Community gardens can increase civic engagement in nearby residents. In a survey of 5,188 people from 26 communities across the United States, respondents who had a community garden within a 10-minute walk of their home self-reported higher levels of civic engagement than respondents without a garden, including 4% higher civic trust, 7% more participation in public life, and 6% more local voting.
Center for Active Design. “The Assembly Civic Engagement Survey: Key Findings and Design Implications.” (2017): 28. https://centerforactivedesign.org/assembly-civic-engagement-survey.