Definition
Shared, collectively managed green spaces that integrate food production and habitat features to support urban biodiversity.
What this strategy does
Provides small-scale, fine-grained habitat within neighbourhoods while supporting social participation and food growing. Avoids single-use, ornamental-only planting and short-term temporary installations.
Context
In Aotearoa New Zealand cities, community gardens frequently occupy fragmented or low-value land but can contribute meaningfully to urban biodiversity when designed and managed for ecological function rather than solely production or amenity1.
Technical considerations
Design considerations
Plant diversity
Use structurally and functionally diverse planting (native and non-invasive exotic) to support multiple taxa and seasonal resources1, 2.
Habitat features
Integrate logs, coarse woody debris, varied vegetation layers, and undisturbed soil zones to increase habitat complexity3.
Spatial permeability
Limit impervious surfaces that restrict soil processes4.
Landscape context
Locate gardens to complement nearby green spaces or corridors to increase ecological value beyond the site4, 5.
Implementation considerations
Design priority
Plan gardens for long-term use, perennial planting, and ecological stewardship rather than short-term yield only1.
Key constraint
Land tenure insecurity reduces willingness to invest in long-lived habitat features1.
Relevant tools or standards
Local council community garden guidelines and urban greening frameworks.
Issues & barriers
Insecure land tenure
Temporary or informal garden status discourages investment in habitat features with long establishment periods1.
Competing objectives
Food production, aesthetics, and safety concerns may conflict with biodiversity-supportive practices2.
Knowledge gaps
Limited ecological guidance for gardeners can reduce biodiversity outcomes2.
Synergies & opportunities
Human wellbeing – Regular participation is associated with improved wellbeing and social connection6.
Empowerment – Collective management builds local capacity and stewardship6.
Food security – Gardens can supplement household food supply, though benefits vary by context7.
Financial case
Ecosystem services &/or performance value
Value type
Pollination support, soil health improvement, and reduced reliance on chemical inputs3, 7.
Cost-effectiveness
Investment logic
Low-cost interventions embedded within existing land uses can deliver multiple co-benefits when tenure is secure1.
Monitoring & evaluation metrics
Core metric
Plant species richness and structural diversity across growing seasons3.
Advanced or long-term metric
Soil biological indicators (e.g. soil fauna presence, organic matter trends)3.
Case Studies
Daldy Street Community Garden
Kaicycle Urban Farm
Sanctuary Mahi Whenua Community Garden
Additional resources or tools
New Zealand – Community food systems
Biodiversity self-assessment and improvement guidance
Urban greening
Evaluates green infrastructure integration
Plant selection
Native plant identification and species lists
Monitoring
Citizen science biodiversity recording
References
- Philpott, S.M., Bichier, P., Perez, G.E., Jha, S., Liere, H. & Lin, B.B. (2023). Land tenure security and luxury support plant species and trait diversity in urban community gardens. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.
- van Heezik, Y., Dickinson, K.J.M. & Freeman, C. (2012). Closing the gap: communicating to change gardening practices in support of native biodiversity in urban private gardens. Ecology and Society, 17(1).
- Tresch, S., Frey, D., Bayon, R.L., et al. (2019). Direct and indirect effects of urban gardening on above- and below-ground diversity influencing soil multifunctionality. Scientific Reports, 9.
- Goddard, M.A., Dougill, A.J. & Benton, T.G. (2010). Scaling up from gardens: biodiversity conservation in urban environments. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 25(2), 90–98.
- Garrard, G.E., Williams, N.S.G., Mata, L., Thomas, J. & Bekessy, S.A. (2018). Biodiversity sensitive urban design. Conservation Letters, 11.
- Egli, V., Oliver, M. & Tautolo, E.S. (2016). The development of a model of community garden benefits to wellbeing. Preventive Medicine Reports, 3, 348–352.
- Lin, B.B., Bichier, P., Liere, H., Egerer, M.H., Philpott, S.M. & Jha, S. (2024). Community gardens support high levels of food production, but benefit distribution is uneven. Sustainability Science.