New G3 Community Garden set for ground raising in Dededo

Through the University of Guam-Guam Green Growth (G3) initiative, a new community garden will be built in Northern Guam this November to provide a space for the residents of Dededo and Yigo to learn sustainable backyard gardening and participatory and equitable food production. 

G3 and Guåhan Sustainable Culture (GSC) are spearheading the ground raising event at the Dededo Sports Complex on November 1.  

The new community garden is part of an islandwide initiative launched by G3, GSC and other government and non-government partners last year. Its long-term goal is to develop gardens in several villages as centers of community engagement where residents participate in growing their own food and learning about sustainable food systems and practices. 

Austin Shelton, UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant director, described the G3 community gardens as beacons of education and food security.  “We are bringing more sustainability to different parts of the island through these community gardens. We now have a garden in the South, another in Hagåtña, and soon, in Dededo,” he added.   

Michelle Crisostomo, GSC president, and co-founder, said that the new garden would make a great addition to the village. She said that they plan to incorporate the same features and programs at the Hagåtña community garden into the new site. “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,” she added.  

GSC co-founder and vice president Marlyn Oberiano designed the first community garden in Hagåtña while the G3 Conservation Corps, AmeriCorps GSC members, and Pacific Federal Management Inc. fabricated the garden beds.  The 1,400-square-foot garden was officially opened to the public in August 2021.  

GSC and the AmeriCorps GSC team continue to manage the Hagåtña 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’.    

Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the project addresses SDG #2: Zero Hunger, SDG #3: Good Health and Wellbeing, and SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.