Gardening in Communities

Introduction

Lynchburg Virginia has a seven-acre urban farm that is dedicated to providing the city access to fresh and local produce, this program is called Lynchburg Grows. The program provides vocational training for people with disabilities, this meaningful and important work, the program employs eight individuals with either physical and/or mental disabilities. The program can be supported by donations, volunteering, and joining the community supported agriculture program. By working with Lynchburg Grows, I often wondered why there are not more programs like this for school aged children and older generations in retirement or nursing homes. “Garden managers reported that the most common motivations underpinning the development of community gardens in the study area were education (50%), community building (50%), and environmental sustainability (34%),” (Guitart, Byrne, & Pickering, 2015).

General Overview and Rationale

There are many benefits to gardening, it provides health and behavioral benefits. Gonzalez and Kirkevold (2013), researched the benefits of sensory gardening with peoples with dementia, they concluded that issues related to behavior improved positively with the use of sensory gardening. With school aged children the benefits of gardening also provide behavior benefits, Blair (2009) writes

“the results supported the conclusion that school gardening can improve students’ test scores and school behavior… gardens can improve ecological complexity of the schoolyard in ways that promote effective experiential learning in many subject areas, particularly the areas of science, EE, and food education.”

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Gardening also provides both children and adults with form of meaningful engagement and purposeful activity, it gets people outside to enjoy the environment that they are in and get a dose of fresh air. There is also evidence that gardening provides people with psychological, physiological, tangible rewards. A tangible reward from gardening is the growth of food, as a child watching something you planted in the ground to grow into something bigger and then be something you eat on your plate is very rewarding. Gardening is also an accessible form of regular physical activity and exercise for both children and adults, physical activities also reduces the risk of chronic illnesses such as anxiety, depression and morbidity, and increases mobility. (Scott, Masser, & Pachana, 2015).

Region Relevance

For this project I am looking at the southeastern region of the United States. This region has many mountains, rivers, it is both rural and urbanized. Much of this part of the United States is dominated by humid subtropical climate, summers are hot and humid, winters are cool in the northern areas of this region.

(‘Southeastern United States’ 2018)

Location Relevance

Virginia is officially called the Commonwealth of Virginia, it is a state that is located in the southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. It is located between the Atlantic coast and Appalachian Mountains. The center of the state is Richmond, the state capital and independent city. The eastern part of the state is waterfront along the Chesapeake Bay, it is the largest estuary in the United States, this joins the Atlantic Ocean. The western and southern parts of the state are composed of rural communities along the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Topography of the state is diverse ranging from the Tidewater region, a coastal plain in the eastern region, it is low marshland along the Chesapeake Bay, the west is composed of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including the tallest mountain, Mount Rogers, which reaches 5,729 feet. Virginia is composed of two climates based on variances in elevation, and the proximity to water, the eastern side of the state is humid subtropical due to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, while the western side of the state is much cooler due to higher elevations. (‘Where is Virginia? Map, Location and Geography’) (‘The Piedmont Region’)

Place Relevance

My plan is looking at Lynchburg and the surrounding counties, which is located in the Central Virginia Region of the state. It is conisdered the largest region of the state, contains the state capital, it is marked on the east by the Fall Line, and the west by the Appalachain Mountains. (‘The Piedmont Region’)

Movement Relevance

To gain access to this region there are multiple ways to drive in. Interstate 95 runs through the region from the north to south, interstate 64 runs from east to west, route 29 runs from Charlottesville to Lynchburg, along route 29 is where much of the locations for this project would take place. There are many other secondary roads and routes in the area, including route 60 which runs from Richmond to Lexington. Many people move to the area for a small town feel with access to city life, the schools in the district are great, and it is safe place to raise a family. Providing families with access to community gardens would only provide more benefits for movement to the location, it would bring more commerce to locals, and give people an opportunity to provide local goods.

Human-Environmental Interaction Relevance

Gardening can provide a positive impact on the ecosystem, lawns, and gardens provide an enhancement of property value. Clayton (2007) writes, “many seem to appreciate it simply as an opportunity to observe, experience, and appreciate nature.” There is also the benefit of producing food locally, it provides a source of food close to where people live, it can make cities and town less reliant on imported foods, there is the reduction of carbon emissions and pollutions from transport, and healthier populations. (Guitart et al., 2015).

Summary

Guitart et al, (2015), “found that local government directly supported the non-profit gardens through information, start-up assistance, and through some funding. State government supported school gardens through the Department of Education, including teacher training and covering the cost of materials.” In summary, gardening provides benefits to all those involved, it can be educational to students and emotionally beneficial to adults. It is a way to provide jobs for people who, otherwise, would not be able to, and a way to give back to the community. My plan involves placing gardens in the vicinity of schools and retirement or nursing homes, by placing them in a centralized area all those in the community can benefit from the garden.

References

1. Blair, D. (2009). The child in the garden: An evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening. The Journal of Environmental Education, 40(2), 15-38. doi:10.3200/JOEE.40.2.15-38
2. Clayton, S. (2007). Domesticated nature: Motivations for gardening and perceptions of environmental impact. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27(3), 215-224. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2007.06.001
3. Davis, K. L., & Brann, L. S. (2017). Examining the benefits and barriers of instructional gardening programs to increase fruit and vegetable intake among preschool-age children. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2017, 2506864-7. doi:10.1155/2017/2506864
4. Gonzalez, M. T., & Kirkevold, M. (2014). Benefits of sensory garden and horticultural activities in dementia care: A modified scoping review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23(19-20), 2698-2715. doi:10.1111/jocn.12388
5. Guitart, D. A., Byrne, J. A., & Pickering, C. M. (2015). Greener growing: Assessing the influence of gardening practices on the ecological viability of community gardens in south east queensland, australia. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 58(2), 189-212. doi:10.1080/09640568.2013.850404
6. Lee, J. (2017). Experimental study on the health benefits of garden landscape. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(7), 829. doi:10.3390/ijerph14070829
7. Lynchburg Grows. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lynchburggrows.org/
8. SCOTT, T. L., MASSER, B. M., & PACHANA, N. A. (2015). Exploring the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening for older adults. Ageing and Society, 35(10), 2176-2200. doi:10.1017/S0144686X14000865
9. Southeastern United States. (2018, November 26). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeastern_United_States
10. The Piedmont Region. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.virginiaplaces.org/regions/12piedmont.html
11. Where is Virginia? Map, Location and Geography. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tripsavvy.com/virginia-geography-and-guide-4068972