Australian Fair Food Forum

Community garden governance & relationship with council?

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#1

Hi @invcomgar! I imagine that @Daniyela from Cultivating Community, the @3000acres crew, or @slff might have some guidance they can share on this topic :slight_smile:

I’ve shifted it across to its own topic so that if others are trying to find it in the future it’s easier to locate. Jane’s original request from her introductory post is below:

I am Jane O’Brien and I am the Chairperson for the Inverell Community Gardens in Northern NSW

We are not-for-profit community group auspiced by our local Landcare organisation - Gwymac Inc.

Our Community Gardens are run by a 100% Volunteer Management Committee and a couple of Team Leaders. We have strong relationships with a number of local service providers including a high school, an unemployment agency with a work for the dole program, an early childhood service provider and a disability service provider. We also have a small group of dedicated Volunteer Gardeners that run a mini market garden & stall every Saturday and a Chooken Team that care for our chooks. We have allocated plots in our gardens as well as a nature playground, a compost program (Using scraps and waste from local businesses) and a worm farm.

Our mission is to nurture people, plants and the plant by

Showcasing sustainable practices
Providing opportunities for sharing knowledge, wisdom and culture
Creating a space where people can belong and feel connected to both nature and others
All contributing to a more self-sufficient community
We envisage a local FAIR FOOD SYSTEM will develop from our Community Gardens space and we have been having conversations with an unemployment agency to expand our mini market garden into a viable market garden that will provide the opportunity for members of the public to purchase local chemical free fresh produce.

Due to unforseen circumstances we need to relocate our gardens in the near future. We have been having discussions with our local Council re this for about 18 months and on the 23rd May 2018 re will be pitching to council requesting funding for infrastructure at our new site (currently a vacant block).

I feel like this will be a critical turning point for our community and I am looking for any information or advise anyone can offer us as we prepare our pitch to Council???

Specifically - Has anyone got a Governance Model for the operation of a Community Gardens (or the equivalent) in partnership with a local Council?

I look forward to linking up with others that are passionate about ensuring Fair Food in our country

Many thanks and happy gardening

Cheers
Jane

#2

Thank you Jen … I am new to this on-line chat/share sphere so here’s to a
new experience!!!

Jane

#3

Hi there @invcomgar, apologies we have not worked directly with local
government - we have tried and tried but they are yet to offer any support
beyond thinking that what we’re doing is a really good thing. Good luck and
hope you get some advice!
Deb.

#4

I would be reaching out to @Futurefeeders, @ChrisE @Jen for their examples? Perhaps it would be great @kirsten to have these resources collated? Of the ownership, and structure of exemplary community models?

Would also add CERES, ECOSS as great examples in Victoria.

And yes Pocket City Farms? Please add others folks!

#5

Hi Jen, Your project sounds amazing! I wish we had this in our LGA.

I work for a local government in NSW and we use our community garden policy to guide us on these sorts of requests. I’d ask your council for their policy on community gardens and the like. Also, its always wise to link your project with their strategies or strategic plans - make that really clear. Another great way to get leverage is to invite and connect to your Councillors who can push things through during tougher/slower times of decision making.

best of luck,

regards, Lisa

#6

There are quite a few good resources available on the Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network website :

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#7

Hi Jane @invcomgar ,
Here at 3000acres we have a bunch of Governance Models which are part complete, but we always leave them to the community group to finish off, so nothing neat and tidy! That said, let me know if there’s a particular part you’re needing help on and I’ll find the relevant documents for you.
Beyond that, we’ve been helping a community garden in Victoria recently where Council is considering moving them off the site and replacing the garden with a cafe. They have an incredibly strong membership base and I’ve been working with them to demonstrate their value to a Council that doesn’t quite “get” community gardening. It doesn’t sound like that’s the case here, but in case you’re looking for some guidance on what sort of information you could provide to Council so they have a full picture of your work, here is the initial list I gave to them to consider with their membership:
-Length of time the garden has been in place
-Activities undertaken there
-Number of members (current and historically)
-Health benefits for the community (participants get passive exercise, fight social isolation, access to fresh healthy food)
-Community benefits (cross-cultural and generational participation, connectedness with other members of the community)
-Sustainability benefits (any composting or worm farming happening to divert food waste, education for members on sustainability such as composting)
-Aesthetic benefits (the community benefits from having the space in use to show what healthy food growing looks like)
-Planned future activities (ie any community education or events to include new members)

Hope that helps!
Morgan (General Manager, 3000acres)

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