Hi all, Seattle here... Well yes we do have some of these same issues here but I guess what "allows" us to not lock up our gardens (they do have a symbolic parameter fencing, with some having a time frame posted on gates when you can be in the garden) is largely due to the fact that we are a citywide, city funded program. Many of our gardens are on public land (lots of parks department properties) and these are open to the public. It is one way to battle the impression of private use of public land that is present among some groups when they think about the "public" in community garden. Over the years there has been more of a push to make these spaces seen as public open space benefit, not a private area for just some of the community. That said people are not happy when they work hard and their items are stolen, understandably. We have minimal incidents of vandalism each year and it is just part of the nature of gardening out on public land (think even those with fences still deal with that occasionally) It is amazing to me with over 50 gardens unlocked around the whole city how little really does happen. Maybe it is all in the attitude, lots of letting go when you are gardening out with the community. The gardens in the most dense urban areas tend to have the most problems (theft, camping, etc...). We work with the gardeners, neighbors, and police to keep an eye out and report any illegal activities (a form of community building). It is illegal to steal from a community garden here, not a priority for the police but enforceable all the same. We engage all members of the community in the garden whenever possible and at least try and verbally educate (either in person or with signage) about the fact that individual's have cared for these spaces and should be the ones reaping the harvests. Of coarse it always does not work so here are some of the strategies people have tried to deter theft, from a coordinator manual we have been updating. Theft/Vandalism/Illegal dumping >From time to time area gardens are affected by these adverse elements; and its sources can come from within or outside the garden. Practicing prevention is the first step in curbing these activities. Theft If you wish to share your produce/flowers, please pick it and give it. Don't "invite" different people from the neighborhood (kids too) in to pick something when you aren't there. Several problems can arise from doing this. Other people may conclude they can pick too. People from outside the garden often don't understand that next year someone else might be gardening your plot and that person won't want uninvited picking. Misunderstandings occur about the boundaries of your plot and where it is or is not OK to pick. And finally, what may be a one time or limited offer from you is sometimes taken as an open invitation. Keep your plot well harvested. A common excuse given by thieves is "there sure is a lot of food going to waste here". If someone's plot looks like it has not been harvested in a while, a simple reminder call could be in order; if they can't, offer to glean and take the fruit to the nearest food bank. Get to know your garden neighbors and encourage reporting of illegal activities. P-Patch program staff can help with signs. Encourage gardeners to get to know other gardeners. Consider hiding vegetables in the design of your garden by placing desirable plants in less visible location and use perennials as cover. It helps to plant more vegetables than you need. These measures should reduce the amount of theft, yet some sites may find an organized, continuous problem. Collective actions may need to happen and in this case it should be reported to the police.
If you observe theft or vandalism in the garden, first call 911. Get a good description of person or vehicle if possible. If the person is caught in the act have police issue a "No Trespass" card when they arrive. Get the incident report number and be sure to post information for other gardeners to see. If you find vandalism and/or theft after the fact you can still report it to the police and get an incident number. Sometimes if you're having on-going problems it is good to let the police know you're having problems so they can try and do more visits to the site. See attachment: Safety, Theft and Vandalism in Garden for further strategies and contact information. The following are garden examples of dealing with theft. Garden Theft Can Have Consequences by Bruce Swee-Interbay P-Patch It's early in the day, when nature is at peace with the world. The plants are awaiting their gardeners hand for grooming and nurturing. Suddenly an unseen hand rips the plant from the earth, its prized features cut out. Hours later, the gardener discovers the loss. The stolen plants have left frustration and anger, labor wasted, and the gardener feeling violated. This happens often in the P-Patch community. The standard official recourse is to file a police report, which leads to limited results. It's easy to lay blame and point fingers, and if this is your solution, you can expect a lot more of the same in the future. Recently Interbay, achieved a more satisfying result. With information gathered from other gardeners, we determined when the most likely time our thief might show. His features were identified along with his means of transportation. Supplied with binoculars, camera, and cell phone, I positioned my car outside the garden. I waited and waited. When he arrived, I immediately called the police, then sat back and watched the satisfying results unfold. He was caught red handed. I managed to photograph the man, and post his picture in the garden. His photo, initiated countless other incidents involving our gardeners and this individual. The lesson for us was loud and clear, COMMUNICATE. By bringing together assorted