Community Gardens Research Articles

Étudier les relations sociales associées aux jardins communautaires dans le contexte de l’éducation des adultes

This paper describes and analyzes the social relations that emerged from an ongoing adult education internship/community-based garden project in Montreal. I employ institutional ethnography to explore and uncover how adult education internships in community gardens and gardening programming can work to produce disproportionate outcomes for adult learners, community workers, and community members. I trace my own and others’ experiential knowledge of attempting to use gardens for social, environmental, and educational reasons into texts and policies that shape garden and adult education possibilities in community-based contexts. In the process of creating, funding, enacting, and evaluating adult education internships in community organizations, I elucidate specific institutional contrivances (e.g., funding, policy, work processes, discourse) that are presently structuring and defining who experiences access to gardens, gardening and its ostensible health and well-being benefits, and adult education.

The limits of right-sizing: analyzing social housing strategies in French shrinking cities

ABSTRACT Right-sizing is becoming an increasingly relevant topic within the burgeoning literature on shrinking cities, specifically as a means for cities to cope with population loss. It encompasses various measures, such as demolishing vacant housing, consolidating urban development, and reusing vacant land for community gardens. Right-sizing promises to reduce financial concerns and increase quality of life. However, several studies have pointed out the limitations of its application, as it is bound by the principles of austerity. Recent research has argued for a more nuanced interpretation of the concept, as right-sizing can have differing impacts and outcomes depending on the local context. Following these recent contributions, this paper aims to deconstruct the right-sizing approach by analyzing social housing strategies in two shrinking cities in France (Le Creusot and Montluçon). The analysis shows that these two cities have been implementing strategies that include some quantitative adjustments of supply to demand. However, the strategies adopted are considerably more complex than mere quantitative adjustment and include a variety of synergistic lines of action. Thus, the aim of this paper is twofold: first, to highlight the limitations of right-sizing as an analytical concept, and second, to contribute to identifying appropriate social housing policies for shrinking cities.

A process evaluation of a randomized-controlled trial of community gardening to improve health behaviors and reduce stress and anxiety

As part of the Community Activation for Prevention (CAPS) randomized controlled trial (RCT) of community gardening, we conducted a process evaluation to assess the implementation of a community gardening intervention over nine months, as measured by reach, fidelity (delivery, receipt, enactment), and acceptability. Evaluation instruments included repeated semi-structured interviews with study participants, direct observation of community garden sites, and an exit survey of participants. Primary outcomes were diet, physical activity, and anthropometry; secondary outcomes were stress and anxiety. The CAPS trial included 291 participants (19% non-white; 34% Hispanic/Latino; 35% without a college degree; 58% with income < $50,000 per year). Intervention delivery and receipt were high for environmental supports. Garden social events were offered by 73% of gardens, although only 48% of intervention participants reported attending these events. Of the 145 participants assigned to the gardening intervention, 97 (67%) reported gardening the entire season and reported visiting the community garden a median of 90 min per week (range: 0–840). Of the participants who completed the exit survey (48%), 89% were highly satisfied with the overall garden experience. The CAPS trial was favorably received and implemented with high fidelity, supporting the validity of the trial outcomes. These findings suggest that community gardens are a viable health promotion strategy that can be successfully implemented among new gardeners from diverse backgrounds. Strategies that engage new gardeners in the social aspects of the garden environment and connect gardeners with garden “mentors” or “buddies” to ensure new gardeners achieve success in their first years of gardening are recommended.Trial registration: NCT03089177. Registered 24 March 2017, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03089177.

Dancing with foxes: More‐than‐human design in ‘the chicken city’

AbstractUrban chicken‐keeping is on the rise in London, in private gardens, community gardens, allotments, schools, and urban farm projects. In welcoming chickens into the city, urban spaces are being transformed: coops are being built, runs constructed, chicken‐friendly flora introduced, and space landscaped to accommodate both chickens and humans. Underneath the design of these multispecies urban spaces, there is a desire to bring the good life into the city, through a return to nature. Chicken‐keeping is being lauded by urban keepers and commentators alike as a response to urban crises over food provenance and quality, environmental ethics, and a growing unease with industrial agriculture. However, after chickens arrive in these urban spaces, it becomes quickly apparent that the design of the urban barnyard imposed by the human is rarely practical for, or enjoyed by, chickens: perfectly laid lawns are torn up, plants are demolished, and vegetable patches are gorged on, and chickens are at the mercy of local foxes. When chickens enter these urban barnyards, they demand humans pay attention to their desires, behaviours, and territoriality by overflowing and expanding their assigned space. As such, designing the urban barnyard is an ongoing spatio‐temporal iterative process between chickens, humans, and other non‐human actors in the more‐than‐human city. In this paper, using the case of the urban chicken, I argue that more‐than‐human (urban) geographies can find generative collaborations with design thinking in theorising human–environmental relationalities.

