Right now it's little more than a half acre of grass and weeds adjacent to the Day-Riverside library, 1575 W. 1000 North, but several groups are working to make the land a classroom of sorts.
It will be used as an ecological demonstration garden where community members can learn by experience how to cultivate an urban garden, said Tiffin Brough of Tree Utah, who spearheads the project.
"I think that this garden is just part of a shift that we need to make in the way our urban centers function for sustainability," Brough said. "Cities inherently require a lot of resources to keep them going; the more that we're able to be self-sustaining in our urban centers, the healthier we'll be."
Home-grown foods are more nutritious, and they keep the revenue here as well, she said.
But that doesn't necessarily mean the garden will grow a traditional row of annual tomatoes, Brough said. The garden will take into account Salt Lake City's climate and try to incorporate as many of the area's native plants along with more traditional vegetables.
Part of the education will be making people aware of native fruits, vegetables and roots they can grow and use, she said. A lot of people don't know all of the resident berries that make great jams and preserves.
"What we want to do is be able to show people things they can take home with them and do practically," Brough said. "It's not going to be anything expensive or anything that takes up much space."
The library, in conjunction with Tree Utah, plans to present a variety of workshops and hands-on volunteer sessions to help educate the public.
Making the area surrounding the library a nature study has been part of the library's mission since its inception, said Darrah Rogers, library assistant manager.
A kiosk in the library provides information about the ecological garden and the projects that will take place. The library is also trying to bring in materials, books and speakers to support Tree Utah's goals, Rogers said.
She said she expects to see school and youth groups heavily involved in the garden along with community members of all ages.
The first "lessons" have already begun. Volunteers learned how to capture and use the most rainfall by digging swales or long skinny pools where the garden is sloped. The swales help slow the flow of water, spread it out and sink it into the ground, Brough said.
Individuals can learn more about the ecological garden at Treeutah.org.
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