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CONTENTS
Page 1. NATOPIA: WHO, WHAT, WHY
Why set up a community garden? Who is this guide for? Why is Natopia important?
2. GETTING STARTED
Location, location, location! How long can the space be used for a garden?
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Natopia is about making partnerships, and helping people help each other. We have found that there are a lot of individuals in Melbourne who, like us, see why community gardens are interesting and useful projects. Often there are people with a high level of technical know-how who could assist a family or group of neighbours set up their own garden, but finding each other is difficult. Natopia aims to create links between individuals on all levels to teach and learn from each other about sustainability. We know that this can be is a complex and difficult task on the whole. Natopia is the starting point in a process that first, explains why community garden projects are interesting and useful, and second, how these links can be formed. We think that a great way to achieve both outcomes is for individuals to set up their own community garden projects.
can be a truly environmentally sound way to grow the food we all need to be healthy require the most minimal transport energy requirements, from the earth to your plate will likely be a critical source of food production in the future, especially with the ever-increasing global population can be a powerful educational resource for people to teach and learn from each other about nutrition, environmental sustainability, and cultural diversity provide an option to produce food that contains no herbicides or chemical additives, requires no packaging, and is often less water-intensive provide the space to defrag and reconnect in a natural environment, with significant stress-relieving and mental health benefits help strengthen a feeling of community, and give people an even greater stake in their sense of home.
You may have noticed a number of these sprouting up around Melbourne people are already getting in on the idea!
How do we find a space to use? Whats the best sort of garden where I live? How do I find or convince other people in our street to get involved?
In researching this guide we have had to deal with many of the same questions. We found that answers are out there, once you start looking. This guide captures the essence of many conversations we have had with Melbournians with high levels of professional expertise who agree that community gardens are a great idea, and potentially very important for Melbournes future development. There are issues that this toolkit cant equip you for, especially things that are specific to each suburb or even street in Melbourne. But you can think of it as a first port of call, and where answers are site-specific, well try to point you in the right direction to find the answers you are looking for.
for other people in the community. Education is key to the success of edible gardens. Knowing when to plant certain crops, how to maintain them and when to harvest their produce are important aspects of a successful garden project. Crops can be sold, shared or swapped with others members of the community and thus the overall costs are reduced for all involved.
2. Getting Started
So, youve decided that you want to embark on setting up your own local community garden. Perhaps you even have some neighbours who are keen to get involved. Here are a few questions we think you will need to answer.
An empty block of land owned by the council A planter box at the end of a dead-end street A nature strip An empty car space A piece of land that you own (even your front lawn!) that you are happy to let other neighbours use A portion of a local park An unused laneway
Remember the land does not always need to be perfect and fertile. Planter boxes are a great option for plants! Obviously some spaces may require you to get permission from your local council (see section 4, below). It might be worth going to your local council and seeing if there is any land that is currently not being used or could contain a community garden on site. Often there is land surrounding a block of flats that might be unkempt and in need of a bit of love! One person starting a garden can often encourage other residents to take part in the garden no matter how big or small.
Temporary
Temporary gardens are ideal if you dont know how long you will be able to use the space you have in mind. Temporary gardens may also be more adaptable to:
Changes to direct sunlight Re-development of the land Contaminated or unfavourable soil Seasonal changes
There are some options if you think that this will be the case for your garden. An example is planter boxes. Depending on the plants or crops you want to grow, planter boxes (for example left over crates from the market) may not need to be very deep.
Permanent
If you have a site accessible where you know you can create a more long-term garden then there are some similar things to think about. For example, there might be a development built in a neighbouring block of land that could reduce sunlight. Access to water needs to be taken into account (as it does for temporary gardens). Long-term community gardens, such as VegOut or CERES may become very high in demand as well. This may require you to think about the more long-term management of the garden, for instance using a ballot system to allocate plots, encouraging people to take turns pruning the garden and so on. Remember that it can take time for your garden to be well established, so think about the people and systems that might need to be in place in order for your garden to survive! 7
There are some questions to think about regarding the condition of the garden site. Particularly if the site is in a preserved lane, on a roundabout, next to a railway line, or on a vacant building site, for example.
Is the soil clean? Is it contaminated? If so, how to make it happening? o Think about the plots option for plants as temporary, raised beds will avoid contact with the soil o Think about direct access to the garden: is it safe? Is there enough natural light in this specific location? o What kind of plants could be used if there is a lot of light, or a lack of direct sunlight? o Are the plants drought resistant? Can they withstand direct sunlight all through the summer months? How will you manage water distribution? o Have you considered water tanks? They could be transported to a next temporary garden initiative. o What about direct irrigation beneath the soil? o Is it possible to arrange with the neighbourhood restaurant to re-use their water? This has been used in a number of gardens in Melbourne already!
