Campus Gardens - The South Coast Community Gardens Coalition

The South Coast Community Gardens Coalition is a regional collaborative that is working to build resources and communication that can support the development of a thriving community gardens network in the South Coast region.

In October 2008 the coalition held a Visioning Session to explore what resources are needed to help community gardens flourish and what people hoped to see develop in relation to community garden projects and food production in general. The responses included:

• Community "Pollination": a thriving network of community gardens that allows people from different backgrounds, work experience, and ages to interact, work, and share together
• Improved Regional Food Security
• Healthier People
• Education

Incorporating the input received at the Visioning Session, the coalition members have developed four working groups to focus their activities for 2009:

1. Resources for Starting Community Gardens on the South Coast
   Contact: Jennifer Holske, jholske@ttor.org
2. Hands-On Gardening Education
   Contact: Derek Christianson, derekchristianson@gmail.com
3. Connecting Health and Local Food Production
   Contact: Kathleen Christianson, kchristianson@umassd.edu
4. Outreach
   Contact: Richard Couse, rustysflyingelvis@yahoo.com

Some of the activities planned by the working groups for 2009 include developing a how-to guide, hosting beginning gardening workshops, cooking demonstrations, and the creation of benchmarks to monitor our progress.

Community members interested in joining a working group or learning more about the mission and activities of the South Coast Community Gardens Coalition are encouraged to contact a working group leader.