Case Studies
JCU Community Garden | Mayi Tjulbin Ma Bugarra
Design Feature
Type of project
Landowner strategy
State
Queensland
Location
Regional
The James Cook University (JCU) community garden seeks to provide an attractive dynamic and engaging space where the University and broader Cairns community can come together and raise awareness and interest about sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices. ‘Mayi Tjulbin Ma Bugarra' enables individuals to remember what vital, nutritious produce looks, smells, and tastes like.
Thank you to Djabugay Traditional Owners for giving the JCU Cairns Community Garden its language name, ‘Mayi Tjulbin Ma Bugarra'. The name translates to ‘food and fruits, vegetables, trees and berries from the rainforest’ and covers all the clans of the Djabugay Nation (James Cook University, 2018).
Thank you to Djabugay Traditional Owners for giving the JCU Cairns Community Garden its language name, ‘Mayi Tjulbin Ma Bugarra'. The name translates to ‘food and fruits, vegetables, trees and berries from the rainforest’ and covers all the clans of the Djabugay Nation (James Cook University, 2018).
Bringing the community together through a shared love of food
Students, staff and community members can visit the community garden as a rejuvenating study break; a place to socialise and de-stress; learn about permaculture; food systems and community development.
The garden is located on the JCU campus grounds providing immediate walkable access for staff and students, especially those living on campus in high-density unit style accommodation. The garden provides space and expertise to support community to participate in the processes of growing, harvesting and eating produce that many would not typically be able to engage with otherwise.
The garden is located on the JCU campus grounds providing immediate walkable access for staff and students, especially those living on campus in high-density unit style accommodation. The garden provides space and expertise to support community to participate in the processes of growing, harvesting and eating produce that many would not typically be able to engage with otherwise.
Some of these foods are culturally important to visitors, whilst others are rare or unusual and invite exciting new experiences that regularly inspire the cultivation of deeper connections with healthy food or the sharing of culture.
The JCU Community Garden was borne out of a need for a green public space and a community asset for everyone to enjoy. The garden’s official opening was in October 2016, after five years of planning and development (James Cook University, 2018).
A core team of dedicated JCU staff and students engaged relevant departments and higher university management to complete a development and approval process. Strategic governance of the garden and reporting to upper levels of university management has been the responsibility of a Community Garden Working Group. Initially the working group consisted of a larger group of interested university staff and students, however after 1.5 years of establishment the group’s responsibilities have lessened and the group has been reduced to one of representative from select departments and the COG.
The TropEco team and Community of Gardeners Club initiate physical development of the garden and community engagement events / workshops.
A core team of dedicated JCU staff and students engaged relevant departments and higher university management to complete a development and approval process. Strategic governance of the garden and reporting to upper levels of university management has been the responsibility of a Community Garden Working Group. Initially the working group consisted of a larger group of interested university staff and students, however after 1.5 years of establishment the group’s responsibilities have lessened and the group has been reduced to one of representative from select departments and the COG.
The TropEco team and Community of Gardeners Club initiate physical development of the garden and community engagement events / workshops.
Project team
- JCU Community Garden Working Group
- The Community of Gardeners Club (COG) including executive committee, volunteer lead coordinator positions and general members (JCU Student Association affiliated club)
- TropEco Staff Team: JCU Community Garden Coordinator, Sustainability Officer, Environmental Managers Assistant, TropEco Sustainability Interns.
- JCU Campus Services maintenance staff
- Local members of the community
- Cairns Regional Council
Project Cost
Funds provided by JCU:
Funds provided by Community of Gardeners Student Group:
- Initial capital investment, including nursery development; approx. $150,000
- All other costs, including but not limited to equipment, garden coordinator wages and events, Approx: $30,000 (over 2 years)
Funds provided by Community of Gardeners Student Group:
- Fundraising $1,190
- Grants received $5,800
Health value
- Supports UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’ by: supporting opportunities for physical activity and relaxation on campus; awareness and practical uptake of healthy eating habits by supplying the community with access to a wide variety of nutrient dense organic local seasonal and perennial produce; providing knowledge about other sources of healthy food in the region; and supporting diverse social interactions, which cultivate a sense of belonging and good mental health.
