Practical Systems for Real Gardens
The course provides a structured toolkit: templates, frameworks, and methodologies developed specifically for the organizational challenges of shared urban growing spaces.
Site Assessment Template
A structured approach to evaluating any urban garden site. Covers sun mapping, soil sampling zones, water source locations, access points, and adjacency considerations. Produces a documented baseline that informs layout decisions and can be updated as conditions change.
Zone Design Framework
A methodology for dividing garden space into functional zones based on use intensity, required maintenance, and user group needs. Distinguishes between high-traffic communal areas, individual plot zones, shared infrastructure, and buffer or transition spaces.
Role Documentation System
A format for capturing what every role in the garden actually requires: time commitment, skills needed, seasonal variation, dependencies on other roles, and handoff procedures. Designed to be maintained by participants themselves, not by a coordinator.
Contribution Allocation Matrix
A tool for matching participants to tasks based on declared availability, skills, and preferences rather than defaulting to whoever is most present or most vocal. Includes protocols for adjusting allocations as circumstances change without creating conflict.
Governance Starter Kit
A set of lightweight governance templates adapted for community gardens: decision-making protocols, meeting formats, dispute resolution steps, and amendment procedures. Designed to be simple enough that participants actually use them, while robust enough to handle real disagreements.
Onboarding Sequence
A step-by-step framework for welcoming and orienting new participants in a way that actually prepares them to contribute. Covers the first visit, the first task, the first meeting, and the transition from newcomer to established member over a defined period.
Succession Planning Guide
A methodology for continuous leadership development rather than emergency replacement. Includes how to identify and develop future role holders before they are needed, how to structure knowledge transfer, and how to manage the transition period when key participants move on.
Garden Health Review
A periodic review process for assessing garden health across physical, organizational, and community dimensions. Identifies early signs of structural fragility, participation decline, or governance drift before they become crises. Designed to be run by the community itself.
Each tool in the course is introduced through practical application exercises, not just conceptual explanation. Participants work with real site data and real organizational scenarios.
Learn How These Tools Are Taught
The course methodology explains how each tool is introduced, practiced, and adapted to different community contexts.