Relocation, dismantling, substitution; in a word: impermanence. Community gardens have often struggle against this condition. The risk of dismantling or relocation is growing alongside with the value of land for development purposes in dense urban environments, such as Seattle, WA. Against all odds, the community garden of Picardo Farm, located in north Seattle, is ready to celebrate 45 years from its establishment in 1973 and is still thriving. A research project started in November 2017, with the aim of understanding the many reasons behind this success and through fieldwork, interviews, a press review and the analysis of a questionnaire submitted to the gardeners at the beginning of 2018. The lessons learned at Picardo Farm offer some useful insights regarding the level of resident’s engagement in the whole project, the importance of Land status as well as social activities and animation offered to the gardeners. These could help other community gardens to overcome some of the difficulties they are facing on a daily and long-term basis, to preserve a pivotal element for the development of healthy cities.
The father of Seattle’s Community Gardens turns 45: lessons learned at Picardo Farm P-Patch
David Grohmann
;Maria Elena Menconi
2018
Abstract
Relocation, dismantling, substitution; in a word: impermanence. Community gardens have often struggle against this condition. The risk of dismantling or relocation is growing alongside with the value of land for development purposes in dense urban environments, such as Seattle, WA. Against all odds, the community garden of Picardo Farm, located in north Seattle, is ready to celebrate 45 years from its establishment in 1973 and is still thriving. A research project started in November 2017, with the aim of understanding the many reasons behind this success and through fieldwork, interviews, a press review and the analysis of a questionnaire submitted to the gardeners at the beginning of 2018. The lessons learned at Picardo Farm offer some useful insights regarding the level of resident’s engagement in the whole project, the importance of Land status as well as social activities and animation offered to the gardeners. These could help other community gardens to overcome some of the difficulties they are facing on a daily and long-term basis, to preserve a pivotal element for the development of healthy cities.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