What types of plants for which use? o Are you focusing on food security first? And then plan the garden to be a place where people can grow and learn how to grow their vegetables? Think also about what would be the best plants for this: native or non- native? Which uses less water and is drought-resistant? o Are you considering educational programs? If so, these educational programs could be on a wide range of vegetation: native plants, aromatic plants that could be used for traditional medicines purposes; you are limited only by your imagination! o Are you interested in biodiversity and environment? If so, different flora need to be represented, including trees, insects and so on.
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Accessibility
In terms of physical accessibility, in most cases the main intent is for the garden to be used by residents within reasonable walking distance. In some cases the gardens may need to be located near public transport and require easy access for maintenance vehicles. These factors may depend on the location of the site and may not be able to be changed by you, but they are important to keep in mind. Creating a garden that is in close proximity to facilities may reduce the costs in setting the garden up to begin with. For example, an adjoining building could provide access to water, toilets or shelter through negotiation with the owners. Again, access to these facilities may be less or more important, depending on the size of your garden and who you think might use it.
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Education
Gardens provide an opportunity to teach and learn from others. We believe that one of the most important aspects of Natopia is the sharing of ideas and information. We hope that people who use the garden you create will share tips with others about how to grow and care for the different things you grow there. If the garden contains edible plants, there might be other beneficial educational programs that could be run. These might be workshops instructing how to cook with different herbs or vegetables, or how different cultures use the same plants in special ways. For example, there are many educational programs available at CERES, a well-established community garden and farm in the City of Moreland.
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We have researched some inspiring initiatives and bodies to liaise with in Victoria and Australia, but there are also some fantastic initiatives that have been set up overseas. Here are some ideas of where to look! (For details of these programs see section 7)
Educational and voluntary programs: such as Ceres or Cultivating Community Green Projects: such as Green Roof initiatives, Very Edible Garden, High Line Project, la Promenade Plante, all of which show o Examples of start-up projects, identifying spaces, finding funding o Examples of the management of environmental and urban planning; Research Projects, such as those in architecture and landscape, permaculture, horticulture, climate change. Community Initiatives: Ceres, Cultivating Community & the Department of Planning and Community Development in Victoria.
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Identifying stakeholders
Community gardens are characterised by the variety of its uses and the combination of many different people working together. Stakeholders are the people who have an interest in something that you need for your community garden to be successful. These are the people who can help you, and who you need to negotiate with. Here is what you need to think about when planning your community garden:
Short-term and long-term considerations: o Who will be involved at the various phases of the project? o Who wants to be involved? o Who needs to be involved?
Location who are the most suitable stakeholders regarding the specific location of the project? Consider who has most of an interest in your street, neighbourhood, city, state. What is in it for them?
Public policy: existing commitments that you could help to achieve with your garden project. For example, does your council have an existing sustainability commitment that it needs to prove it has done something about by the end of the year? If they agree to help you with your garden project, you will have helped each other achieve your goals Public image: Are there any nearby businesses that like to promote themselves as being clean and green? Core belief: Many individuals state publicly to have a passion for achieving many of the benefits that a community garden can achieve. Try to find someone to champion your cause!
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It is also worth thinking about the diversity of your stakeholders. This means that you need to involve and work with people coming from different environment and bodies: Give the chance to everyone to get involved! Finally, think about what the focus of your community garden is: a garden focusing on environment might have different stakeholders than one focusing on food security.
Find an expert!
The aim of Natopia is to provide a model that will facilitate the transformation of social behaviour and awareness of the others, and of nature. For a community garden to be successful, it is worth keeping some things in mind when you identify the experts that will help you. Here are just some steps to remember when attempting to get people on board: First identify the various professionals who can help a community garden. This might include people in these areas: o Public authorities and institutions (specialised in development, planning, and public policy. Some of them are already involved with sustainable development, food security, health and wellbeing) o Academia (architects, landscapers, horticulturists, and many more) o Private companies including consultancy firms (Some examples are law firms, architecture or planning design firms) o NGOs or International Organisations (some of them are specialised in various aspects of education, preservation of nature, and sustainability)
Identify how all these people interact together, and indeed if they interact together. Set up a plan of recruitment of the people identified (remember that networking is crucial!) The way you present your ideas and project has to be changed a bit depending if you are meeting up with someone working in water management or a landscape architecture. Consider the type of questions you want to ask to people depending on their specialty.
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Here are the questions to keep in mind when meeting with experts: what exactly you do want from them? Why do you need them? How can they help you?
How to get people from a different field and environment get together and make it happen?
