A Study of the Demand for Community Gardens and their Benefits for the ACT Community

Research Background The research was commissioned by the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, ACT Government to fill a gap in knowledge. There had been growing interest worldwide in community gardening as part of the broader urban agriculture movement. Urban gardening is of particular importance in relation to future food security in a time of peak oil and human-induced climate change. Research Contribution Through a review of literature, previous research on ACT community gardens, interviews with key stakeholders and an online ACT community-wide survey, this report identifies the benefits of community-gardens to individuals, communities and cities and makes recommendations on how these can be maximised for the ACT community. These recommendations relate specifically to preferred location, development processes, design, and management/governance models. Research Significance The research was carried out with category 2 funding from the ACT Government through an internally reviewed application process. The research is cited on Chief Minster Katy Gallagher’s website as key to informing the Government’s policy on community gardens (http://www.katygallagher.net/?p=1826).