Exploring Community Garden Coordinators’ Perceptions of Climate-Smart Adaptations to Support Local Food Systems

Exploring Community Garden Coordinators’ Perceptions of Climate-Smart Adaptations to Support Local Food Systems

Exploring the Role of Urban Community Gardens in Promoting Food Security and Social Cohesion in Danao City

Exploring the Role of Urban Community Gardens in Promoting Food Security and Social Cohesion in Danao City

People-environmental affectiveness in community gardens: health and sustainability promotion

RESUMO As hortas comunitárias inspiradas em modelos agroecológicos já são tendências nas cidades que buscam estimular ambientes positivos. Entre as possíveis estratégias, permitem integrar políticas que visam à erradicação da fome, a garantia de qualidade alimentar e o aumento da economia familiar. O presente estudo objetiva analisar os significados simbólicos e afetivos dos usuários diante de suas atividades nas hortas comunitárias urbanas. Foram 40 entrevistados com idade média entre 45 e 80 anos, por meio do Instrumento Gerador de Mapas Afetivos. A pesquisa foi realizada in loco e os participantes foram convidados a desenhar a horta e responder à entrevista. As imagens produzidas foram analisadas a partir de suas estruturas, sentimentos e sentidos. Constatou-se que as vivências nesses ambientes foram mediadas por sentimentos de agradabilidade, pertencimento e restauração. Entre os sentidos atribuídos, destacaram-se a conexão com a natureza e a interação social. Conclui-se que tais dimensões presentes nas hortas estudadas podem contribuir para a promoção da saúde, da sustentabilidade e a preservação ambiental.

Provisioning the 21st Century City: Community and School Gardens as Food Centers

Provisioning the 21st Century City: Community and School Gardens as Food Centers

Ninguna casa sin jardín

Th. Sørensen was involved in the most important Danish collective social housing programmes between the 1930s and 1950s, in which his aim was to design community gardens designed to complete the modern habitat programme with outdoor public spaces. This article traces the landscape architect's thinking on the design of public space and studies Sørensen's six most outstanding collective gardens with the aim of highlighting the design strategies employed that have consolidated them into spaces of high civic value that are still suitable nowadays. The text is structured in three approaches that depend on the spatial pattern of the buildings and its degree of dispersion. The chapters analyse the programme and the use of topography and vegetation for the definition of a defined character, with a clear spatial order and resources to reconcile the public and human scale.

Balanced Nutrition Optimizes the Growth and Development of School Age Children

Background : Schools, as sites of teaching and learning, are intended to evolve into Health Promotion Schools. Objective : This activity aim to provide balanced nutrition health education which can optimize growth and development in school-aged children. Methods : The method of activity is community empowerment, which is accomplished through a series of health promotion. Result : This activity is useful for increasing students' knowledge, attitudes and behavior who can implement my food plate with a balanced nutritional pattern. Health promotion also plays a vital part in shaping food environments and access to healthy options. Through initiatives like school meal programs, community gardens, and partnerships with local businesses, health promotion efforts can ensure nutritious foods are available and affordable for all children, regardless of socioeconomic status. Conclusion : The nurse in charge of the UKS should carry out regular health promotions.

Promoting planting in front gardens: a systematic approach to intervention development.

Planting in front gardens is associated with a range of human and environmental health benefits. Effective interventions aimed at cultivating this practice are, however, hampered by the paucity of theory- and evidence-based behavioural research in this context. This study aims to systematically determine a set of behaviour change interventions likely to be effective at promoting planting in front gardens amongst UK householders. The Behaviour Change Wheel framework was applied. Behavioural systems mapping was used to identify community actors relevant to front gardening. Potential behavioural influences on householders' front gardening were identified using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour model. Using peer-reviewed scientific findings as evidence, behavioural influences were systematically linked to potential intervention strategies, behaviour change techniques and real-world implementation options. Finally, intervention recommendations were refined through expert evaluations and local councillor and public stakeholder feedback, evaluating them against the Acceptability, Practicability, Effectiveness, Affordability, Side effects and Equity criteria in a UK implementation context. This study formulated 12 intervention recommendations, implementable at a community level, to promote front gardening. Stakeholder feedback revealed a preference for educational and supportive (social and practical) strategies (e.g., community gardening workshops, front gardening 'starter kits') over persuasive and motivational approaches (e.g., social marketing, motivational letters from the council to householders). Householders' front gardening behaviour is complex and influenced by the behaviour of many other community actors. It also needs to be understood as a step in a continuum of other behaviours (e.g., clearing land, gardening, waste disposal). This study demonstrates the application of behavioural science to an understudied implementation context, that is, front gardening promotion, drawing on a rigorous development process promoting a transparent approach to intervention design. Stakeholder consultation allowed relevance, feasibility and practical issues to be considered. These improve the likely effectiveness of interventions in practice. The next steps include evaluating the proposed interventions in practice.

