Mission and Values
The mission of the Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Education Center to provide a space and opportunities for visitors and members to learn about, care for and connect to the local ecosystem and food grown within it, thereby promoting a healthier community and earth.
Our Objectives
To provide opportunities for community members of all ages to learn about and participate in sustainable growing practices.
To provide community members the opportunity to visit a rich, healthy, attractive space and observe and learn about the natural beauty and history of the native riparian ecosystem.
To provide community members opportunities to learn about the components and dynamics of our local environment, and people’s impact on its health.
To provide a safe, inclusive, peaceful space where community members can meet, share, work and learn from others.
Our Values and Actions
We value the fact that much of people’s motivation to care for the environment stems from a positive, healthy relationship with the natural world.
To that end, we will create a space that is relaxing and visually and sensually pleasant that will give its visitors opportunities to observe, enjoy and learn about the natural world.
We value life in all its forms.
To that end, our garden endeavors will operate free of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. In that way they will serve to enrich the earth rather than deplete it.
We value clean, safe water, food and the earth that sustains us.
To that end, we will use gardening techniques that will minimize our demands on the watershed and soil and maximize the nutrition of our crops. These techniques will include but not be restricted to the use of ground cover, encouraging no tillage, rotation of crops, careful monitoring of watering practices and application of organic fertilizers. We will also consider the impact materials we use and materials we bring to the garden have and encourage the recycling and reuse of materials when possible.
We value the enrichment to life that clean, safe, healthy gardening provides.
To that end we will provide opportunities for local citizens to participate in our collaborative garden regardless of their age or circumstances. We will build some garden beds to accommodate those with special needs.
We value community, healthy relationships and the rich, positive dialogue that gardens and shared spaces can encourage throughout the community.
To that end we will encourage and support opportunities for connection and dialogue through our garden’s collaborative structure, teams, website, local workshops, information sessions and special events.
We value good listening, wise speech and shared decision-making.
To that end we will establish a governance structure that respects members’ opinions and base decisions on the shared mission and values of the garden.
We value the knowledge and experience that many individual gardeners and naturalists bring to the community and the importance of lifelong learning.
To that end we will provide circumstances through which knowledge and techniques can be shared. These could include workshops, team teaching and mentoring partnerships between experienced and novice gardeners.
We value the richness of our riparian ecosystem, the beauty and importance of each component species and the importance of interdependence.
To that end we will provide opportunities for visitors to observe and learn about Lafayette’s creek watersheds, oak riparian ecosystems and the biological networks, relationships and interdependence they present, including the important role humans can play as mindful stewards and the role that Native Americans played in the past.
We value the personal satisfaction individuals receive when they work to build and maintain a shared space.
To that end we will provide opportunities for scouts, students and garden members to share their efforts and creativity in creating the garden space and will provide structure and decision-making network that make this work an efficient and satisfying experience.
We value fiscal responsibility in supporting the long-term stability of a public space.
To that end we will carefully plan our activities and seek and spend funds so that the basic objectives of the center can continue to be met into the future.
We value the beauty of the natural world and pleasing works of art.
To that end, we will seek to find ways to highlight the natural beauty of our site and include creative work that brings joy to the senses.
We value the fact that most garden members would like to receive food grown at the garden.
To that end we will endeavor to grow and harvest produce in quantities suitable for equitable distribution to members.
We value memories that last a lifetime.
To that end we will endeavor to ensure that every visitor and garden member’s experiences as part of the community garden are rich and positive.
We value the important role the garden and learning center can play in the larger community.
To that end, we will seek to share our resources and space with the broader community.