A community garden in the East Village of New York City

Community Gardens

Overview

Community gardens support the thousands of New Yorkers who are building greener, healthier cities by engaging stakeholders to grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers for the benefit of everyone. Unlike public parks, these spaces are typically managed by a group of members who make decisions collectively based on the unique needs of their communities. There are thousands of registered or permitted community gardens in New York and many more cases where residents have rescued and revived derelict private or public lots to build more livable neighborhoods.

Benefits

Community Gardens offer many benefits to a build resiliency and equity within a neighborhood or city. Environmental benefits include reduced heat island effect, decreased stormwater runoff, natural habitats for wildlife, and beautification of blighted areas. Personal development impacts include skill building for youth, increased social interaction and collaboration, community building, and gardening as rehabilitation or therapy. From a public health perspective, community gardens promote increased physical activity, consumption of fresh food, improved diet, and positive impacts to mental health. Food sovereignty is an important aspect of community gardens, empowering people to gain access to fresh foods right in their community, to grow culturally relevant foods, and to grow foods that may otherwise be too expensive to purchase. 

Graphic: Community Gardens Benefits

Recent News and Announcements

Community Gardens Task Force

New York State's Community Gardens Task Force convenes stakeholders from state agencies, existing community gardens, special use districts, public authorities, and cooperative extension services to establish and expand community gardens and the activities they conduct. The group may study, evaluate, and develop recommendations related to this purpose. 

Learn more.

Save the Date!

Community Gardens Task Force Meeting 
July 10, 2024 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Albany, Brooklyn, and Virtual

Community Gardens Workbook

Community gardens have deep-seated community benefits including improved health, food sovereignty, personal development, and environmental stewardship. The Task Force has developed the Community Gardens Workbook as a springboard for new and existing gardeners looking for resources to work through any stage of their projects.

Visit the Workbook Webpage

Quick Links