Urban Realities: Community Gardens
Introduction
Prior to the New York Experience course, and with the idea of finding a fresh topic to cover for this paper, I marveled at rooftops adorned with trees and greenery as I crossed the 59th Street Bridge this past Memorial Day. When I arrived back at home, I began researching topics such as urban forestry and urban agriculture. It wasn’t until my actual New York Experience throughout the course was when I was able to focus on the phenomena of community gardens within the City of New York. In each borough traversed (Queens, Brooklyn, and many parts of Manhattan), my class crossed different types of community gardens both developing and established. These discoveries within our travels became confirmations that incited personal interest and a perfect topic for the Urban Realities paper. The research has led me to understand the history, importance, types and implications of these ‘green enclaves’ as well as connect with my urban heritage.
History
Urban gardens are not a new concept. From World Wars I and II, and through the Great Depression, gardens were cultivated in urban areas to sustain the population with government assistance (Smith, 2003). However, in the 1970’s the concept took on a new role and purpose for neighborhoods to take back and revitalize their land that had fallen bankrupt. Real estate holders who defaulted on property either demolished or set buildings ablaze and left lots filled with debris and garbage (Chitov, 2006; Smith 2003). In 1977, approximately 25,000 vacant spaces were also littered with crime, prostitution and drug use (Chitov, 2006; 2003), while the government turned its head from these neighborhoods by not offering help or bailouts (Smith, 2003).
In response to the neglect of government officials, gardeners waged a ‘green war’ by illegally occupying the vacant lots through voluntary seeding and cultivation (Chitov, 2006; Smith 2003). This was done by the activist group, Green Guerillas, led by artist Liz Chirsty, as they threw water balloons or, “Green Aids”, with wildflower seeds, peat moss and fertilizer over fenced in lots in the Bowery and Houston Street (Chitov, 2006; Smith, 2003). The revolution began and other groups formed in other boroughs including Neighborhood Open Space Coalition, and More Gardens! (Chitov, 2006). The groups were able to lobby for federal subsidies of 3 million dollars to support the green endeavors of approximately 15 cities. Operation Green Thumb was then formed by the city of New York to regulate the spaces, and was leased to members for $1 per year with stipulation that the garden would have to be vacated in the event the area was selected for development (Chitov, 2006).
Under the Mayor Rudolf Giuliani administration, conflict began between stakeholders from the City of New York, to business people to the residents/gardeners. To fulfill his campaign promise and effort to clean up New York, the new Mayor declared a housing crisis due to population growth and housing shortages (Smith, 2003). Community gardens were considered vacant lots, thus eligible for development and were subsequently transferred from the Operation Green Thumb project to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) by Giuliani (Chitov, 2006; Smith, 2003). According to Chitov (2006), Giuliani could have used approximately 11, 000 lots that were vacant in all five boroughs instead of the existing gardens. Several community gardens organizations took to organizing demonstrations and protests. In a 1999 Earth Day Lobby Event, Green Guerillas was responsible for catching, then Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer’s ear in the political contestation. In September 2002, in a law suit between New York State and New York City, community gardens were transferred from HPD to the protection of the Parks Department (Chitov, 2006; ag.ny.gov, 2002).
Importance of Community Gardens
In addition to the preservation of valuable natural resources, community gardens serve many purposes. First and foremost, it strengthens communities by building relationships between neighbors and the people who work in the community by building social capital (Chitov, 2006; Wikipedia.org). Chitov (2006) asserts that community gardens remedy “stress, loneliness and alienation,” (pg. 437) in addition to promoting “racial and social class tolerance.” Sweat equity, or side by side labor contributes to strengthening bonds between neighbors and provides a place for youth to participate and learn the importance of community (Chitov, 2006; communitygarden.org)
Core Gardens and Gardeners
Community gardens have served residents and the general public in many ways. From the 1970’s, Latinos, especially Puerto Ricans have played a central role in the formation of community gardens, primarily in context of preserving and connecting immigrants to their heritage. In the 80’s and 90’s, artists joined Puerto Rican gardeners in resisting gentrification in order to maintain the urban culture (Chitov, 2006). Through the past four decades, Green Guerillas have assisted in developing leadership, networking and protecting the gardens, while Operation Green Thumb focuses on the horticultural issues in community gardening (Smith, 2003).
Brooklyn has the most gardens, followed by Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island (Smith, 2003). Neighborhoods such as Harlem, and in the Lower East Side, Loisaida, which is actually, Avenue C are known for their gardens (Chitov, 2006). Chitov (2006) asserts that when a public space is claimed by the public, it is then public space,” hence, the historical “architecture of resistance, and vehicles of ethnic identity” (pg. 439). Community gardens are symbolic to the pride, memories and legacy of a neighborhood.
