Introduction
Community gardens represent an innovative form of collective urban green space management, aimed at fostering community well-being and enhancing the surrounding environment. Initiated by local groups, these spaces serve multiple functions: beyond cultivation, they act as hubs for social interaction, education, inclusion, and overall well-being.
There is no single model for a community garden. They can range from small urban allotments and shared greenhouses to natural gardens or larger agricultural spaces managed collectively. What unites them is the active participation of the community, often created and maintained on a voluntary basis. In some cases, community gardens are developed in collaboration with local authorities, strengthening the bond between citizens and their environment.
In addition to promoting environmental sustainability and biodiversity, community gardens provide opportunities for social engagement, education, and inclusion. They are open spaces for sharing knowledge and skills, fostering a model of active and participatory citizenship.
This module will explore the fundamental principles of community gardens, their impact on society and the environment, and their potential as tools for urban transformation and social cohesion.
Lessons
L1. What is a community garden?
Community gardens represent an innovative form of collective land management aimed at benefiting both community members and the surrounding environment. These green spaces, initiated by local groups, serve a multitude of purposes, ranging from leisure and wellness to education and social inclusion. While the cultivation of food can be a component of community gardens, it is not necessarily their primary purpose.
Community gardens vary greatly in size and type, including small natural gardens, areas of fruits and vegetables integrated into residential complexes, community greenhouses, and community-managed market gardens. Their creation and management are primarily voluntary-based, with strong local community involvement. In some cases, larger community gardens may employ numerous workers, while others operate through the commitment of small volunteer groups. The management of these spaces is often entrusted to committees elected by the community and, in some cases, occurs in partnership with local authorities, maintaining a high level of territorial participation.
It is not just a way to take care of the environment but also, and above all, a space for welcoming and valuing diversity, where listening, interaction, and collaboration make the Community Urban Garden a permanent laboratory for experimenting and exchanging ideas and knowledge, for doing things together. The Community Urban Garden is a common good. It is closely linked to its territory and community, enhancing both. The Community Urban Garden is collectively managed and has a variety of functions related to leisure, social activities, wellness, education, inclusion, and integration. Cultivation may be a feature of such a site, but it might not be the main or sole purpose.
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On April 6, 2018, Rome Capital received significant recognition with the “Rural” project, presented within the “Urbact” Program promoted by European Territorial Cooperation for sustainable and integrated urban development. This success adds to the already consolidated “Sidigmed – Urban Gardens Project,” confirming Rome’s leadership in environmental strategies and urban regeneration.
The project, selected among 24 winners out of 43 participating cities, involves transferring activities developed between 2014 and 2016 in the II, IV, and IX Municipalities of Rome. In these areas, green spaces were created on uncultivated, abandoned, or mafia-confiscated land, where vulnerable individuals, associations, and citizens collaborate in managing the gardens.
These initiatives promote ecological defense, territorial enhancement, and the use of common goods as elements of resilience, inclusion, and social aggregation, thereby strengthening the urban collective identity.
A significant aspect of these projects is the final destination of the cultivated products, which can be reserved for self-consumption or donated to associations that assist the needy. This integrated approach not only improves food self-sufficiency but also supports the most vulnerable communities.
Rome’s mayor, Virginia Raggi, emphasized the importance of the recognition received: “Rome becomes a model of urban regeneration and a good practice city in the European context. The Urbact recognition confirms the validity of our good environmental practices and integrated redevelopment paths implemented in favor of the revitalization of urban centers and peripheries. All this through participatory models of dialogue between citizens and institutions, social inclusion, the fight against climate change, and territorial development. Participation in the Urbact Program is an excellent showcase for promoting Rome Capital as a ‘resilient urban agriculture city.'”
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The primary purpose of establishing a community urban garden is to provide benefits to both community members and the surrounding environment. These green spaces, created through the collaboration of local groups, not only improve the quality of the urban environment but also promote social cohesion and collective well-being.
Community urban gardens transform neglected or abandoned land into green oases that contribute to biodiversity and improve air quality in cities. They act as green lungs, reducing pollution and providing habitats for various species of flora and fauna. This urban green revival not only beautifies the environment but also creates welcoming and functional spaces for citizens.
These gardens facilitate interaction among people of different ages and backgrounds, promoting dialogue and collaboration. Community garden spaces become socialization spots where new friendships are formed, and existing bonds are strengthened. The exchange and sharing of experiences and knowledge foster a sense of belonging and community. In these spaces, individuals learn to work together, share responsibilities, and create a harmonious and collaborative environment.
Participating in the cultivation of a community garden has numerous psychological and physical benefits. Light physical activity, such as growing and caring for plants, contributes to physical health, while contact with nature and participation in a collective project improve mental well-being and reduce stress. Community urban gardens offer a refuge from the chaos of urban life, a place where people can relax and find a sense of peace and tranquility.
