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Results of a US and Canada community garden survey: shared challenges in garden management amid diverse geographical and organizational contexts

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  • Luke Drake
  • Laura Lawson

Abstract

Community gardens are of increasing interest to scholars, policymakers, and community organizations but there has been little systematic study of community garden management at a broad scale. This study complements case study research by revealing shared experiences of community garden management across different contexts. In partnership with the American Community Gardening Association, we developed an online questionnaire. Results from 445 community garden organizations across the US and Canada reveal common themes as well as differences that are particularly significant across different organizational sizes. The findings suggest that organizers see multiple benefits, and respondents confirmed recent expansion of gardening efforts. Analysis then focuses on challenges, which are closely related to garden management. We address garden losses as well as challenges to routine operation. Key challenges included funding, participation, land, and materials. We developed a typology based on organization size, to reveal distinctions between small organizations (serving 1 garden), medium-sized organizations (2–3 gardens), large organizations (4–30 gardens) and very large organizations (31 or more gardens). These categories shed light on different needs for funding, land, material, and participation. Together, this analysis suggests that community gardens can be linked through the work it takes to sustain them rather than specific causes or outcomes. Community gardens can be better integrated into local food systems through analysis of how people involved with this work navigate these shared processes. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

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  • Luke Drake & Laura Lawson, 2015. "Results of a US and Canada community garden survey: shared challenges in garden management amid diverse geographical and organizational contexts," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(2), pages 241-254, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:32:y:2015:i:2:p:241-254
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-014-9558-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaoying Ding & Yukun Zhang & Jie Zheng & Xiaopeng Yue, 2020. "Design and Social Factors Affecting the Formation of Social Capital in Chinese Community Garden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-25, December.
    2. Liling Huang, 2023. "Developing Place-Based Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Taipei City’s Jiuzhuang Community Garden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Jana Spilková, 2017. "Producing space, cultivating community: the story of Prague´s new community gardens," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 34(4), pages 887-897, December.
    4. Katie L. Butterfield, 2023. "Modeling community garden participation: how locations and frames shape participant demographics," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(3), pages 1067-1085, September.
    5. Candis M. Hunter & Dana H. Z. Williamson & Matthew O. Gribble & Halle Bradshaw & Melanie Pearson & Eri Saikawa & P. Barry Ryan & Michelle Kegler, 2019. "Perspectives on Heavy Metal Soil Testing Among Community Gardeners in the United States: A Mixed Methods Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-19, July.
    6. Nicole Rogge & Insa Theesfeld & Carola Strassner, 2018. "Social Sustainability through Social Interaction—A National Survey on Community Gardens in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.
    7. Andreas Wesener & Runrid Fox-Kämper & Martin Sondermann & Daniel Münderlein, 2020. "Placemaking in Action: Factors That Support or Obstruct the Development of Urban Community Gardens," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-29, January.
    8. Lenka Dubová & Jan Macháč & Alena Vacková, 2020. "Food Provision, Social Interaction or Relaxation: Which Drivers Are Vital to Being a Member of Community Gardens in Czech Cities?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    9. Krzyżaniak Michał & Świerk Dariusz & Urbański Piotr & Szczepańska Magdalena, 2018. "Changes in the area of urban green space in cities of western Poland," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 39(39), pages 65-77, March.
    10. Jae Ho Lee & David Matarrita-Cascante, 2019. "Gardeners’ Past Gardening Experience and Its Moderating Effect on Community Garden Participation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-16, June.
    11. Thomas Sabitzer & Barbara Hartl & Sarah Marth & Eva Hofmann & Elfriede Penz, 2018. "Preventing Conflicts in Sharing Communities as a Means of Promoting Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-24, August.
    12. Daniel C. Kelly, 2023. "Committing to change? A case study on volunteer engagement at a New Zealand urban farm," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(3), pages 1317-1331, September.

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