Groundworks

This Idea has been incorporated into the Sustainable Urban Farming Initiative. 

Idea Overview

A network of community-based productive green spaces organized and assisted by a new organization

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Christine Brill, Jessica Jade Jacob, Mark Raterkus, Steve Salas, Jonathan Kline, Lee Coig, Jaylyn Thomas

What is the idea?

A network of community-based productive green spaces organized and assisted by a new organization

How would idea work?

• Organization created to develop and organize functional community gardens in different neighborhoods by partnering with neighborhood organizations
• Each space or "Sprout Site" would function as a garden, training center, community public space and production site for trees, produce, flowers, which can be kept, donated or sold

Pluses:

• Sustainable green spaces
• Education and training
• Community network building
• Economic potential - plants/produce/lumber for sale
• Clean the environment removing blight

Concerns:

• Requires a new organization to manage it
• Ownership and liability of land
• Maintenance and sustaining participation
• Finding and securing land

Community opportunities:

• Community would be engaged in designing, building, planting, maintaining the sites
• The sites would be place to learn about sustainable gardening and agriculture
• Maintenance and planting would be part of classwork