The Editor, Re: "Time to stop fencing around theft issue," News, May 9. When it comes to stealing from community gardens, it's a problem that exists across cultures, communities, and cities.
At the moment, citizens' relationship with public land is not neatly defined - we often use fall leaves for decoration and crafts, but some parks, for instance, don't allow visitors to remove rocks or branches.
My organization - Hua Foundation - is just one of many that are working hard to find a way to meaningfully engage people across different languages, cultures, economic class, and lived experiences. We are learning that most of everyone's ancestry includes gardening and farming. But in a modern context, the rules and protocols around these activities is unclear.
A community garden in a city is not a new concept; but they were not as widespread until recently.
I suspect that not everyone knows how to interact with these spaces, but we now have the opportunity to develop a culture of respect and sharing through growing food together.
Claudia Li
Hua Foundation
