A Double-Edged Sword: Examining the Structures That Afford and Limit Practices of Environmental Learning and Community Building in an Urban Community Garden in South Korea

Abstract

Community gardens offer valuable educational and social benefits, contributing to enhanced environmental learning and community building. To expand these opportunities and support community gardens’ objectives, we emphasize the necessity of establishing specific structures that facilitate gardeners’ practices. Investigating a Korean community as a case study, we identify the ways in which certain structures afford and limit learning opportunities and community building, shedding light on the role structures can play in the field of the community garden. Our analysis illustrates the importance of understanding the dynamic relationship between gardening practices and supporting structures. By doing so, garden participants and policymakers can more intentionally activate opportunities to learn about the environment and to build community. Our research aims to examine structures that afford and limit practices as a means of providing a valuable lens to guide community gardening program designers and policymakers in achieving the goals of promoting environmental learning and community building.