- Through gardening activities, individuals often have a deeper natural biophylic connection with the land.
Economic value
- Supports UN SDG 9 ‘Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure’ by providing public infrastructure for innovation and testing of regenerative agricultural practices (ie. Automated irrigation system installed by internet of things Lab, composting and fertiliser regimes; micro-business development (ie. nursery plant sales; crop sales); and personal skills and professional development through the internship program and garden coordinator positions.
- Economic payback to JCU includes contributing to increased interest and enrolment at the university, student retainment rates and supporting UN SDG 4 ‘Quality Education’ through hosting practical classes and work integrated learning opportunities.
- Provides volunteers with access to FREE fresh produce, reducing financial stresses.
- Increases students employment opportunities through the array of free extra-curricular learning opportunities, that support personal development outcomes.
- Boosted student and staff productivity due to stress reduction, support towards more balanced diets and a physically active lifestyle.
Environmental value
- Supports UN SDG 12 ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ by providing a site to compost food scraps, coffee grinds, newspapers, woodchip mulch etc. from the university.
- Supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 ‘Life on Land’ and SDG 11 ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ through its design and operations following permaculture and holistic management principles to ensure it is as efficient and productive as possible, whilst being restorative. As such, the garden has a strong focus on restoring soil health, plant selections including support species and companion planting in food forest layout, natural irrigation systems where possible and ecological maintenance strategies. Campus biodiversity has been increased through the creation of new habitat. Noticeably a wide range of bird species now visit the garden regularly.
- The garden includes an automated sensor based irrigation system co-developed with the ‘Internet of Things’ Lab to minimise water wastage.
- Supports UN SDG 13 ‘Climate Action’ by providing an avenue for people to reconnect and learn about linkages between natural systems, food production, the environment and climate.
Social value
- University institutional support for the garden provides a positive and inspiring institutional example of UN SDG 16 ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’ by ‘walking the talk’ in sustainable food production and community development.
- Supports UN SDG 11 ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ through Garden workshops ability to connect people from a range of cultures and disciplines, and expand knowledge about self-sufficiency and community development through the common medium of food. Information exchange builds understanding and unity within the community ie. Scientific, cultural and traditional knowledge interplay.
- Empowers individuals with the opportunity to apply their knowledge to create practical outcomes, which is proving to facilitate opportunities for confidence building and personal development and thereby can be seen to support SDG 3 ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’.
- It offers ways for individuals to contribute to the broader community by working on projects beyond themselves, which creates benefits for all to share.
Use value
- The garden site, staff and community offer plentiful professional development opportunities in a range of areas. Voluntary leadership roles in the garden are supported by COG and TropEco. Positions allow people to be self-organising and build an active membership base around areas of interest and expertise, whilst also offering the basis for a TropEco Internship project. Sustainability Internships also include professional development opportunities and professional guidance into the sustainability industry.
- The JCU Community Garden provides extensive avenues for research as well as education within the university and local schools’ teaching curriculum. A number of university subjects in sustainability and planning have held classes at the garden or focused on it as a practical example of key theoretical concepts. Humanities and social work are also looking to be involved with the community development aspects of the garden. These successes clearly support SDG 4 ‘Quality Education’.
- The garden seeks to establish itself as a go to place for university or cairns community events such as BBQ’s, open air cinema evenings and workshops related to ecological based agriculture, permaculture, food forestry, nutrition, health and wellbeing and community development.
- The Papua New Guinea (PNG) section in the garden includes a range of traditional foods including Tapioca (Cassava), Aibeka, Ginger and Turmeric. This has provided fantastic opportunities for the general university population to learn traditional PNG knowledge about planting, cooking styles and cultural values more generally as it has been for empowering the University’s PNG population.
References
James Cook University. (2018). Cairns Campus Community Garden. Retrieved from https://www.jcu.edu.au/tropeco-sustainability-in-action/get-involved/community-gardens/cairns-campus-community-garden
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