The impact of impervious surface and neighborhood wealth on arthropod biodiversity and ecosystem services in community gardens

The impact of impervious surface and neighborhood wealth on arthropod biodiversity and ecosystem services in community gardens

Plant diversity and its use in Javanese urban home garden: An ethnobotanical study in Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Darmastuti SA, Nazar IA, Setyawan AD. 2024. Plant diversity and its use in Javanese urban home garden: An ethnobotanical study in Central Java, Indonesia. Asian J Ethnobiol 7: 32-42. Urbanization makes the spread of botanical knowledge increasingly widespread. Ethnobotanical knowledge brought by village communities can be applied in urban areas. The implementation of Proklim (Climate Village Program) by the Indonesian Government strengthens the development of environmentally friendly cities that are able to adapt and overcome climate change and are sustainable by paying attention to the balance of social, economic, and environmental aspects. Currently, communities and home gardens have responded to various driving factors, such as the environmental movement and urban sustainability, and are more focused on providing healthy local food and community development. The objectives of this study were to find out the medicinal and food plants found in the home gardens and community gardens of ProKlim RW 16 Banjarsari Village, Banjarsari Sub-district, Surakarta City, Central Java, Indonesia and the influence felt by the community and knowing the existence of ProKlim RW 16 to support the 13th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate action. The method used is descriptive quantitative, which is conducted through observation, interviews, and questionnaires. Data from observations and interviews were calculated using the formula of Use Value, Relative Frequency of Citation, Informant Consensus Factor, and Fidelity Level. Meanwhile, questionnaire data is calculated using the Likert Scale calculations. The research results show 56 species that residents often use for medicinal and food plants. The most widely used medicinal plant is lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), and the most widely used food plant is chili (Capsicum frutescens L.). Based on Likert Scale calculations, the adaptation indicator states that 90.25% of respondents agree that food plants grown by themselves are fresher and healthier. Meanwhile, on the mitigation indicator, 93.39% of respondents agreed that the more plants planted could reduce air pollution and lower the earth's temperature.

Arthrocladiella mougeotii Causing Powdery Mildew on Goji Berry Plants (Lycium barbarum and L. chinense) and Mixed Infections with Phyllactinia chubutiana in California.

Goji berries (Lycium barbarum and L. chinense) have a rich historical significance in traditional Chinese medicine and have gained popularity as a superfood in Western cultures. From 2021 to 2023, powdery mildew was observed on goji plants of both species in community and residential gardens in Yolo County, California (U.S.A.). Disease severity varied from 20 to 100% of infected leaves per plant. Powdery mildew was characterized by the presence of white fungal colonies on both sides of leaves and fruit sepals. Additionally, a brownish discoloration was observed in infected mature leaves, resulting in further defoliation. Morphologically, the fungus matched the description of Arthrocladiella mougeotii. The pathogen identity was confirmed by phylogenetic analyses of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer and the 28S rDNA gene sequences. Pathogenicity was confirmed by inoculating healthy L. barbarum plants using infected leaves and successfully reproducing powdery mildew symptoms after 28 days (22°C, 60% RH), with A. mougeotii colonies confirmed by morphology. Control leaves remained symptomless. Coinfection with Phyllactinia chubutiana was detected on plants from two separate gardens, with A. mougeotii observed first in late spring (May to June) and P. chubutiana later in the summer (July to August). These results revealed that both A. mougeotii and P. chubutiana constitute causal agents of powdery mildew on goji berry plants, often infecting the same plant tissues simultaneously. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. mougeotii causing powdery mildew on L. barbarum and L. chinense in California, which provides a better understanding of the etiology of powdery mildew of goji plants.

