Community garden may recycle waste
A Woy Woy woman is seeking expressions of interest and support to start a community garden which would recycle "garden waste".
"Recycling kitchen and garden materials for compost and mulch enables sustainable gardening, as well as reducing the need for costly garbage services and landfill sites," according to Shirley Hotchkiss, a gardener who has been interested in these issues for some time.
"A community garden benefits individuals, the community and the environment.
"It promotes conservation, recycling, community involvement, skill-sharing, creativity and friendship," she said.
For residents who did not have enough space, information or confidence to start their own garden, a community garden provided a friendly place to learn.
Community gardens, which provided a cooperative way for people to grow plants, were already successful in many places in Australia and overseas.
These gardens often produced food as well as offering a habitat for birds.
They could be used to grow plants for bush regeneration projects.
Shirley believed that community gardening had great community building potential.
"Community gardens encourage participation by any member of the community.
"This type of gardening can be a focus of activity and interaction for schoolchildren, youth, seniors, and environment groups, as well as for the residents of hospitals and nursing homes," she said.
While a site had yet to be found, Shirley said community gardens were often located in or near school grounds, council parks, hospitals or retirement villages.
The site would require water, reasonable soil, space for storage of tools, street access and, preferably, some security, she said.
If there was enough interest, a community group would be formed to undertake the project.
"Starting a community garden on the Peninsula is a worthwhile project that needs support, enthusiasm and ideas from as many people as possible," she said.
Anyone who would like to be involved or who knows of a good community garden site can phone Shirley on 4341 9301.
Mark Snell, February 17