USC Reopened Community Peace Garden on Campus
Los Angeles residents can visit the newly relocated quarter-acre garden featuring 17 raised beds on the Kerckhoff Hall lawn.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Gardening
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The University of Southern California has reopened its community Peace Garden at a new location on the Kerckhoff Hall lawn. The new space features 17 raised vegetable beds and serves as a hub for local community education and events.
Why it matters
The project serves to promote neighborhood well-being and provide an accessible space for urban gardening education. It replaces the original garden site that was closed for land sale earlier in 2025.
The new site covers approximately 0.25 acres and includes 17 raised vegetable beds. The project originally launched with a grant in 2022 and maintains support from over 1,300 petition signers who advocated for the garden's return.
The players
University of Southern California
A prominent Los Angeles educational institution that oversees sustainability initiatives and campus facility use.
President's Sustainability Internship Program
An academic program that coordinates student staff to maintain garden infrastructure and promote community events.
The details
The garden design incorporates a planting palette of native and climate-adapted species to thrive in local conditions. Volunteers manage the majority of the irrigation by hand, and a specialized rain garden captures runoff from a nearby residential building to supplement water needs. Interns under the President's Sustainability Internship Program manage soil preparation and volunteer guidance.
Timeline
The project was launched with a grant obtained in 2022.
The original Peace Garden location closed in June 2025.
The new garden site opened by October 5, 2026.
The Home Front
The development follows a documented trend of universities integrating urban agriculture into campus layouts to replace decommissioned sites. This shift underscores how institutional land use is increasingly prioritizing public-facing sustainability projects over traditional development.
Local residents interested in native gardening can observe the climate-adapted planting palette used at the new site for inspiration. Consider integrating your own rain collection methods or water-efficient landscaping to support local biodiversity in your home yard.
The takeaway
This project highlights how community advocacy can successfully preserve shared green spaces in urban environments. Residents should monitor the President's Sustainability Internship Program for future opportunities to volunteer at the garden site.
Further reading
Discover more ways to manage your own Gardening projects and native plant landscaping.
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Should universities prioritize maintaining permanent green spaces for student and community use?
