Guam Green Growth and Guahan Sustainable Culture confirm newest community garden partnership

The University of Guam-Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative will break ground on another community garden at the Dededo Sports Complex in October, following the successful launching of the project last year. 

G3 collaborated with Guåhan Sustainable Culture, the Governor of Guam, and other multi-agency partners to open or facilitate the development of community gardens in villages all over the island.  

Austin Shelton, UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant director mentioned the new project at the proclamation signing for Sustainable September, “Our community gardens are beacons of education and food security. Through these community gardens, we are bringing more sustainability to different parts of the island. We now have a garden in the South and another in Hagåtña, and soon, in Dededo.” 

Michelle Crisostomo, GSC president and co-founder said that the new garden would make a great addition to the village, “It would be really great to showcase the same things (at the Dededo community garden) that we featured in Hagåtña…It would be another great place where the families can go, where they can also learn about growing their own food and another place where people can live an active lifestyle.” 

G3 launched its first community garden in the heart of Hagåtña in August 2021. GSC co-founder and vice president Marlyn Oberiano designed the 1,400 sq.ft. garden while the G3 Conservation Corps, AmeriCorps GSC members, and Pacific Federal Management Inc. built the raised garden beds.  

GSC and the AmeriCorps GSC team continues to manage the site and host volunteer days for community groups and organizations. Later, G3 partnered with AmeriCorps to open another garden in January 2022 in the southern part of Guam, this time, at the Jeremy Newby Community Center in Talo’fo’fo’.  

The community garden addresses several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG #2: Zero Hunger, SDG #3: Good Health and Wellbeing, and SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.