RESEARCH

Community Gardening: A Parsimonious Path to Individual, Community, and Environmental Resilience

This paper proposes community gardening as a method to improve individual, community, and environmental resilience, particularly in urban areas, by promoting well-being, fostering connections to nature, and mitigating climate change. The authors encourage community psychologists to research and advocate for community gardens as a means of addressing the climate crisis and building stronger, more sustainable communities.

Program Types: Social

Population Groups: General Population

Setting or Context: Community Gardens

Allied Profession Intersections: Climate Psychology/Psychotherapy

Type of Activity: Outdoor Gardening, Edible Plant Gardening, Environmental Education

Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Case Studies, Meta-Analyses/Systematic Reviews

Measurement and Evaluation: Program Effectiveness

Access: Paid

Print Form

Summary

This paper suggests that community gardening is a great way to improve well-being and resilience on different levels: for individuals, for communities, and for the environment. The authors looked at evidence that shows gardening is beneficial and encourage testing ideas about community resilience by studying community gardens, especially in cities. They broaden the definition of “community” to include the connection between people and nature, calling it an “Earth community.” The paper says that a large network of community gardens could help ease the climate change crisis and suggests that community psychologists should be involved in researching and promoting community gardening.

The paper argues that cities contribute to climate change because they use a lot of energy. Community gardens can help by removing carbon from the air, teaching people about the environment, and creating stronger communities. Community gardens also offer opportunities for people to connect with nature, which can improve mental health. While acknowledging that there are challenges to starting and maintaining community gardens, the authors call on community psychologists to get involved in research and policy-oriented action to support and expand this movement.

Link

Okvat, H. A., & Zautra, A. J. (2011). Community Gardening: A Parsimonious Path to Individual, Community, and Environmental Resilience. American Journal of Community Psychology, 47(3-4), 374–387.

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