Diversity in community gardens: Evidence from one region in the United Kingdom

Urban Farm DB summary

A profiling study of community gardens in one region of the United Kingdom, which found that gardens differ in how and when they were established, how they are managed and funded, their size, and who uses them and for what purposes. The two most common objectives cited by organizers were community development through food-related activities and contributing to environmental sustainability. On longevity, one third of the community gardens in the study region were found to be no longer active, indicating that survival is not assured. To improve durability, the study suggests gardens need to build a sense of ownership within the local community and be managed in ways consistent with their funding source's conditions and volunteers' expectations.