Introduction to Senior Project Blogs

Emily H -

Hi everyone! I’m Emily Huynh, a senior at BASIS Tucson North, and I’m thrilled to share my senior project journey with you. My research explores how sustainable community gardening benefits local communities, focusing on eco-friendly practices and long-term environmental responsibility. This project combines hands-on experience at local gardens with independent research, and I’m excited to document my progress through these weekly blogs.

For my senior project, I am researching sustainable gardening and its impact on local communities. My focus is on how community gardens, like the Community Gardens of Tucson, implement eco-friendly practices to promote long-term sustainability. I aim to explore the different methods used to conserve water, enrich soil, and maintain plant biodiversity in Tucson’s arid climate.

A major part of my research involves understanding the social aspect of community gardens, how they bring people together, encourage environmental stewardship, and provide fresh, locally grown produce. Through hands-on experiences with experienced gardeners, I hope to learn what makes these gardens continue to thrive so successfully and how they can serve as models for sustainable urban agriculture.

By the end of my project, I want to create a guide highlighting key sustainability practices used in community gardens for success. I believe that small-scale, community-driven gardens like these play a crucial role in creating a more sustainable and resilient environment.

This week, I’m excited to meet more people who contribute to the Community of Garden’s efforts.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next post for more updates! 🌱

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Comments:

All viewpoints are welcome but profane, threatening, disrespectful, or harassing comments will not be tolerated and are subject to moderation up to, and including, full deletion.

    therese_b
    Hey Emily, this sounds like an interesting project with a huge, beneficial community implication! What motivated you to carry out this project?
    February 13, 2025 at 12:04 pm - Reply
    anthony_a
    Hello Emily, glad to see you pursuing such a compelling project. What aspect of community gardening and urban agriculture do you find most compelling?
    February 13, 2025 at 12:56 pm - Reply
    erin_r
    Hi Emily, Your project sounds wonderfully exciting and has great implications for Tucson and other similar communities! I was wondering what hands on activities you intend to do in the Tucson gardens to show these aspects of gardening in your paper? Good luck and good work! - Erin R.
    February 14, 2025 at 11:27 am - Reply
    emilyh
    Hi Therese! Thank you for your comment! I really enjoyed my experience with the KEYS internship, where I was deeply involved in gardening and exploring its impact, not just on the environment but also on research. APES also made me love learning about sustainability and incorporating it into my daily life. I believe community gardens are a great way to continue researching what I’m passionate about while gaining hands-on experience.
    February 16, 2025 at 7:28 pm - Reply
    emilyh
    Hi Erin! Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m really excited about this project and its potential impact. In the Tucson gardens, I plan to get hands-on with sustainable gardening techniques, like learning about native plants, water conservation methods, and soil health. I also want to engage with the community, whether through workshops or simply observing how people interact with these spaces. I think these experiences will really help me highlight the environmental and social benefits of community gardens in my paper!
    February 16, 2025 at 7:29 pm - Reply
    emilyh
    Hi TJ! Thank you so much! What I find most compelling about community gardening and urban agriculture is how they connect people with their environment while promoting sustainability. I love that these spaces not only support local ecosystems and food security but also bring communities together through shared knowledge and experiences. My family has faced moments of food insecurity, making me more aware of the importance of sustainable and accessible food systems. It’s inspiring to see how traditional and innovative practices can work together to create more sustainable urban spaces!
    February 16, 2025 at 7:34 pm - Reply
    josephine_j
    How do you plan to convey your hands-on experience in a written paper? I love your project so far and appreciate your work in creating community gardens!
    February 18, 2025 at 4:53 pm - Reply
    emilyh
    Thank you so much for your kind words and question Josie! In my paper, I plan to describe the tasks I've worked on, like raised bed construction and tree fertilization, while reflecting on how they’ve shaped my understanding of sustainable gardening. I’m still figuring out how to best incorporate my hands-on experiences, but I’m excited to connect them with the bigger picture as I go along.
    February 21, 2025 at 5:13 pm - Reply

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