lis 590ibl community gardening presentation

LIS 590 IBL:Community Gardening

Community Gardening!

Meadow Jones, Suzanne Im

Saramanda Goodwin, Robin Duple


Ask: sample starting questions

•What resources are needed? •What support exists? •How can one person get started? •What are the roots of community gardening?

More topics to explore on our website: http://sites.google.com/site/communitygardeningibl/ask

http://sites.google.com/site/communitygardeningibl/ask


INVESTIGATE


Overview CG History•Industrial Revolution, urban poor

•USA and England

•Late 1800’s, economic depression•World War I, food shortages

5 million people $5 million of food


Overview CG History•Great Depression

•In NYC, 5000 gardens on 700 acres

•World War II•20 million victory gardens 40% of fresh veggies in US


Overview CG History•Usually most popular during wars and economic downturns•Way to feed people as well as unify community

More info about the history: http://tinyurl.com/25hqc8qhttp://www.cityfarmer.org/CGNewYork.html

Article - Rethinking Urban Poverty: A look at Community Gardens

http://tinyurl.com/25hqc8q

http://www.cityfarmer.org/CGNewYork.html

http://bst.sagepub.com.proxy2.library.uiuc.edu/cgi/reprint/20/3/207


Community Gardening/Urban Greening

So many options! •Vegetable gardens•Herb gardens•Flower gardens•Green roofs/living roof•Square foot gardening•Vertical gardens•Permaculture projects


Benefits of CG/UG

•Food production – access to affordable fresh produce

•Gardeners as “nutrition change agents”

•Neighborhood improvement•Closer and safer than parks•Cleaner air


Benefits of CG/UG•Satisfying labor, physical activity

•Fun, not economic profit

•Nature connection •Value formation for small children•Relaxing places, help lower stress


Benefits of CG/UG

•Build community ties •Cooperative work in the garden•Neighbors garden in pairs for safety•Sharing surplus with neighbors•Step toward playground and street clean-ups


People, Land and Sustainability:Community Gardens and the Social

Dimension of Sustainable Development

John Ferris, Carol Norman and

Joe Sempik


• Established at the UN Conference on the Environment held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

• A local-government-led, community-wide, and participatory effort to establish a comprehensive action strategy for environmental protection, economic prosperity and community well-being in the local area.

• Key elements: full community participation, assessment of current conditions, target setting for achieving specific goals, monitoring and reporting.

Local Agenda 21


• Leisure • Child and School• Entrepreneurial• Crime Diversion/Work & Training• Healing & Therapy• Neighborhood Pocket Parks• Ecological Restoration• Demonstration

Major Types of Community Gardens

Local Initiatives

• April 25, 2010: 200 block of Market St., Urbana - spearheaded by Activate Champaign County.

• Summer 2011: $10,000 Community Garden Vision Plan for Douglass Park, Champaign - UIUC Engineers Without Borders



Comments on readings?

Our list of readings:

http://sites.google.com/site/communitygardeningibl/investigate




CREATE


Sketching a garden

For those at home, you’ll need•Paper •Pens, markers, pencils•Ruler •Imagination!

http://sites.google.com/site/communitygardeningibl/create

http://sites.google.com/site/communitygardeningibl/create


BrainstormingDoes your life include…

Kids? Pets? Lots of traveling? Grilling? Outdoor entertaining?

Do you want anything specific like…

Shade? Food? Prettier entrance? Repair/replace the lawn?

Do you have set ideas for what you want to include like…

Certain colors? Native plants? Perennials?

Do you like…

Formal gardens? More natural-looking ones?


Create!


Discussion and Reflections: Sketching a garden

http://sites.google.com/site/communitygardeningibl/reflect



Making a Worm FarmFor those at home, you’ll need

•Sturdy container made of plastic or wood, at least 7”x9”x14” •Worms (red wigglers are best!)•Slightly damp newspaper scraps •Food scraps, such as cooked egg shells, bread scraps, and fruit peels•Gardening soil (not potting soil!)•Mesh screen (optional)


Discussion and Reflection: Making a Worm Farm




Comments, Questions, Wrap-Up


Thank you!

All photos provided courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

lis 590ibl community gardening presentation

Education