Community gardens & resilient kai

The kai resilience movement in Tāmaki Makaurau is gathering momentum.

As of 2025, there are 104 community gardens in the Auckland region, of which 44 are on council-owned parks and reserves. Fostering community gardens, and community gardeners, is important to Auckland Council.

How kai gardens strengthen our communities

Māra kai and kai gardens re amazing local examples of how to build climate resilience, strengthen community wellbeing, and improve access to healthy, affordable food. Community gardens are cool ways to:

Increase food resilience

Helping communities grow more of their own kai, become less dependent on distant or disrupted supply chains, and feel more confident about where their food comes from.

Lower greenhouse gas emissions

By cutting down “food miles,” encouraging low-waste habits like composting, and supporting more sustainable, climate-friendly food production.

Build social connection and local knowledge

Creating welcoming spaces where neighbours can meet, share skills, learn from one another, and take part in growing kai together, fostering long-term community empowerment.

Contribute to a healthy environment

Supporting soil health, improving biodiversity, creating habitats for pollinators, and helping people better understand their relationship with the natural world.

How you can get involved

Getting involved in a community garden is easy and rewarding.

1. Join an existing māra kai: search our Community Groups map
2. Volunteer at local working bees, or even start your own garden with friends and council support.
3. Start your own garden with at least five others and council support. Email our kai growing mailbox with queries: kaigrowing@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Whether you’re planning, planting, composting, swapping seeds or seedlings, or sharing your skills or the kai you’ve grown, every contribution builds more resilient Tāmaki Makaurau.