The May meeting of the Esra Garden Club was on the subject of community gardens. Our speaker was Amanda Lind, a graduate of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, London. Amanda now works for the SPNI (Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel) in Jerusalem, and is part of a team working on community garden projects involving local residents, schools and youngsters, with the help of local community workers.

These projects aim to encourage residents to improve their urban surroundings, conserve open spaces in inner cities and prevent damage to the environment by commercial developments, for example, stopping the destruction of the Jerusalem hills. They also help people grow their own food and introduce young people to the experience of gardening and growing plants, especially those who otherwise would not have such an opportunity. The project coordinators help to teach ecological gardening to adults and children, and to educate people about water conservation and the benefits of organic gardening and composting.

The residents themselves plan, develop and care for the gardens together with the local community workers and SPNI guides who include soldiers working in community service. Amanda told us about areas of waste land transformed into gardens and vegetable beds, of groups of elderly ex-Russian immigrants, disabled people and young ultra-religious children, each group cultivating their own plot of land according to their own needs and wishes.

Through the projects local residents learn practical skills and good horticultural practices, including the principles of ecological gardening, such as:

• The importance of mulching the ground to retain the moisture
• Making and using compost and reusing organic waste, to return to the soil what is taken out
• Reducing pollution by recycling waste
• Using renewable resources
• Avoiding using pesticides and poisons
• Taking advantage of new discoveries and methods, such as biological pest control.

There are currently 30 community garden projects in Jerusalem, including the Lavan valley, a hostel for the disabled, a wildflower sanctuary, projects with Haredi youngsters and projects with Ethiopian new immigrants.

The projects require a high level of commitment from the staff of schools, local community workers and leaders, and the project organisers. They have to deal with constraints such as lack of funds, land ownership and property rights issues. Projects are usually initiated by the local residents and their community workers, who approach the SPNI, who can then decide to become involved, identify an appropriate area of land and help to decide what can be done.

For more information, see www.sustainable-jerusalem.org (there is an English section). If you would like to know more about starting a project with your local community, contact Amanda on amandal@spni.org.il.