Evaluation of Public Gardens in Terms of the Relationship Between Climate and Design

National gardens are an important element of green spaces in today's cities, meeting the needs of the community for recreation, sports and interaction. However, environmental and social challenges facing cities are leading to changes in the design and function of these gardens. The concept of resilient cities refers to the resilience of cities against natural disasters, climate change and other risks. National gardens can be designed as an important part of becoming resilient cities. Equipping these gardens with structures resistant to various natural disasters and adopting sustainable practices such as water management can increase the overall resilience of the city. Sustainable city and eco-city concepts are also important elements to consider in the design of community gardens. These concepts include principles such as environmental sustainability, energy efficiency and strengthening green infrastructure. National gardens can be equipped with sustainable practices such as rainwater recycling systems, the use of local plant species and waste management. Nation gardens designed in this way not only provide recreation and relaxation for city residents, but also contribute to the environmental and social sustainability of the city. In addition, these gardens encourage community cohesion and solidarity. As a result, community gardens are important elements of resilient, sustainable and ecologically balanced cities. Adopting the principles of resilient city, sustainable city and eco-city in the design and management of these gardens can help cities meet future challenges and improve their livability.

Abstract PS18-03: The Association between Food Deserts, Food Swamps, and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Mortality in the United States

Abstract Purpose: Breast cancer (BRCA), the 4th leading cause of cancer death in the United States (U.S.), is one of 13 obesity-related cancers. Healthy food consumption is a protective factor shown to decrease obesity risk and postmenopausal BRCA mortality, respectively. However, residing in geographical areas with no access to healthy food options (food deserts) or unhealthy food options (food swamps) reduces access to healthy foods and has been severely understudied. We examined the relationship between residing in food swamps and deserts with postmenopausal BRCA mortality. Methods: We conducted an ecological analysis utilizing 2010 – 2020 Center for Disease Control and Prevention postmenopausal BRCA mortality data (restricted to 45+ years old) and aggregated 2012 – 2020 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Environment Atlas data. Food swamp score (FS) was calculated as the ratio of fast-food and convenience stores to grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Food desert score (FD) was calculated as the proportion of residents living more than one mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from a grocery store and household income ≤ 200% of the federal poverty threshold. We categorized FD and FS to low, moderate, or high; higher scores indicated counties with poorer healthy food resources. Multilevel generalized mixed effects models were used to estimate the mentioned association. Results: 2,280 counties/county equivalents with high postmenopausal BRCA mortality rates had higher percentage of non-Hispanic (NH)-Black population (5.80 vs. 2.08), poverty rates (17.2 vs. 14.2), and high food swamp scored areas (39.0 vs. 24.5) versus counties/county equivalents with low postmenopausal BRCA mortality rates (p-value &amp;lt; 0.0001). After adjusting for age, percentage of NH-Blacks per county, and poverty rate, we found 42% increased odds of having high postmenopausal BRCA mortality rates among U.S. counties/county equivalents with high food swamp scores (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.14 – 1.78). Conclusions: Sampled U.S. counties with the poorest food swamp environment had significantly increased odds of postmenopausal BRCA mortality. We suggest that local policymakers and community stakeholders should employ sustainable approaches at combating obesity and BRCA by increasing healthier accessible food sources (e.g. creating more walkable neighborhoods and community gardens). Citation Format: Malcolm Bevel, Meng-Han Tsai, April Parham, Sydney Andrzejak, Samantha Jones, Justin Moore. The Association between Food Deserts, Food Swamps, and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Mortality in the United States [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PS18-03.

Occupant Needs for Neighborhood Outdoor Spaces Based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Evidence from Wuxi, China

This study investigates the correlation between the needs of residents in Wuxi, China, and the provision of neighborhood outdoor spaces, through the lens of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The objective is to discern and comprehend the distinct needs residents have for outdoor spaces across various tiers of Maslow's hierarchy, encompassing physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. This study utilizes quantitative research methods, integrating data obtained from a survey of 372 residents to acquire insights into their perspectives on outdoor spaces. The findings reveal that, at the physiological level, residents place a premium on access to clean and verdant spaces for relaxation and exercise. From a safety perspective, the availability of well-lit, secure, and meticulously maintained outdoor settings is deemed essential. In terms of love and belonging, environments that encourage neighborhood interaction and foster social bonds, such as playgrounds and community gardens, are highly valued. Regarding esteem, spaces that are aesthetically appealing and bolster local identity and pride hold significant importance. Finally, concerning self-actualization, areas that provide avenues for personal development and engagement with the environment, including educational workshops and neighborhood vegetable gardens, are in demand. The study underscores the necessity of adopting a holistic approach to urban planning that accounts for the multifaceted needs of residents at different levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. The insights garnered from Wuxi, China, suggest that satisfying these varied needs is pivotal to enhancing the overall well-being and contentment of residents with their community outdoor spaces. This research offers critical perspectives for urban planners, landscape architects, and policymakers dedicated to fostering more habitable, sustainable, and needs-focused outdoor environments in urban settings.

