunteers, called the "Guardians" of the Garden. These represent the first circle of people, responsible for the project, its maintenance and development, through decision-making and activity planning.

There is also a second circle of people who collaborate and help with specific project activities, whom we call the "Friends of the Garden".

The third circle of people are those who participate in our events and workshops, sharing with us a passion and interest in permaculture.

The project is organized according to a non-hierarchical sociocratic model, with weekly meetings where all decisions are made as a group by the guardians and where all ideas, criticisms, and suggestions are seen as added value and an opportunity to improve our techniques and methodologies.

The entire project is based on the desire of those involved to learn more about the subject and their voluntary dedication to perpetuating an original and unique project for future generations of CIÊNCIAS students.

Concept and definitions: the origin of the discipline

The concept of "Permaculture" dates back to the 1970s, having been first systematized by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. It results from the combination of two words - "permanent" and "culture" - and is a holistic approach focused on solutions for a Permanent Culture that, based on Ethics and through Principles, uses proactive Strategies with innovative Techniques and Tools as resources.

Although quite concrete, permaculture has several definitions depending on the experience and creativity of the person defining it. One definition from the authors is:

Permaculture is the conscious planning of landscapes that mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, producing an abundance of food, structures, and energy to meet local needs. It brings together diverse ideas, skills, and ways of life that need to be rediscovered and developed in order to motivate us to shift from being dependent consumers to being productive and responsible citizens.
(David Holmgren)

Ethics and guiding principles

At the heart of Permaculture are its three ethics, which are unconditionally integrated into the activities carried out and interconnected: Caring for the earth; Caring for people; Sharing surpluses.

Caring for the Earth: Our planet is our only resource. Not only are human activities entirely dependent on it, but also all other forms of life that inhabit it. The protection and conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity will be essential for the future of our species. Thus, caring for the Earth is a basic ethic for the sustainable development of human populations. To follow this ethic, HortaFCUL is aware that all its activities have an ecological impact. It is up to us to choose the options that are most in balance with Nature.

Caring for People: Permaculture also has a very important social aspect, given that we organize ourselves in an interdependent way. Caring for one another is essential for a just and balanced society, with less inequality and competitiveness. Conversely, permaculture focuses on cooperation, taking advantage of the diversity and synergy between elements, in this case, people. We apply this ethic at HortaFCUL through respect for all collaborators, reflection on how we organize ourselves, communicate, make decisions, and divide responsibilities.

Sharing surpluses: This ethic refers to the redistribution of surpluses created by activities, contributing to greater inter- and intra-specific equity, as well as inter- and intra-generational equity. This sharing of surpluses can be practiced in various ways, from sharing material goods, such as food and space, to non-material goods, such as knowledge, experience, time, or even goodwill and joy.

Considering this, at HortaFCUL we try to close cycles, not only by sharing and reusing resources, but also by transforming waste from some systems into raw materials for others.

The guardians of HortaFCUL have been expanding their area of ​​intervention and contributing directly and indirectly to various spaces on the CIÊNCIAS campus.

A Hortinha do C2 (The Small Garden of C2)

The Horta do C2 was the first space created by the project and has always been considered its birthplace and reference point. It was created in 2009, but over time it has undergone successive renovations and expansions, keeping pace with the project's development.

The Horta has a small lake, built in 2010, which adds diversity to the project, allowing it to house both water-dependent and aquatic plant species.

In 2013, the Horta received a reed bioconstruction, enhancing its aesthetic appeal, creating a sheltered leisure space, and enabling the growth of climbing species, such as kiwis. Later, in 2018, the shelter was rebuilt with a more durable solution.

In 2015, the International Year of Soils, the Horta integrated an artistic component into the project with the creation of an educational mural made of graffiti representing the evolution of the planet and life.

After creating a diversity of elements, the ecosystem's development has been natural and is now a multifunctional agroforestry system where the various plant layers are in continuous development, a space of approximately 150m2 requiring low maintenance and of a permanent nature.

