Climate change is reshaping our world, bringing about extreme weather events, intensified droughts and floods, and altered growing seasons. These changes significantly impact horticulture, agriculture, and food systems. States like Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina are experiencing climate-related challenges, including rising sea levels and extreme heat. Amid these challenges, community gardens emerge as vital sources of local, fresh foods, especially in areas grappling with food insecurity.
Olivia Erskine, a recent graduate from the Lamm Lab, conducted a pivotal study focusing on the role of community gardens in climate change adaptation. Her thesis, “Exploring Adoption and Perceptions of Climate-Smart Practices in Community Gardens,” aimed to understand garden coordinators’ perceptions of the need for climate change adaptation and their stance in the innovation–decision process regarding these practices. The first article from her thesis was just published in Horticulturae and can be found here.
Key Findings and Implications
Olivia’s research revealed community garden coordinators highly value the relative advantage and low complexity of climate-smart practices. This means that practices perceived as beneficial and easy to implement are more likely to be adopted. Interestingly, her study found that all participating community gardens were already implementing some form of climate-smart adaptations, even if these were not initially intended for climate-related reasons. However, the study also found a significant barrier to adoption: the lack of extra funds, underscoring the need for targeted support and resources.
By understanding the perceptions and challenges faced by community garden coordinators, educators and policymakers can develop more effective strategies to encourage the adoption of climate-smart practices. This includes providing financial support, simplifying the implementation process, and enhancing educational outreach to bridge knowledge gaps.
As we continue to face the impacts of climate change, studies like Olivia’s are crucial in guiding our efforts towards a more sustainable future. Congratulations to Olivia on her impactful research and for contributing significantly to the field of agricultural and environmental science communication!
