As more and more cars, buildings, and trashes filling the New York City, the community garden started to see a significant increase in the city. Because there were so many activists who crazily advocate the importance of sustainability and the danger of global warming, the city started to realize protecting the environment is the fundamental thing to protect a city, country, or earth. Because of the global warming is getting much more severe every year. Visiting The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, I learned various influential aspects how community gardens can bring to the urban spaces.
In retrospect, New York had hundreds of community gardens because the landlord abandoned their building. The government made taxes too high and they cannot afford it. Many young people just occupied empty buildings and made it into their homes. They build many gardens and plant many food. Unfortunately, the government took some building back, there only 114 gardens remaining and 39 locate in the lower east side of manhattan. More recently, activists used human powered bike to create energy. It was a popular movement in the city. They just biked out the cars on the streets, but especially in the parks. Because parks are precious place for the environment. Therefore, spaces like community garden is irreplaceable for the city.
During the field trip, our class visited three gardens. They are peaceful and serene. The most unforgettable is the first one. On the left side of the garden, there is a small grass field with trees surrounded. On the left side there is a sewer line with French drain technique under the ground. Collecting the rain water and purify with soil, then the leaved and the stone in the small fish pond. At the end, the water goes in the fish pond where fish give is enough nutrition and water will eventually be a good fertile drink for the plantations. This cycle helps to save water and protect from damaging the soil with chemical fertilizer. There are flowers, herbs, and honey bees. Getting closer to the nature, this garden uses many environmental friendly techniques to maintain the plantations. Accumulating the decomposable items such as fallen leaves and fruits into bucket to decompose into soil which goes back to the ground. It is a long term process but simple and sustainable. The gardens are very beneficial because of its sustainability aspect. It improves the air quality; reduce water pollution; and a lower cost for grocery, since there are many people gardening in the parks
Even though community garden bring people together in a green way, but the maintain ace and management of the garden are volunteer based. Especially the amount of the community parks is a lot, not much people are available to guard and repair them. I hope there will be more and more people are aware of the existence of community gardens, thus, the gardens will be becoming better and beautiful.
