Examples of Urban Agriculture

Urban Agriculture in Eugene

Urban agriculture is everywhere in Eugene and of growing importance recently. Food growing gardens vary: from individually owned planting strips to cooperatively run neighborhood gardens; from publicly owned and operated community gardens to private small acreage farms within the city. Fresh local food can be grown most anywhere in Eugene. The examples below are organized by how they are owned and operated.

Publicly Owned and Publicly Operated

The City of Eugene Community Gardens program provides opportunities to over 300 community members annually to rent a garden plot and have access to land, tools, irrigation, compost, and leaf mulch.

Publicly Owned and Privately Operated

Eugene is home to numerous large scale gardens that are located on public land but managed by a private entity, such as a non-profit or community group. Examples of this type of operation include:

  • Local schools provide land to a group of teachers, parents, students, or a local non-profit to develop a garden that will benefit the school.
  • Public Right of Ways (e.g. planting strip in front of house, area between residential lots and public streets, or unimproved access), are developed by a homeowner, renter, or community group to create a garden.
  • The City of Eugene allows an area of a public park to be utilized by a non-profit group to develop a garden for the benefit of the group’s members.

Privately Owned and Privately Operated

A growing method of developing urban gardens is on privately owned property and operated by private organizations such as non-profits and neighborhood associations. These can be open to membership, open to all, or be dedicated to serve the needs of a targeted group.