Problem Statement

The California Native Garden Foundation (CNGF) is in need of a functional aquaponics system so that Middlebrook Gardens may be used as an educational space for students this coming summer season to teach awareness of a more just and sustainable world.

 

Aquaponics Systems

Aquaponics is a gardening practice that pairs fish and vegetable growth into a single, self-contained and self-sustaining system. In this integrated process, fish waste is converted into nitrates by microbes and then in turn used as a food source for plants, which go on to filter water for fish reuse. There are three primary reasons as to why people choose aquaponics systems over traditional gardening practices. Aquaponics uses only one-tenth of the water that traditional soil-based gardening uses. Additionally, aquaponics systems are free of pesticides and toxic run-off. They also require very little maintenance and can be scaled for practically any space.

There are several growing techniques that can be used in aquaponics systems. Middlebrook Gardens currently uses both raft-based and media-based aquaponics. The current system in place at Middlebrook Gardens, however, is not properly functioning. The water flow rate coming out of the PVC pipes is not optimal in part due to algae growth within the pipes. As outlined above, it is our overarching goal to implement a functioning aquaponics system at Middlebrook Gardens.

 

Community Partner

Middlebrook Gardens, supervised by founder Alrie Middlebrook, specializes in native garden landscapes that “reflect the natural beauty of California, conserve precious natural resources and link the urban landscape closer to nature” (Middlebrook Gardens, n.d.). Founded in 1976, Middlebrook Gardens is located in San Jose, California. At its heart, it is a landscape company focused on design and maintenance, with emphasis in ecology-based landscaping, native plants, environmentally friendly products and water conservation. Middlebrook Gardens seeks to address the topic of environmental degradation through regenerative and organic farming, youth-led events, and a number of environmentally sustainable projects. These projects include, but are not limited to, aquaponics systems, gray-water systems, composting systems, and stormwater capture systems. Middlebrook Gardens has received numerous awards including the prestigious Acterra Business Environmental Award, in the Open Space and Habitat Preservation/Restoration category, as well as a 2012 Best San Jose Award in the Landscape Services category given out by the USCA (Middlebrook Gardens, n.d.). The California Native Garden Foundation, under which Middlebrook Gardens is nested, seeks to inform and educate the public, particularly youth, about gardening with native plants through classes and workshops. The CNGF offers a number of camps every year, including The Earth Hero’s Nature Camp and The Environmental Laboratory for Sustainability and Ecological Education (ELSEE). ELSEE seeks to teach students about science, nutrition and sustainability, as well as promote native biodiversity preservation. The ELSEE garden features a constructed wetland, native garden systems, turtle and fish ponds, vertical gardening, an aquaponics system, and a biogas digester. As such, the aquaponics system at Middlebrook Gardens is an integral part of numerous camps, programs and workshops. As experiential learning becomes more and more prevalent, aquaponics may serve as an important source of hands-on STEM education.

 

Civic Engagement

In December of 1970, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established under Richard Nixon. The EPA, which serves as a governmental organization, brought together a number of federal programs intended to protect the environment and human health. The EPA sets and enforces laws regarding pollution limits, pollution standards, regional programs for environmental protection, and other fines and sanctions regarding environmental health. Just a few years later, in 1975, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) was established as a non-governmental organization (NGO) to serve members and staff of the state legislatures. According to the NCSL, a number of California state government codes exist to support community gardens. These include 12804.5, which allows for creation of programs to develop community gardens, and 51795–51797, which recognizes the value of school gardens to student education and establishes the Instructional School Gardens Program under the State Department of Education for the creation and funding of school gardens. This considered, there are also a vast number of associations and organizations that seek to support community gardening. One such agency is the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA), which serves to advocate at at levels of government and society for the establishment of community gardens in the United States.

Urban communities often lack easy access to produce that is both affordable and fresh. Community gardens can serve as a way to sustainably solve this need. Community gardens are also welcoming green spaces in neighborhoods and can provide leisurely activity for people living nearby. They can create a sense of community as people create social networks centered around activities at a garden. Beyond serving community members, governmental agencies also benefit from community gardens. For one, they promote healthy living by enhancing diets and increasing physical activity, thus reducing public health costs. They also improve the appearance of public spaces which can increase property values. They may even reduce crime rates by engaging citizens in positive initiatives. From an environmental standpoint, community gardens are beneficial because they alleviate some of the harsh impacts of living in an urban setting. They provide bird and pollinator habitat as well as filter air and water pollution. They also can reduce greenhouse gas emissions that come from food transportation.

As of recent, Middlebrook Garden has faced threats by a developer who proposes to build over the garden. This serves as one form of civic issue in that rezoning of the land for commercial use will affect the composition of the surrounding neighborhood. Middlebrook Gardens provides a green space that improves the aesthetic appeal of the community, increases community engagement, and improves air quality. While our designs to improve the aquaponics system at the garden do not directly address this rezoning issue, they do increase the value the garden brings to the community. By increasing systematic flow rate, we have helped to maximize the amount of produce that can be grown and eaten locally. Redesigning the pump filter has also made the system easier to maintain and simpler for students to engage with and understand. As such, fewer hours will need to be dedicated to the maintenance of the system and garden volunteers can focus on other projects throughout the space. The value added by our design aims to contribute to the growing support of Middlebrook Gardens and defer development of the land.