Graduate School of Horticulture of Chiba University have two main components: "shoku and midori", which means "Food and Greenery". The function of Chiba University from old times was providing skillful gardeners to keep gardens of wealthy people, who lived in this area and sustaining agricultural activity to provide food. Almost 40 years ago people from Matsudo area was privileged to buy various plants from University and preciously nurtured their gardens. Now we can buy plants anywhere - even in supermarket. What is the role of University now?

Recently, the COC program "Center Of Community" was launched in Japan. It aims to develop Universities as the centers of regional regeneration and revitalization by encouraging universities to collaborate with local communities.

There are research projects, which are made in local community, which Chiba University students have been doing in recent years. They can be united in a concept of a "green corridor", which connect Chiba University and central Matsudo. It is because activities from Graduate School of Horticulture are "green".

Let's take a tour on the map of Matsudo and see what students (mostly KINOSHITA lab) did in the "green corridor".

The map of Matsudo showing "green corridor". The area of University make a big green massive together with Tojo historical garden. Then, area of EDIBLE WAY project continues to the station. Green corridor can reach IWASE area through Matsudo Central Park and Sagamidai Elementary School.

Putting vegetables planter bags in front of the residential houses along the small streets (on the way), growing and eating together in order to make connections between locals for safety network. Also this project is becoming a "way" of creating connection between people and people, people and nature.

Aging population people are suffering because of loneliness and don't go out much. In the centre of EDIBLE WAY project is the common meal event, which gather local citizens and give them opportunity to meet each other. At the same time, students continuously make connections with local community, taking care of the planters and giving and receiving advices from local people.

EDIBLE WAY project used an empty house of Ukigaya to make common meal and art project.

Photo of EDIBLE WAY nabe party: credit - Aiko Eguchi

EDIBLE WAY project's area included the Ukigaya house - empty house, who's owner Ukigaya in 2015 suggested to renovate it and use for community needs. We've been collaborating with Ukigaya ever since. Gradually, the local developer started renovation and plan to rent property to an owner, who is interested in collaboration with Chiba University. Now we have a few months before November to use it as much as we can for our projects, then the new owner will move in.

We paint the front shutters of house in black. Then, invited a chalk artist and together started to draw art, related to EDIBLE WAY project on the walls, to inform the community of what is going on in the house and around it. We held an art event already 2 times and plan next in September.

Photo credit: Aiko Eguchi, Mariia Ermilova

Many citizens losing connection with natural environment. Consumer society model substitute our urge for creativity with shopping.

We applied an action research method to check, if community facing these problems can become more resilient by making environmental productive activities. We make a participatory action research based on community design project of growing herbs in the neighborhood. The herb was chosen aiming to involve local women in community design and to stimulate their creative activities. We also consider that life-long learning and ecological education for adults can improve their well-being.

In the center - initiative of local people in their common creativity, stimulated by biophilic interaction with herbs. As ethnobotanical plants - herbs have multiple use and health benefit.

Women started making their own products and events. We can call that empowerment of local women.

Photo credit: Mariia Ermilova

On the photo - IWASE local person is pollinating the vegetables he grow. He said, there is not enough bees and bumblebees. Maybe because it is hot, he questioned.

We can provide food and house for the insects, so they will feel at home in the city again. Herb gardens provide much nectar, which supports insects.

Students were given a contract by IWASE Neighbourhood Association as a New Project Managers. They facilitate intergenerational communication in the aging community, filling the gap between generations. They encourage local creative process bringing new tools and ideas and learning from older generations traditional knowledge and practice. They live in the community building almost for free and doing their action research there.

This project aims to contribute to resolving various issues:

1. Japanese city local community problems - aging population, weakening of connection between people and generations.

2. University students tend to be seen as a passive people, who don't participate in local events. Life of student is heavy because of need to pay tuition fee and rent. If students receive support, they can join in local activity.

Maybe instead of trying to resolve these issues separately from each other one by one we can try to make combined decisions, which will lead to complementary benefits of many stakeholders.

Photo credit: Mariia Ermilova

今、社会ではいろいろな問題が指摘されています。

もしかしたらこれらの問題は1つずつ解決されていくのではなく、互いに困りごとを助け合ったりする中で、補完のされていくかもしれません。僕は今回の件で、一つ困りごとを解決できたのかもしれない。そのお礼に僕のできることを行う。どこまで、どのようなカタチでできるかはわかりませんが。

「地域の問題」「学生の問題」それぞれ考えていけば五万と指摘されている。地域関係性の希薄化や高齢化、学生の受動的な姿勢や貧困化などなどが挙げられますよね。こういう問題に対してアプローチしていければいいですね（結果として）。

We unite all this projects in he term of biophilic landscape design, aiming to put accent on how interaction with nature can facilitate communication, fill in the need for cultural values, inspiration.

Biophilic community design unite people and people, people and nature.