Remember that the type of people you will be working with will depend on the main purpose of your specific community garden (only food security or health well being related). You might find that people from various fields and environment interact poorly together. But dont be afraid of this: it is not an obstacle. It can actually make your garden project much stronger! All of them have great expertise that could make an important difference in the management, creativity and outcome of the development of your community garden. The motivation needs to come first from you, and also those who are setting up the community garden alongside you. Getting people from different professions to work together is not always easy. This is often because many of them have never interacted in this way between each other before. Everyone has knowledge that could be used in a community garden, but the trick is how to communicate and coordinate people in a way that could be effective. A lot of people and professionals have presumptions. You need to be confident about the objectives, and why you want to achieve them. Often the biggest challenge is being true to your original principles, and learning how to be an ethical leader. The more you involve people from a different field and different environment, the richer your experience will be, and the richer the experience your garden project will be to give to your local community.
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Government
Water Catchment Management Authorities Water management advice Public Land Local Council These three councils are into sustainability, community garden, food security. Check them out! Health/Wellbeing Inspiration and education Recreation Public spaces used for recreational purposes Community Groups Experience, advice, on-ground support, passion
Your local Council Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development Melbourne Water Botanical Gardens Cities of Melbourne/Moreland/Yarra Health, Safety and Well-Being Leadership Committee (Moreland) Parks Victoria Cultivating Community Veg Out (St Kilda Community Farm) Rotary Community Gardens Network Incursion programs (CERES) VicRelief Foodbank Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning Melbourne School of Land and Environment Yates/Herberts TRACT Consulting (Planning, Urban & Landscape Design) PricewaterhouseCoopers (Sustainability and Climate Change department) World Business Council for Sustainable Development Committee for Melbourne Centre for Sustainability Leadership
Local Not-for-Profit
Online Network Useful to see what already exists Local sustainability education groups Educational programs, coordination and partnerships Food Security Very Useful Body from which you can learn a lot!
Academic
Architecture and Planning Innovation and experience Scientific Research Innovation and advice Gardening Materials Garden advice and/or partnerships Private Companies
Private
These companies could be of great help in networking and supporting your community garden.
Melbourne Leadership Networks Visionaries and Inspiring people to contact they are dreaming and designing your cities in the upcoming years, they are just like you! Cmon dont be shy!
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Media
Promotion/education Why? People interested should be able to hear about your community garden, give a change to everyone to get involved!
NGO / International Organisation Inspiring bodies, inspiring people and initiatives. They have a lot of passionate people working for them and a great deal of knowledge about the importance of sustainability, environment, development and well being. Recreational bodies Who said that a community garden only is about growing food? Think about what you can do there also to transform this green area into a lively and welcoming place! Have fun!
Others
WWF Friends of Earth The Ian Potter Foundation United Nations Environment Program Life Be In it Soccer Australia AFL
NGO
Legal considerations
Yes, you need to think about this, too! In this guide we have suggested that you concentrate on using public spaces rather than private land. We have only considered the option of a public space in Victoria at this stage, but remember that you can use this example as a way to manage and approach the project outside of Victoria. We have found that community gardens are most successful when set up in unused public spaces. For a community group wanting to set up a new garden set up in Victoria, it might the worth thinking about trying to access Crown Land. Access and use of Crown Land and any risk liability associated with the use of the community garden might be dealt with through a licence system, issued under the Crown Land Reserves Act (1978). This is especially true if your local council agrees to be the managing committee of the community garden. Any risks associated with using the community garden would then remain with the Department of Sustainability and Environment. Local councils can be a very helpful vehicle for setting up a community garden project, so it is definitely worth getting in touch with them! 18
Cash funding In-kind support, including pro-bono work Personal interests and initiative. Never forget the power of individuals to make it happen. This can be one of the most effective driving forces there is!
Where to look?
There are many options; the question is where to start. Try breaking down funding schemes into categories. For example:
District / Community Neighbourhood area. (for example, restaurants, schools, churches, neighbourhood associations) Local governments sustainability committees State and federal government grant schemes Private industries Associations operating in your city Institutions, including those associated with academia. (Research Institutes, which can be critical for securing research grants.
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Keen to contribute?
The future of Natopia will be an online wiki-based information sharing community. The authorship of the information will be approved by a panel who will review the credentials of the authors. This will be the most direct flow of information from industry experts in the various aspects of establishing community gardens, to the people who want to do so themselves. There will also be dedicated forums for users to exchange their own gardening and food production tips similar to what happens in the garden itself, but with people a lot further away than the neighbouring plot. We also want to establish a dedicated community garden in Melbourne called Natopia, which could act as a full-time resource and research centre. The goal would be to have a central educational hub, upon which many other community garden projects could build.
