A thriving community garden is taking shape at Botany Town Centre. Photos supplied
An unused patch of ground outside the Briscoes store at east Auckland’s Botany Town Centre is being converted into a flourishing community garden carefully cultivated using compost made on-site from the centre’s food waste.
As landfill-bound food waste continues to soar, with New Zealand businesses dumping around 75,000 tonnes a year and projections rising to an estimated 100,000 by the end of the decade, Botany Town Centre is flipping the script.
To help reduce these numbers, the centre has introduced on-site composting bins and a community garden which will evolve overtime to include capturing water and extending the garden, planting a mini orchard of fruit trees, and establishing full irrigation of the garden beds.
In just five months the centre has diverted more than 5.8 tonnes of food and green waste, mulch and coffee grounds from landfill.
It forms part of the centre’s latest sustainability project, transforming food and green waste from its retailers into nutrient-rich compost.
The project has also presented the opportunity for the centre to return to its early landscaping vision when it opened back in 2001, which included bountiful vegetable gardens in the now enclosed precinct formerly known as Garden Lane.
Botany Town Centre manager Kerrie Hughes says: “It has long been a goal of ours to establish a composting system and re-establish a community garden at the centre.
“We would like to thank the retailers who have come on board to support the project, and we hope it can be used as a tool to empower and educate the wider community about sustainable waste management and the circular economy.”
The project, designed by Outside In, has been made possible with the support of participating retailers including New World, Subway, Boost Juice, Tank, Buns and Rolls and Mozaic Kebab, all of which have contributed to the effort to make this sustainable practice a core part of the centre’s operations.
Dumorah Mohammed, Outside In senior account manager, says: “At Outside In, we are deeply passionate about sustainability and committed to making a positive impact through thoughtful design and innovation.
“It has been incredibly exciting for me to work alongside Botany Town Centre on their sustainability journey, bringing our shared values to life in meaningful ways, starting with the composting and veggie gardens.
“I’m especially looking forward to seeing how Botany Town Centre continues to grow in this space, particularly in ways that engage and involve the community.
“I’ll be cheering them on and supporting them every step of the way as they build a more sustainable future.”
The project is a significant step towards reducing the centre’s carbon footprint while fostering greater connection with the local community.
The centre invites all visitors, including local schools and retirement villages, to witness the transformation and take part in caring for the community garden.
Those interested are welcome to contact the centre online at https://www.botanytowncentre.co.nz/contact-us.
“Whether you have a green thumb or simply care about the planet we are keen to share with the older and younger generations how turning waste into growth can build a thriving, green community,” Hughes says.
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