community garden leadership

Hello ACGA members,
 
I am a Landscape Architecture Masters Degree Candidate at California State Polytechnic University, in Pomona California, and doing some research on successful community gardens.  Right now i am particularly interested in what keeps gardens successful over time and what values must be present in the people who take it upon themselves to keep these projects going.  I would like to ask you some questions, hoping that your collective knowledge can give me some insight.
 
1.  How did your community garden project begin?  was there an expressed need in the community?  Who spearheaded the initial organizing (one person/group of people)?
 
2.  Do successfull community gardens need and organizational structure?  How is your garden organized?  How are decisions reached?  Is there a person or group serving as an admistrative body - a 'leader'?  If so, how do they operate?
 
3.  For a community garden project to be successful, what traits should be present in the gardens coordinating/administrative body?  How can these traits be fostered in other garden members so that the garden can sustain itself over time?
 
If you could lend me your opinions on these matters, i would greatly apprieciate it.  Thank you for taking time out of your day to share your knowledge.
 
Jeremy Person
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