Community urban gardens serve as catalysts for social cohesion. They promote collaboration and integration among different social groups, creating a stronger and more supportive social fabric. They also offer an opportunity for inclusion of vulnerable individuals, improving the quality of life for all participants. The integration of people with different abilities, cultural backgrounds, and social conditions makes these gardens true laboratories of inclusion and solidarity.
Beyond social and environmental aspects, community urban gardens have an important educational function. They serve as platforms where community members can learn sustainable farming practices, understand the importance of biodiversity, and develop greater environmental awareness. Through workshops and educational activities, these gardens spread ecological knowledge and promote sustainable lifestyles, raising awareness about environmental protection and the sustainable management of resources.
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Summarising, the goals and principles guiding a Community Garden project are:
- Promote territorial stewardship: Enhance the green and agricultural heritage and protect the biodiversity of Rome, contributing to ecological defense and territorial enhancement.
- Value natural resources: Encourage practices for the regulation and recovery of natural resources to ensure their long-term sustainability.
- Develop resilience and active participation: Engage the community to develop resilience and improve local food security through collective garden management.
- Educate about beauty and urban decorum: Raise awareness among citizens about the importance of beauty and urban decorum, contributing to creating more pleasant and well-kept environments.
- Organize and manage efficiently: Promote best practices for the spatial and cultural organization and management of urban gardens, ensuring adequate design and maintenance.
- Eco-friendly agriculture: Encourage environmentally friendly farming methods, such as organic farming and permaculture, to ensure sustainable and healthy practices.
- Sustainable self-production: Offer the opportunity to produce part of one’s own vegetable needs in a healthy, ecologically, and socially sustainable way.
- Active citizenship: Create social aggregation opportunities that foster interpersonal relationships and knowledge of the urban environment, developing moments of sociality and encounter.
- Culture of sustainable environmental practices: Raise awareness among citizens, families, groups, associations, and educational institutions about the importance of sustainable and resilient environmental practices through shared management processes of common goods.
- Intergenerational encounter: Promote the exchange of knowledge and techniques among different generations, valuing the contribution of each age group.
- Positive lifestyles: Promote outdoor activities and healthy lifestyles, using urban gardens as places for physical and mental well-being.
- Social and intercultural inclusion: Promote integration, social inclusion, solidarity, and intercultural exchange, creating welcoming environments for all.
- Recovery of agricultural traditions: Recover local agricultural traditions and offer training in the sector, transforming urban gardens into spaces of learning and innovation for the entire community.
Through these objectives, a community urban garden becomes a permanent laboratory for experimenting and exchanging ideas and knowledge, promoting social cohesion and territorial enhancement.
Lesson Quiz
L2. History and Types of Community Gardens
The phenomenon of urban gardens began to take hold in America and England starting in the 1920s with the concept of “community gardens,” where some urban areas were allocated to groups of workers who, lacking good economic and social conditions, found in cultivation a means of sustenance. A significant increase in areas designated for collective agriculture occurred in Europe in the post-World War I period: in Germany, for example, laws were enacted in 1919 to promote the creation of urban gardens throughout the country. Similarly, in Russia, with the nationalization of land by the Bolsheviks, many lands were allocated to the working class and party officials. In the United States, to address the social emergency induced by the war, “community gardens” were promoted to finance the education campaign for children and social outcasts, known as the “United States School of Gardens.”
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1. THE FIRST FORMS
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, collective agriculture through “relief gardens” or “welfare garden plots” improved the economic and social conditions of many Americans, becoming agents of socialization and promoters of social and cultural well-being.
The first testimonies of urban gardening and city cultivation as public and collective management date back to the American experiences of the 1960s and 70s. Groups of people from diverse social backgrounds united to counter neoliberal real estate speculation, privatizations, green space cementification, land consumption, and gentrification. The first grassroots urban renewal mobilizations led to the creation of urban gardens. In England, USA, Canada, and France, the first social research on urban gardens in the context of community development was conducted, highlighting a strong civic commitment to quality of life and environmental sustainability.
2. IN THE UNITED STATES
In the United States, some scholars speak of “environmental racism” since the first urban green spaces were reserved for specific ethnic groups such as Hispanics and African Americans, excluding them from metropolitan life. Protest movements arose claiming the right to inhabit the city, as described by authors like Staheli, Mitchell, and Gibson.
The phenomenon of community gardening can be divided into two types: a social category composed of people interested in resisting land consumption and food waste by building participatory communities; and an economic category comprising financial lobbies that, through neoliberal strategies, carry out gentrification operations for the tourism and real estate market.
A significant example is the fiscal crisis of New York in the 1970s, which led to the abandonment of thousands of housing units and green areas. Political decisions, such as those of Rudolph Giuliani, favored gentrification at the expense of weaker social classes. However, the sale of promised lands did not succeed, and community gardens were sold to Land Trusts like the “New York Restoration Project” and the “Trust for Public Land.” This scenario highlighted the complexity of the dynamics between public and private in managing urban green spaces.