Types of Gardens
The demographic of gardeners are working to middle class individuals of a wide range in age. Many gardeners, especially in East New York rely on the gardens for sustenance (communitygarden.org), while others use it as a vehicle to educate the youth (Chitov, 2006). Chitov (2006), documents four types of gardens as: agricultural, ethnic (cultural), “parks”, and multi-purpose, shown below:
· Agricultural Gardens – Common in all boroughs and democratic in nature with a president and committee. Annual dues are collected from members for upkeep/cleanup days, and bi-monthly meetings. Gardens are registered with Green Thumb or Trust for Public Land. The gardens are open to the public when gardeners are public and may have access to benches for socialization, and enjoy yearly harvest festival and barbecues.
· Ethnic (Cultural) Gardens – Members are either building residents or relatives and there is no formal committee in place. The land may be registered with Green Thumb. Gardens are mainly used for socialization.
· “Parks” – Registered with Green Thumb and usually are owned by Trust for Public Land. The purpose for parks is to beautify the neighborhood and upkeep is maintained by a caretaker. Cultural events are open to the public.
· Multi-Purpose Gardens – Highly organized with a member base of 50 – 100 gardeners, these gardens win grants for agricultural and cultural involvement. There are yearly elections, one general meeting per month, and it is difficult to become a member. Free events and classes are offered for the community, other New Yorkers, and tourists.
Implications
Since the gardens won the main fight in September 2002 (Chitov, 2006; ag.ny.gov, 2002), political activism and gardening have come together, educating both sides with valuable lessons (Malakoff, 1995). It has been illustrated that urban politicism has been awakened to the social, health, and economic importance of community gardens and gardeners have learned to be politically intelligent, through constructive activism (Malakoff, 1995).
Ongoing research continues to reveal the importance of community gardens throughout the City of New York. A study currently conducted by Ottman, et al, (2010) to provide evidence on the benefits of community gardens as a source of social reproduction of the community, to enjoy nature and to be used as therapy. The study also draws attention to gardeners’ fears and hopes for the gardens.
Personal Reactions
On June 14, 2011, I stumbled across two types of community gardens. The first one was an Ethnic (Cultural) Garden, a grassy piece of land adorned with the Puerto Rican and American Flags, in the heart of Spanish Harlem. Behind the wrought iron gate were a brook, a little wishing bridge and a mosaic sculpture in the center of the garden. The walls, which are the sides of buildings, had beautiful mural paintings and another sculpted piece that seemed to be a type of fountain, but out of order. The plaque on the entrance states that in 2005, the community garden was named “The Modesto ‘Tin’ Flores Community Gardens”, after a poet who lived in the neighborhood. To me there was a feeling of urban history that needed to be told by one of the elders sitting outside the gate. If I had more time, I think I would have been brave enough to ask questions about their pilgrimage and assimilation to the mainland.
In contrast, on the fringes of Spanish Harlem on 103rd Street, I saw a community garden under construction, but this one is more like a “park”. The New York Restoration Project in conjunction with Disney and Kaboom, are sponsoring the building of a garden with a basketball court and playground. It is also a NYC compost site that has been set up to educate the community about composting. It was striking for me to see this neighborhood overtly connecting culture, education and reaching to all generations in the form of these little havens.
I find it interesting that most of the community gardens have been created by the Hispanic community. Personally, I’ve found it difficult to connect with my heritage and somehow through this topic, and seeing the urban community interact with each other with my own eyes, I felt a peaceful, home-like feeling for my fellow Hispanic New Yorkers on that June day. The community gardens not only resonate within me from an ancestral stand point, but as a former resident of the city of New York. It reminded me that where I live on Long Island is so far removed from reaching out to the community and that it is important to know and share with your neighbors while teaching the children how to be community-centered.
References
Bloomberg and Spitzer announce agreement to enable construction of affordable housing and
preservation of community gardens. Sept 2002. http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2002/sep/sep18a_02.html.
Chitov, D. ( 2006). Cultivating social capital on urban plots: Community gardens in New York
City. Humanity and Society (30, 4). P 437 – 462.
Malakoff, D. (1995). What is good community greening? Here are 14 answers.
Malakoff, D. (1995). What is good community greening? ACGA Community Greening Review (pg 16 – 20)
Malakoff, D. (1995) Community greening: a key to food safety.
Smith, C. M. (2003). Community Gardens and politics of scale in New York City. Geographical
review, April 2003 (93, 2). P 193 - 212
