A Spatial and Social Analysis of Food Deserts and Community Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin

Abstract

Food deserts, areas lacking nutritional food resources, are a critical problem facing modern urban areas. Our research analyzes the socio-spatial relationship between community gardens and food deserts in Madison. This includes visual surveying of community gardens and demographic analysis of Madison to determine the parameters for what constitutes a food desert. We discovered food deserts in Madison to be on the Southside and to a lesser degree on the far Eastside and will use this research to understand how community gardens serve these areas.