The other day I went to Tom Brown Park with my sister and her
dog and I thought about how Tallahassee does a great job of providing parks and
natural spaces for its citizens. There are numerous trails and parks that can
be enjoyed, and Tallahassee’s has an award winning Parks, Recreation and
Neighborhood Affairs department that has won acclaim for Cascades Park from the
National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA). So it’s safe to say that
against other cities Tallahassee comparably does a good job of preserving the natural
environment. A love for the natural environment drove this allocation for park
space, just as the need for and the love of agriculture can better allocate
space for sustainable agriculture and urban gardening. If in an emergency,
parks in Tallahassee can be used for agricultural space. But Tallahassee
already has a number of urban gardens, such as the community garden in the
Seminole Manor neighborhood. I visited a group meeting for the garden one
Saturday and discussed how the garden worked to provide better food access to
its residents. I thought it was a great means of bringing the community
together as well as being an educational opportunities for the children of the community
to understand where their food comes from. These kinds of opportunities,
coupled with a respect for nature and healthy eating options, can help promote
the idea of sustainable agriculture and environmentalism among residents.
Daphne, you are so right when you say that Tallahassee does a great job of providing trails and parks to be enjoyed. I took my parents to Tom Brown Park this weekend, and they were amazed at how well kept the trails and play area of the parks are. It is interesting to think about using parks as emergency growing space, I've never considered this as a possibility. As the readings suggest, community gardens can be vessels of change--not just nutritionally. Just as they grow food, they are able to grow people into environmental and agricultural stewards--fostering respect for nature, the skills needed to learn how to grow food, and relationships between community members. However, it is important to remember that community development through gardens does not happen over night--just as caring for plants (or anything), it takes time, commitment, resilience and most importantly, a village.
ReplyDeleteWow, I was coming down here to say the same thing as Mel! I love Tallahassee's parks and Tallahassee's commitment to its green spaces is a big reason why I want to build my life here. I think you are right to draw a parallel between Tallahassee's commitment to parks and the the proliferation of urban gardens and farms in the city. I think a city that shows such a visible respect for nature is naturally going to build a synergistic relationship between all of nature's aspects, whether parks, lakes, or by extension, urban farming. I am excited to see how Tallahassee will continue to grow and evolve in the future.
ReplyDeleteWow, I was coming down here to say the same thing as Mel! I love Tallahassee's parks and Tallahassee's commitment to its green spaces is a big reason why I want to build my life here. I think you are right to draw a parallel between Tallahassee's commitment to parks and the the proliferation of urban gardens and farms in the city. I think a city that shows such a visible respect for nature is naturally going to build a synergistic relationship between all of nature's aspects, whether parks, lakes, or by extension, urban farming. I am excited to see how Tallahassee will continue to grow and evolve in the future.
ReplyDelete