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Common Ground Program

Details

Commenced:	01/09/2012
Submitted:	28/11/2012
Last updated:	07/10/2015
Location:	1304 Pennsylvania St. , Lawrence , Kansas , US
Climate zone:	Warm Temperate

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Common Ground Program

Project Type

Urban, Community

Project Summary

Community garden using permaculture principals with an strong emphasis on perennial species.

Project Description

In 2009, the Douglas County Commission created the Food Policy Council (FPC) to advise the County Commission on policies to identify the benefits, challenges and opportunities for a successful, sustainable local food system in Douglas County. The FPC represents a wide variety of stakeholders, and serves as a forum for discussion and promotion of community-wide efforts to improve the community’s access to local food supply and distribution networks. www.douglas-county.com/sites/fpcOne key initiative identified by the Food Policy Council is the potential for land owned by the City of Lawrence and Douglas County governments to be licensed to local market growers for vegetable and fruit production. This land, currently underutilized by both entities, could serve to: Support the local food economy by providing land for farmer-entrepreneurs looking to start or scale-up their food production business. Provide local jobs, as young farmers who cannot afford to buy land could lease municipallyowned properties and begin to grow their operations. Support our community’s healthy food initiatives by providing a source of local, nutritious food. Help address food access issues, as licenses will include a community benefit component (i.e. a% donation to organizations that serve low-income families’ food needs). Provide a potential agritourism site.In the fall of 2011, City and County staff collaborated to identify potential sites that could be leased to local market growers and community gardeners for food production. City and County staff also researched nationwide models of urban agriculture land lease programs, and our own agricultural land lease policies to inform the Common Ground Program’s structure.

We have included swales, cover crop, water lines, keyhole beds, fruit and nut trees, brambles, aquaponics, a fence, small overflow pond and a communal space to gather.

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