Madison Community Gardens
Increasing food security in highly populated, low-income neighborhoods

Background
• Food security is an issue for many low-income households, and because of this, community gardens are an asset to the Madison community.

• Our project is aimed at identifying potential sites for additional community garden space in Madison.

• Our goal is for lower-income neighborhoods to benefit from the development of more Madison community gardens.

Link to Community Action Coalition: Community Gardens

Discussion
• From the two sites that were surveyed and tested, it was found that the Vilas Park area had a soil type, loam or silt loam, that is beneficial for plant growth. The Brittingham Park location was found to have a silty clay loam which would require layers of compost in order to make conditions more favorable for growth.

• At the Vilas Park location, there is a possibility for a garden to be constructed with a perimeter of 428 feet and an area of 9,348 square feet. At the Brittingham Park location, there is a possibility for a garden to be constructed with a perimeter of 540 feet and an area of 15,767square feet.

• In order to reduce a conflict in the use of park areas, the site of potential gardens will be located away from the main park area and the garden sizes will be kept to a minimum.

• Recommendations for future studies include an interest survey for the population in the neighborhoods containing potential gardens, which would include inquiries about interest in creation of a garden in a specific location and interest in owning a plot.

                                                                 Link to Results page

                                                     Link to Sites for Potential Gardens

Implications
• It is assumed that the neighborhoods surrounding the Brittingham and Vilas Park areas would utilize and benefit from the community gardens located at these sites. This assumption is based on the income of the population located near currently existing gardens, as well as the usage of these gardens.

• Because food security is an issue for many low-income households, neighborhoods located around the community gardens benefit greatly. Our results show that the two potential sites would be suitable for community gardens, which would benefit the surrounding neighborhoods and increase food security to those households in the area by supplementing their food sources.