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Community Gardening: Case Studies and Recommendations for the Buffalo Community

Date: Dec 16, 2020
Author(s): Ashton O'Connor
Topic(s): Environment: Parks, Gardens, and Green Spaces
Type: Report
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Community garden networks have had varying degrees of success across the country. Even though community gardening can have a tremendous impact on local communities, health, food access, adjacent property values, and decreasing crime, they have yet to be seen as a legitimate land use by many city governments, including in Buffalo, New York. However, there are a variety of laws, policies, and strategies community organizations have implemented to support the practice of community gardening. This report provides an overview of how community gardens are managed in twelve different cities across the country, especially relating to financial sustainability and protection of land. After a review of these case studies, this report provides a list of recommendations for the City of Buffalo as well as resident advocates on how they can support and expand community gardening.

This report:

  • Provides an overview of how community gardens are managed through policies, government entities, and community organizations in twelve cities across the United States;
  • Provides examples of local laws and policies that can help promote the sustainability of community gardening;
  • Recommends state and local laws and policies and examines the potential impact on community gardening activities; and
  • Provides a list of cities to conduct further research on.