information, we discovered we knew far more than we realized. Assist your P-Patch community and report any incident, large or small to leadership. We found out that it is important if you catch the thief to ask the officer to issue a "trespass card". Some officers will do so without being asked, while others do not. It is important that this be done so that a record is created on the police computer system. Illegal dumping and trash Trash at the garden happens. There is no formal trash service at most p-patches, the only gardens that have small trash pickup are those housed on shared Parks property. If your garden is not in a city park it is the gardener's responsibility to dispose of their trash, pack it in pack it out. Illegal Dumping does occur at various gardens; in that case notify illegal dumping at #insert that number here. You should also notify your staff person. If you have large amounts of debris you can contact Tom Gannon # 684-8565 from Seattle Public Utilities he will periodically help out gardens with free dump passes. Thanks for your time, Sandy Pernitz Community Garden Coordinator P-Patch Program/Dept. of Neighborhoods "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." John Muir [EMAIL PROTECTED] 206-684-0284 700 3rd Ave, Suite 400 Seattle, WA 98104 >>> jay sokolovsky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 06/08/04 07:49PM >>> It would be interesting to hear from gardeners in places like Seattle where many of the community gardens have no locked fences. What are the factors that allows these places to get away with this. Regards, Jay Sokolovsky [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Dear Don, > > People steal. Don't feel particularly bad that it's happening in a > garden - in the UK, for example, plant & tool theft are huge, if you > believe the press reports, largely because gardening is so popular and > people will buy up the swag, or plant a looted perennial that they've > bought hot because it's cheap. > > Yes, fences are essential. When we started the Clinton Community > Garden in the heart of Hells Kitchen in 1979, we walked in on a > Beirut-like urban moonscape with rubble, rusted cars, expended bullets > and a dead junkie drawing flies. What we saved, we fenced, watched - > kinda easy because there are tenements all around the garden, and > worked to keep secure. > > We still have theft - just last week someone stole some new patio > chairs the same day they were donated, fer chrissakes, but we have > managed to preserve our tools and stuff by following some basic > procedures. > > 1) Fence the garden completely around it's perimeter if you don't have > secure brick walls at least on a few sides. > > 2) Have a few rules but clear, and post the signage throughout the > garden and up front. Let it be known among the garden rank-and-file > that there have been thefts, they hurt the garden, and you'd really > appreciate it if they have any ideas about how to make the garden more > secure. And listen to what people say. And say that, "Heck, garden > shears come home in my pocket too. But we have to remember to bring > them back." > > The idea is to get folks conscious and aware, without getting them > paranoid. It's just learning to be being careful with garden property. > > 3) Let it be known to your neighbors that there have been thefts and > let local law enforcement know about it too - The line, " And we're > raising food for seniors, the homeless, etc.., " gets the idea across > that there is some significance to what is being stolen. You're on the > cop's beat, they should come by and say, "hi." > > 4) At night time, or when there are no gardeners in the gardener lock > it. I'm an 8 foot fence fan - it takes effort to climb and eight foot > fence and climbing one takes some effort and is pretty obvious. > > 5) At the Clinton Community Garden, we have a shed for tools, that is > in the back locked garden area. There is an unlocked lean-to attached > to the shed with the more replacable tools, and locked areas in the > main shed where we keep beekeeping equipment, the chipper shredder and > the more expensive tools. Access to these areas are on a "need to > use" basis and is controlled by key. > > 6) All garden tools are marked with a hideous yellow paint, and have > the legend, "Clinton Community Garden," permanently marked on them." > There is no question that they are our tools. > > 7) Most imporantly, you have to foster a sense of real ownership of > the garden in everyone who uses it - that the land, the tools, the > plants are all owned in common and that theft really is an assault on > everyone. > > I'm sorry that the wands, gazing balls, a decorations have been stolen > - and that someone is enjoying them in private, or has tried to sell > them. You're not going to be able to stop theft completely, but by > keeping stuff secure, marking tools and garden property, and creating > a sense of ownership in all of your gardeners and partners, then you > have a chance at keeping your garden from "walking away." > > Everbest, > Adam Honigman > Volunteer, > Clinton Community Garden <http://www.clintoncommunitygarden.org/> > >> We're just starting to get theft. Small stuff - >> watering wands, gazing balls and other garden >> decorations, that kind of thing. No tools or hoses >> taken - yet. We are partly fenced (a company has >> offered to make us a nice 'real' fence, but there's >> not a clear time frame), the site is on a busy road in >> a farmer's field, surrounded by development but with >> no residence close. >> >> Anyone experienced something similar? Any ideas about >> who the culprits might be, given the pattern of theft? >> If we don't fence, what can we do? If we do get a >> fence, any recommendation on type? Key protocols? > > > ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