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And so
As we have seen, there exists so much energy and enthusiasm in a city like Melbourne for community garden projects. There is a growing awareness of both what they can do to strengthen links between people, educate, and provide a fresh, sustainable source of food over time. There are many related challenges resulting from climate change that require complex, co-operative responses. For example, there is a growing awareness of how important a role local community gardens will play in the future as a means of food security in the face of increased energy costs and growing global populations. Food security could quite possibly be the biggest challenge that human beings face within the next generation. Learning to live well within ones environment is what sustainabilitys all about, and helping to re-integrate nature back into cities like Melbourne is a fantastic way to start achieving that sustainability. But the most important thing to remember about community gardens are the human beings people just like you. All the resources, knowledge, and infrastructure are out there, along with the will to make these projects happen. What they need is someone to get the project started. You might already live on a street full of people like yourself who are just itching to grab a spade and start flexing their green thumb. So whos going to make the first move? The person who knows how to start. And who is that? The person who just finished reading this guide!
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Internet Resources
Because we want to encourage you to expand your horizons get on the net and have a look!
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1. Natopia: Who, What, Why It is time to act! Bring back nature into your city, into your life, into your traditions.
Sustainability Issues, Health & Well Being of you and your environment:
Home: Want to see something inspiring that could help you to understand how your health & wellbeing and the one of Earth are linked? Here is an amazing and inspiring work, Have a look! http://www.home-2009.com/ SustainAbility: http://www.sustainability.com/ Quoted in the toolkit: Maller et al. Healthy Parks, Healthy People. The health benefits of contact with nature in a park context. Deakin University and Parks Victoria, 2nd edition, 2008 Benefits of reintegrating Nature into Urban Development: Urban Climate Research: http://arts.monash.edu.au/ges/research/climat e/urban/index.php Urban Design and Climate: http://www.bom.gov.au/info/leaflets/urban_d esign.pdff The Earth Observatory of the NASA Beating the Heat in Big Cities: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/GreenRoof/ How City Warmth Affects Plant Growth: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/City+heat:+urban+areas'+warmth+affects+plant+grow th-a0120035020 Report on the projected rise of temperature in Melbourne city in 2003-2007: http://www.cmar.csiro.au/e-print/open/suppiah_2001b.pdf
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Food Security Explanatory Document from theAustralian Government: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/food_security.cfm The State of Food Insecurity in the World, Food and Agriculture Organisation: http://www.fao.org/docrep/011/i0291e/i0291e00.htm
2. Getting Started
General Information: Sustainable Urban Garden: http://www.sacgardens.org/ A portal to Green Technology: http://www.greentechnolog.com/
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Community Gardens in Melbourne: Cultivating Community: http://cultivatingcommunity.org.au/cc/ CERES: http://www.ceres.org.au/drupal/index.php Veg Out: http://www.vegout.asn.au/ Ringwood Community Garden: http://www.ringwoodcommunitygarden.org.au/ Permablitz Australia: http://www.permablitz.net/codemo/aboutus/index.htm Very Edible Gardens is a backyard initiative but useful to get info about plant pots and beds: http://www.VeryEdibleGardens.com/ Green Roofs: Have a look, you can find ideas about the way you can set up your garden Growing Up in Melbourne: http://www.growingup.org.au/ Green Roofs for Healthy Cities: http://www.greenroofs.org/ EcoFriend: Green Living: http://www.ecofriend.org/ Community Gardens Abroad: P-Patch in Seattle: http://www.seattle.gov/Neighborhoods/ppatch/ Cultivating Youth in New Jersey: http://cyfar.rutgers.edu/ Growing Community in Denver: http://www.dug.org/home.asp
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City of Yarra: http://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/ Melbourne Water: http://www.melbournewater.com.au/ Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne: http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/ Parks Victoria: http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/
Community Groups Cultivating Community: http://cultivatingcommunity.org.au/ Veg Out: http://www.vegout.asn.au/ Rotary: http://www.rotary.org/ CERES: http://www.ceres.org/ Online Networks Community Gardens Network: http://communitygarden.org.au/ Food Security VicRelief Foodbank: http://www.vrfb.com.au/ Academia Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning of Melbourne University: http://www.abp.unimelb.edu.au/ Melbourne School of Land and Environment: http://www.landfood.unimelb.edu.au/ Gardening Materials Yates: http://www.yates.com.au/ Herberts: http://www.herbherbert.com/
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Private Companies Committee for Melbourne: http://melbourne.org.au/ Center for Sustainability Leadership: http://www.csl.org.au/ TRACT: http://www.tract.net.au/ PriceWaterHouse Coopers Australia: http://www.pwc.com.au/ World Business Council for Sustainable Development: http://www.wbcsd.org/ Media SBS TV: http://www.sbs.com.au/ SBS Radio: http://www.sbs.com.au/radio/ 774 ABC Melbourne: http://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/
NGOs/ International Organisations Friends of Earth: http://www.foe.co.uk/ The Ian Potter Foundation: http://www.ianpotter.org.au/ WWF: http://www.wwf.org/ The United Nations Environment Program: http://www.unep.org/ Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org The FAO has a special programme on Food Security: http://www.fao.org/spfs/en/
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