CSU Community Geography Faculty and Student Co-Author that Inspires Community Action

August 20, 2019

Dr. Amanda Rees, Professor of Geography and alumnus Bertram Melix, recently co-authored a journal article titled “Landscape Discourses and Community Garden Design: Creating Community Gardens in One Mid-sized Southern US City” in the British journal Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes. In their article, they discuss the history of gardens and landscapes in the South.

In the article, Rees and Melix describe a project they undertook at Columbus State to map the city’s community gardens in partnership with Georgia Organics and the Columbus Food Oasis. One of the article’s recommendations included the design of spaces for community gardeners to rest and relax together and to enjoy their collective work. They emphasize that few gardens include that opportunity.

One outcome of their research was the interest it raised with the regional chapter of the Veterans organization The Mission Continues. Bringing together both veterans and materials, this group rebuilt beds and added spaces for rest and relaxation to one of the city’s oldest community gardens - the Deborah A. Jones Memorial Garden.

Melix graduated from CSU in 2019 and is part of the Geography PhD program at Florida State.