As well as providing habitat for creatures critical to human survival, yards can be used to grow food. It’s not a new idea. During the First and Second World Wars, Canada, the U.S., U.K., Australia and Germany encouraged “victory gardens” that aided the war effort by reducing pressure on food systems and farms. Gardens and chicken coops appeared in yards, parks, school grounds, golf courses, railway edges and vacant lots. Sheep grazed on sports fields and kept grass in check.
Urban food gardens won’t replace agriculture, but they offer many benefits. As Vancouver writer Peter Ladner wrote in The Urban Food Revolution: Changing the Way We Feed Cities, “When urban agriculture flourishes, our children are healthier and smarter about what they eat, fewer people are hungry, more local jobs are created, local economies are stronger, our neighborhoods are greener and safer, and our communities are more inclusive.”
Transforming some of our sprawling lawn areas and other green spaces and changing our perspective on what a yard should look like will benefit people and other life forms. Some cities are showing leadership, but removing the barriers imposed by outdated bylaws and regulations would be a win all around!