The benefits of community gardens are plenty. Urban agriculture has proven to be beneficial to the environment and health of community members. If you are someone that is often involved in civic engagement, a community garden may be a great idea to bring into your next town hall meeting.
The introduction of a garden can be especially impactful in low-income areas, where there is not often adequate accessibility to nutritious foods. This means that poor nutrition and obesity are often issues within these communities. The addition of a garden can increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduce neighborhood waste though the act of composting. It will also help improve the air and soil quality and add biodiversity in the plant and animal life surrounding the area.
The next time there is an opportunity to present ideas on strengthening community ties, by all means, suggest a community garden! The creation of the garden will go hand in hand with the creation of social ties and better the overall feeling of community. There have even been connections made between the safety and empowerment of residents where there is an active community garden.
Vacant land can lead to crime which has an incredibly negative impact on the health of the people that live nearby. Areas that report high crime rates see a correlation between mental health disorders and disease. Furthermore, empty plots of land decrease property value and often see illegal dumping and drug use. In part due to these factors, a garden is a unique economic opportunity. After using vacant lots for gardens one area of Philadelphia saw property values increase by 30%.
Urban agriculture can be a way to teach residents a plethora of useful skills, such as planning, business, and food production. After the community comes together for the creation of this beautiful idea, volunteers can be trained to sell the produce at farmers markets.
The USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service has put a grant program into place helping to decrease low-income community problems with nutritional food accessibility. Over the long-term they’re hoping to provide food security by creating local agriculture projects, tht will in turn improve the social and economic issues these areas are faced with.
A number of these programs are supporting the creation of gardens across cities. These community gardens are one step of many to develop lasting solutions for the environment and for society.