“It's about how you use your privilege”: Privilege, Power, and Social (In)justice in Berlin's Community Food Spaces

AbstractThis paper explores the role of community food spaces in processes of social change and reproduction. I investigate the mechanisms by which these groups reproduce, exacerbate, or dismantle power relations and socio‐environmental injustices. I systematically examine exclusion and inclusion dynamics and assess what shapes diversity of participation and representation. Contending that diversity is not a sufficient indicator of social equity and may overshadow forms of injustice, I unpack the interlocking workings of privilege and power in place and examine innovative ways of developing emancipatory food politics. Drawing upon activist ethnography among community gardens, people's kitchens, and co‐operative projects in Berlin, I expose the complex, dual nature of its food activist landscape, characterised by the coexistence of experienced, locally rooted, and openly political projects, and more recent, outsider‐led sustainability‐ and consumption‐orientated projects—together embodying the variegated and shifting politics of socio‐environmental change in the city and beyond.

Rediscovering circularity in productive urban landscapes

The recycling of urban green waste generated from urban forests is important in enhancing urban circularity; however, most green waste remains underutilized. An effective way to recycle green waste is composting. Recent studies show the effectiveness of decentralized composting in home and community gardens; however, little is yet known about linkage to commercial urban agriculture, which could play a critical role in urban food supply. This study aims to investigate the community-scale composting system of green waste integrated into commercial farming, using Tokyo as a case study where urban and agricultural land uses are mixed historically. We conducted mailed questionnaire surveys and in-person semi-structured interviews with urban farmers. The results revealed that approximately one-third of professional urban farmers still produced compost from green waste, especially leaf litters, to improve soil quality. They have adapted urbanization by expanding leaf litter sources beyond their own woodlands to various neighboring urban forests within a few kilometers, including parks, schools, and shrines. Although urbanization has drastically changed the tangible landscape, urban farmers have handed down the intangible system for hundreds of years by retrofitting their system. While the system can contribute to reducing green waste and enhancing urban circularity, urban farmers are motivated by economic reasons rather than such environmental reasons. In cities that encompass productive urban landscapes, decentralized composting systems work effectively in commercial urban agriculture due to its geographic proximity of waste supply and demand sites. This study suggests the potential benefits of having urban farms in cities abundant in underutilized organic wastes. Further research is needed on how to scale up waste recycling through urban agriculture to foster urban circularity and sustainability.

Feasibility of constructed soils for tree planting – A pilot study in New York City

Constructed soils are soils that are created with a mixture of various materials. An innovative soil exchange program - the Clean Soil Bank (CSB) in New York City allows recycling of clean glacial outwash sediments excavated from depth at construction sites. One previous study showed that soils constructed from CSB sediment and compost can effectively support crop growth in community gardens, but no research has been conducted on its potential usage as a medium for tree growth. Moreover, biochar has been used to improve soil quality, but its efficacy for street trees incorporated into constructed soils has largely not been quantified in the field. The objective of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of using soils constructed from the CSB and compost for tree planting and to investigate the impact of biochar on tree performance. Thirty-six trees of two species (Maackia amurensis and Zelkova serrata) were planted in 2019, on the sidewalks of a residential-business neighborhood in Bronx, New York. Each tree pit contains one of three soil types: type A - existing and purchased topsoil mixed with 33% compost and biochar, type B - CSB sediment mixed with 33% compost, and type C - CSB sediment mixed with 33% compost and biochar. Soil samples were collected in 2019 (before planting) and in 2021. Tree health assessments were conducted in September 2020 and July 2021 using a protocol developed by the USDA Forest Service. Other tree health parameters collected include diameter at breast height (DBH), crown diameter, tree height, photosynthetic capacity, and foliar chemistry. Significant differences in bulk density, water holding capacity, and K, Fe, and Zn concentrations were found among the three soil types. However, comparison of tree performance and foliar chemistry showed no systematic differences among the three soil types. The results indicate that CSB sediment mixed with compost can be an effective replacement for purchased topsoil for tree growth. No evidence was found that biochar provides additional benefits to street tree performance. Considering the abundant availability of glacial outwash sediment at low cost to the city, as well as access to locally produced compost, constructed soils can be a reliable source of material for urban forestry programs.