Banca da Dádiva

Since 2014, HortaFCUL has maintained a small stall in the centre of campus, called the Banca da Dádiva (Gift Stal) where it develops and tests the Gift Economy model with the FCUL community. This alternative approach to the market economy model states that the consumer determines the value of a product (usually in monetary terms) according to what they consider fair, both in relation to their own socioeconomic condition and the labor invested in the production of a given good. This model is only viable when there is a contract of trust between the two parties (consumer and producer), which is why many consider it challenging in terms of implementation. At the Banca da Dádiva, HortaFCUL makes available goods that are seen as surplus from its activity in exchange for a donation to the project. The money raised at the stall is used to finance the project's activities and initiatives. The two main products made available to the academic community are compost and plants.

Important contacts:

Email: hortafcul@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hortafcul

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hortafcul

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTeamhorta

• From waste to wealth: CIÊNCIAS’ journey to sustainable organic recycling (Artigo na newsletter da Marie Curie Alumni Association)

• HortaFCUL: um pedaço de campo em plena cidade (lisboaparapessoas.pt)

• Horta FCUL é um pequeno oásis e a ciência faz-se com as mãos na terra (amensagem.pt)

• HortaFCUL: há 15 anos que este projecto alimenta uma comunidade | Reportagem | PÚBLICO (publico.pt)

• Actuar no local, pensar no global: 15 anos de HortaFCUL (lisboaparapessoas.pt)

• Jardim plantado em carpetes forra paredes e mantém temperatura na cozinha da FCUL (Agência de noticias Lusa)

• Video do Jardim plantado em carpetes forra paredes e mantém temperatura na cozinha da FCUL (LusaVídeo)

• Jardim plantado em carpetes forra paredes e mantém temperatura na cozinha da FCUL - Rádio Vibração - Mais música que te faz vibrar

• Áudio com a peça da TSF - 18 dezembro 2024, Noticiário 17h (minuto 9´56'')

• Jardim plantado em carpetes forra paredes e mantém temperatura na cozinha de faculdade em Lisboa (Artigo no JN)

You can consult the 2024 Activity Report of HortaFCUL:

Project members: Afonso Ferreira, Ana Catarina Narciso, Ana Morais, André Alves, Anna Grassi, Annika Haag, António Alexandre, António Vaz Pato, Beatriz Vicente, Bernardo Sá-Nogueira, Catarina Alonso, Catarina Pereirinha, Clarisse Hetier, Daniel Lopes, Danyal Habibo, David Avelar, Diogo Mendes, Diogo Ribeiro, Euclides Póvoa, Filipe Silva, Florian Ulm, Francisco Ferreira, Francisco Oliveira, Francisco Silva, Gil Penha-Lopes, Guilherme Weishar, Inês Afonso, Inês Besugo, Inês Costa, Inês Santos, Íris Mota, Ivo Rosa, Jan Frederic, Joana Jerónimo, Joana Pimenta, Joana Rodrigues, João Ramalho, João Sousa, Jobim Convié, Jorge Gonçalves, Júlio Teixeira, Madalena Gaspar, Madalena Horta, Madalena Mariano, Mafalda Chitas, Manuel Botelho, Mar, Marcin Makowski, Maria Cardoso, Maria Cruz, Maria Nuñez, Marina Luque, Marissa Verhoeven, Marta Ferreira, Marta Pernas, Matías MG, Matilde Henriques, Miguel Resendes, Miguel Ribeiro, Miguel Sousa, Nadine Wulf, Nuno Fragoeiro, Pedro Farrancha, Pedro Moreira, Pedro Rosa, Raquel Vicente, Rebecca Mateus, Renata Reynaud, Rosa Val do Rio, Rui Monteiro, Sara dal Corso, Sílvia Bacci, Sofia Moinhos, Tiago Dias, Tiago Silva, Tomás Simões.

Further informations, contact sustentabilidade@ciencias.ulisboa.pt.