community gardens and building strong communities miriam pepper
TRANSCRIPT
Community gardens and building strong communities
Miriam Pepperwww.unitingearthweb.org.au
Outline
• Introductions• Stories from church community gardens:– What are community gardens?– Why and how are churches involved?– How are they building strong communities?– What challenges have they faced?
• Resources• Discussion in pairs/groups
www.unitingearthweb.org.au
Introductions
• 10 seconds• What is your name?• Are you involved in a community garden
– which one?• What do you hope to learn from this session?
www.unitingearthweb.org.au
What are community gardens?
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• Places where people come together to garden• Food growing and associated facilities• Indigenous and native plants• Community art• Animals• Socialisation, celebration, solitude, reflection
Why are churches involved?
• Build relationships• Social inclusion• Stewardship of church land• Creation care• Respond to a request from the community• Invigorate their mission• Integrate worship, witness and service
www.unitingearthweb.org.au
How are churches involved?
Four models:• “Church land, church run”• “Church land, others run”• “Church in partnership”• “Existing garden”
www.unitingearthweb.org.au
How are churches building strong communities?
• Enhanced relationships and networks• Social inclusion• Environmental benefits• Physical and mental health benefits• Reduced costs for managing open space• Reduced crime and vandalism
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How are churches building strong communities?
“The main theme appears to be the connection of the people involved... friendships and connections through the earth, the soil, the plants, and its fruits. There is an energy coming from
it that is difficult to put into words.”Church community garden tour participant, 28/5/11
• Partnerships• Build community ownership• Participatory learning• Celebration• The church itself can be transformed!
www.unitingearthweb.org.au
What challenges have churches faced?
• Getting the whole congregation on board• Issues of who controls the space• Managing conflicts among gardeners and
garden groups• Founder’s syndrome• Longer term sustainability?
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Other gardens (Uniting Church)
• St Luke’s Belmont• Permapatch
(Chatswood South)• St John’s Neutral Bay• UAICC Garden
(Broken Hill)• New Lambton• Quakers Hill
• Canowindra• Fairy Meadow• Young• Mudgee• Grace Community
(Goulburn)• Hope
(Maroubra Junction)
and no doubt more…….
www.unitingearthweb.org.au
Resources
Uniting Earthweb community food resources: • “Growing Mission with Community Food”
http://www.unitingearthweb.org.au/community-food
• Church stories:http://www.unitingearthweb.org.au/stories
Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network: http://communitygarden.org.au
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Discussion
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In pairs or small groups:• What struck you from today’s presentation?• What have you learned?• What will you take away with you?
