Hey, all,
Pam Ruch at Organic Gardening asked if I knew how many community gardens there
currently are in the US. I sent the following reply - anybody have another idea?
It's been really nice, but it is getting chilly all of a sudden. Better run out
and drag everything inside, slap up some Reemay...
Don
>>my note to Pam...<<
ACGA reported just over 6000 in 1996, which unfortunately was the last
scientific study, overseen by Mark Francis at UC Davis. ACGA did a follow up in
the early 2000s, but the data was never
compiled that I know of.
In the decade since, there has been a noticeable expansion - in
Charlotte, for example, we moved from 8 gardens in '96 to at least 15
today. Statewide, I've seen a similar trend.
There is also this amazing burst of interest right now, boosted by that
wonderful White House lawn project. People are talking about starting
at least 6 new projects locally that I know of, some of them really big
ambitious ones.
Given that we've lost some gardens during the same period (that big one
in LA a couple years ago, locally at least 3 have tanked), I'd still
say the current number is approximately 15,000, with New York alone having at
least 2000
(they had 1900 in 1996), and Philadelphia over 1000.
By the end of the next year, the national number could jump to closer to 20,000.
I'll send this question to CG listserv and see if anybody has anything firmer.
Don
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