3. IN EUROPE
In Europe, 14 pioneer countries started creating urban gardens: Great Britain (1795), Germany (1814), France (1896), Denmark (1821), Norway (1908), Netherlands (1838), Finland (1900), Sweden (1895), Austria (1904), and others. The names vary from “allotment gardens” to “Kleingarten” and others. In Spain, there are “huertos de ocio”; in France, “jardin ouvriers” and “jardins familiaux” supported by associations like the Fédération Nationale des Jardins Familiaux et Collectifs and the Bundesverband Deutscher Gartenfreunde e.V.
European urban gardens are a form of “critical engagement” against neoliberalism, as in the case of the Forat garden in Barcelona. In France, Jardins Partagés are laboratories of active citizenship located in neighborhoods historically inhabited by migrants and workers, resisting real estate speculation. Over time, urban gardens have become promoters of social and ethnic integration.
In Europe, only eight countries have specific laws for urban gardens: Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Great Britain. These laws establish the legislative basis for managing and allocating community gardens. For example, in Austria, there is the Federal Laws on the Regulation of Allotment Gardening (1958), in Germany the Federal Act of Small Gardens (1983), in Great Britain the Small Holdings and Allotment Act (1908), and in Ireland the Acquisitions of Land (Allotments) Act (1926).
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact beginning of the history of community gardens, as it is plausible that the first gardens in the world were collective, considering how prehistoric communities were organized. In any case, the phenomenon of community gardens, as we understand them today, paradoxically emerged thanks to industrialization in the 19th century. Cultivation in cities has been a reality accompanying humans since their world assumed urban characteristics, alternating throughout history between a productive vocation, that of the garden, and a recreational one, the garden as a place of rest and “respite” from the rest of the world.
Lesson Quiz
L3. Community Involvement and Impact of Community Gardens
A community garden is defined as being collectively managed and beneficial to its members and the territory for a variety of purposes, including leisure, recreation, play, social activities, wellness, education, inclusion, and integration. The cultivation of food can be a feature of such a site, but it might not be the main or sole purpose. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from tiny natural gardens to fruit and vegetable areas among residential complexes, from community greenhouses to community-managed market gardens. Community gardens are often created by groups of local people voluntarily and generally maintain a strong degree of volunteer involvement. Some larger community farms and gardens also employ workers, while others are managed exclusively by small groups of volunteers. Most have a management committee chosen by the local population; some are managed as partnerships with local authorities while maintaining strong territorial involvement.
Empowering a community garden means enabling and promoting the capacity of gardeners to understand the surrounding reality and exert control over events, taking on an active, aware, and responsible role, especially in decision-making processes. Operational and relational modes through which to trigger and realize empowerment processes frequently return terms like participation, facilitation, trust, delegation, emancipation, sharing, encouragement, collaboration, optimism, and tolerance. To be a reality that works on empowering those we come into contact with, it is necessary to create contexts where it is possible to share information and experiences, maturing a sense of collective identity. Responsibility and shared leadership, a supportive atmosphere, a culture of growth and community promotion, and the possibility for members to take on multiple meaningful roles are the characteristics that should define our community garden project.
The actions of a community urban garden involve adults who are not just implementers of agro-ecological practices but also true disseminators of environmental education and multipliers of sustainability actions that go far beyond the environmental sphere. It is undeniable that one of the priorities of the community project behind a community urban garden is to present itself not only as a reclaimed and accessible space for all but also as a catalyst for energies aimed at fostering understanding of environmental and climate issues, reinforcing individual citizen commitment to adopting sustainable practices and promoting them to others. The community urban garden should be seen and recognized not only by citizens but also by other key societal actors as a space where they can exercise and develop civic and social skills. This happens differently and often alternatively to what society normally offers. Co-decision, co-programming, and co-design among its members are fundamental dimensions of the community urban garden that would otherwise not exist or endure over time. The attractiveness it exerts on many citizens is often initially due to aesthetic factors that naturally stand out in the urban context. The resilience of urban gardens to various societal problems they reflect remains the main element of access and permanence in the community urban garden experience.
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“A single square meter of land can produce 30 kg of tomatoes per year, 100 onions in 120 days, or 36 heads of lettuce every 60 days” (University of Oxford). That same square meter of land in a community urban garden can simultaneously generate positive social externalities: skill development, mutuality, cooperation, inclusion, social cohesion, well-being, and civic engagement. This consideration allows us to affirm that what counts in these realities is the social density of every kilogram produced, tipping the balance in favor of these socially relevant projects. These are fruits of the land and seeds for society.
The community urban garden is configured as a hub intersecting and potentially making concrete sustainability policies, including those concerning food that insist on its territory. The premise is that active members of community gardens (gardeners) are not merely implementers of agro-ecological practices related to food but also true disseminators of environmental education and multipliers of sustainability actions that go far beyond the environmental sphere. It is undeniable that one of the priorities of the community project behind a community urban garden is to present itself not only as a reclaimed and accessible space for all but also as a catalyst for energies aimed at fostering understanding of environmental and food issues, reinforcing individual citizen commitment to adopting healthy and sustainable practices and promoting them to others.
