looking back
case study
SAGE
(sow & grow everywhere)
The Big Idea: SAGE (Sow And Grow Everywhere) was a visionary initiative focussed on generating a massive change in community food growing in the Glasgow and Clyde Valley (GCV) area. The SAGE strategy was commissioned by the GCV Green Network Partnership exploring four strands: •
bringing vacant and derelict land in densely populated urban areas into use for growing as an interim landuse:
•
bringing underused land (amenity space) in peripheral estates and social housing areas (‘green desert’) into use at scales up to market garden growing
•
bringing under used private garden space in suburban or outlying areas into use for growing
•
bringing under used public land into active use for growing
Development: The Strategy was developed by ERZ landscape architects, who also designed the project’s mobile modular kit and various growing spaces. SAGE transformed derelict and vacant land into vibrant, stimulating, visually attractive spaces for people to grow their own food. The project was designed to allow the infrastructure (modular kits) to move to a new site when land was required for development. SAGE allowed people with no previous experience of growing their own food to both provide for their families, friends and potentially offer surplus to a wider area. The project also made connections with other initiatives throughout Glasgow: complementing, supporting and extending the existing network of community food initiatives. SAGE also offered the potential for the larger initiatives to be developed into vibrant social enterprises. The early stages of delivery were taken forward by ERZ, NVA and the GCV Green Network Partnership who together, delivered the Possil concrete garden as one of the first SAGE projects on the ground. NVA also secured funding for a SAGE project officer and developed and delivered the 'Glasgow Harvest' events, designed to celebrate local food production and bring people together.
SAGE today: Since the project was launched, ERZ have taken the SAGE project forward and have delivered another 6 sites: • • • • • •
Shettleston Community Growing project - for Glasgow City Council / Shettleston Housing Association Greyfriar's Gardens - for Glasgow City Council / Merchant City Community Council Gartnavel Growing Space - for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde / Forestry Commission Scotland Partick Growing Space - for Partick Housing Association Bellsmyre Growing Space - for the Bellsmyre Community Garden Association Possil Health Centre - with the Green Exercise Partnership (Forestry Commission Scotland /Scottish Natural Heritage /NHS collaboration) & the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Inspiring solutions into the future: Community food growing offers significant benefits in terms of diet, exercise and mental health and can play a role in addressing the poor life expectatncy and health statistics across the Glasgow city region. Community food growing is promoted at both a Scottish Government and local authority level. The SAGE approach offers a real opportunity for individuals and communities to get out and grow. Recently SAGE has acted as the inspiration and template for GCC's 'stalled spaces' programme now promoted by Architecture & Design Scotland who are seeking to produce the next 'batch' of outdoor growing programmes across the region.
GCV Green Network Partnership 125 West Regent Street, Glasgow G2 2SA t: 0141 229 7746 e: enquiries@gcvgreennetwork.gov.uk twitter: @gcvgreennetwork www.gcvgreennetwork.gov.uk