Green Guerillas Continues to Strengthen and Preserve Urban Gardens in NYC
Over the last few years’ community gardening has been on the rise as increasing numbers of urban dwellers realize the benefits of local produce and the importance of bringing communities together. New York City, in particular, has seen tremendous growth as many residents realize how precious green space can be in an urban jungle. Often when it comes to community gardening our focus can be on the physical infrastructure but what is as important if not more is the human infrastructure. Community gardens can be a place of learning and cultivating partnerships between people who care about the earth and believe in working together to transform neighborhoods.
Green Guerilla is a nonprofit environmental group that has been dedicated to strengthening and preserving urban gardens in New York City for over 40 years. The Green Guerillas began during the 1970’s community garden movement and today, more than 600 community gardens serve as a testament to the skill, creativity, and determination of New York City’s community gardeners. The Harvest for Neighborhoods Campaign is a Green Guerillas program in which they help community gardeners in Brooklyn, Harlem and the South Bronx produce an increase in food production that plays an important role in food security for neighborhoods known as food deserts. They engage gardeners in a range of activities to help them grow food, recruit new urban farmers, revitalize under-utilized garden space, manage community farmers markets and extend the growing season.
Community gardens in New York City are true community-managed spaces and it is this model that has made community gardens a permanent fixture in New York City’s landscape. A way for your kids to get involved is if they happen to go to School in Astoria they can join the Grow to Learn aquaponic farm project at Young Women’s Leadership School.
