Examining urban and school gardens in the midwest: Using ecology and education to increase food access

Background/Question/Methods

Urban and school gardens have emerged as a viable resource for community outreach and education. They are an important resource for at-risk communities to learn about healthy foods and healthy lifestyles, while also serving as a food outlet for communities with limited food access. This study focused on food access within the urban and school gardening context across Michigan and Northwest Ohio. We surveyed garden managers and educators to better understand the role of gardens as resources for underserved and minority communities. We also wanted to better understand the ecological complexity within urban garden systems, and we collected data on diversity counts, sustainability practices, and production methods. Census data was utilized to map community demographics and to highlight issues of food access in the sampled regions. Data was analyzed using SPSS and ArcGIS. 

Results/Conclusions

We found the urban gardens in Toledo can function as both hubs for social justice and examples of diverse growing system, with upwards of 82 crop varieties grown on a single urban garden. The majority of gardens are grown on less than 0.5 acres of land. Many of these gardens function as complex greenspace for urban regions, and can provide recreational opportunities for community residents. We also found that public school gardens are supporting Michigan local food initiatives across the state. In addition we found that garden educators are finding creative ways to align their school garden curricula with state educational standards. This allows school gardens to function not only as educational tools, but also as community resources to increase food access.