Duration: 10/01/2013 to 09/30/2014

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

Management of urban and residential landscapes and gardens can have a tremendous impact on food production, nutrition and human health, water consumption, water quality, green waste and energy consumption. Todays interests in backyard and community gardens may trace back to the Victory Garden concept during World War II when in 1943, 20 million gardens were estimated to have produced 8 million tons of food (Laura Lawson, City BountifulA Century of Community Gardening in America, 2005, UC Press). Although hard to quantify, some feel there is likely more land being managed in backyards and community gardens than in all National Parks combined. Yet there is a lack of research documenting the impact of various management strategies and the potential environmental and human health benefits to not only the gardener, but the community as a whole.

Home food production is a popular hobby in the United States. In 2008, the National Gardening Association estimated that 23% (27 million) of U.S. households participated in vegetable gardening (http://www.gardenresearch.com/files/2009-Impact-of-Gardening-in-America-White-Paper.pdf ) and projected that those numbers would rise by 5-10% in 2009. Of those who garden, a majority (91%) garden at home, spend 5 or more hours gardening each week, with a median food garden size of 96 square feet. By all indications, interests and activity in home gardening has continued to increase. Recent information (2013) from the National Gardening Association indicates one-half of the US population gardens spending $29 billion per year on gardening activities. This translates to 83 million US households gardening with 30 million households growing vegetables and 12 million growing fruits and nuts (http://www.gardenresearch.com/index.php?q=show&id=2366). This is further substantiated by The Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) 2013 Winter Gardening Trends Research Report. It found that among the ~55.5 million households that have grown edible plants since 2009, 91.4% (~50.7 million households) grew edibles in 2012. Among all U.S. households, 51.9% (~57 million) report they anticipate growing edible plants this year, representing an expected 11.3% increase in households growing edible plants for 2013.

Demand for information regarding home and community gardening is increasing as well as demand for information regarding nutrition and human health as it relates to backyard and community gardening. Education programs highlighting topics, such as home gardening, organic gardening, container and raised bed gardening, community gardens, and edible landscaping, are among the most popular talks and workshops being offered by county Extension offices and Extension Master Gardener programs (along with their partners) across the south. For example, the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide - an electronic publication of the University of Floridas Extension Service, was the most accessed publication in 2012 of all of the 7,000 Extension publications in the EDIS system. In 2008, it received 86,820 hits; in 2012 it was up to 142,419. Over its six years of existence, eXtensions Ask an Expert application has provided over 40,000 answers to horticulture questions; which is 32% of all questions asked of eXtension (https://ask.extension.org/expert/questions?status=answered&tag_id=2). As the popularity of home and community food production increases, so do the gardeners demands for information and assistance.

The rise in popularity of gardening has many causes. People want to become more self-sufficient in food production. Gardening is considered a green or environmentally friendly activity by many people. Many believe that home-grown produce tastes better and has higher nutritional qualities. Gardening also addresses concerns related to food security/insecurity. Many people enjoy the exercise and mental well-being often associated with gardening activities. Community gardens have also shown additional benefits including more community buy-in and closer ties with neighbors.

The Landscapes and Gardens for Better Living (LGBL) SERA project will seek to sustain and expand interest in home/commuity gardening by increasing consumers confidence and productivity in growing some of their own food, understanding the nutritional and human health benefits of such activities, and maintaining a vibrant landscape which fulfills the ecological services desired. This LGBL SERA project will also encourage Extension specialists and researchers in the southeastern U.S. to work collaboratively (and with appropriate state and community partners) to consolidate and create educational resources for the gardening public. While each state in this project has its own factsheets, web pages, videos, PowerPoint sets, etc. on this topic, it will be useful to create a regional clearing house documenting science-based gardening information for Extension staff, researchers, volunteers,partners, and green industry professionals. This will also allow project participants to identify areas where information or delivery methods are lacking so that new resources can be developed. While this LGBL SERA project will primarily consist of university Extension and research faculty, it will also reach out to green industry business partners and non-profits, and other public health and other agency professionals engaged in improving the home/commuity gardening experience.

The LGBL SERA project will also serve as a catalyst in positioning participants to better capitalize on funding opportunities that advance improved gardening methods, plant cultivars, nutrition, environmental stewardship, community capacity building, food safety/security, and human health and wellbeing. A collective approach to improving the experience and effectiveness of home/community gardening should be attractive to both federal and private funding sources.

Objectives

Procedures and Activities

The LBGL group grew out of the Winning Teams/Winning Grants workshop held in Atlanta in November 2012. Since that time, we have met via web conferencing every 6-8 weeks using the University of Kentucky MS Lync system and have started a newsletter hosted at the University of Georgia (http://ugaurbanag.com/landscapes-and-gardens-better-living-newsletters) to reach our colleagues in the Southeast and increase involvement in our group. We have also developed a group listserv (lbl@lists.ncsu.edu) and a password-protected virtual work space (http://www.ncsugarden.com/educational_materials.html), both hosted by the North Carolina State University. As our group expands we anticipate working toward the following:

1. Compile home and community gardening resources and construct a clearing-house for gardening information in the southeastern U.S., possibly as part of eXtensions Gardens, Lawns and Landscapes.

2. Develop educational materials (including webinars and other web-based products) for county Extension agents and other educators that address critical needs for home and community gardening decision making, success and their nutritional and human health benefits.

3. Meet via web conference or conference call at least 6 times yearly to discuss goals and accomplishments.

4. Meet face-to-face in a working meeting for 2-3 days at least once each year.

5. Establish a network of home and community gardening extension and research faculty who can respond to emerging needs.

6. Identify ways to increase interest and productivity of small-scale gardening in urban areas.

7. Develop budget models to project cost/benefit of specific gardening and landscaping strategies (including nutritional benefit of specific vegetables in the home garden).

8. Explore funding opportunities and submit competitive grant proposals to federal and private agencies.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Educational Plan

Organization/Governance

The executive committee elected by the LGBL SERA project will include a chair, chair-elect, and secretary. This committee will be elected at the first meeting (face-to-face or virtual) of each fiscal year (after October 1). Unless otherwise noted, the secretary and chair-elect will assume responsibility
es of the chair-elect and chair, respectively.

The chair and chair-elect will call the meetings and set the agenda. The secretary, or someone designated by the secretary in their absence, will compile and archive notes from each meeting and will, from time to time, prepare a newsletter with significant highlights or accomplishments from the group to be distributed to appropriate land-grant university staff throughout the southeastern U.S.

Budget: Pending  We seek access to Experiment Station and Extension Service multi-state travel funds, pending availability, coordinated by our state Experiment Station and Extension directors, to convene an annual face-to-face, 2-3 day meeting of this working group.

Authorization: Pending the appointment of an Administrative Advisor by the Southern Region Experiment Station and Extension Service Directors.

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

GA, VA

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions