By creating an accessible, online “Backyard Commons Certification” guide, Ashoka's Community Greens is compiling design guidelines that can be used even if people don’t choose to have their Backyard Commons certified.  For the communities that do certify their Backyard Commons, it is an opportunity for them to have brand recognition and add legitimacy to their project; Ashoka is assuring that they are undertaking this redevelopment in a sustainable and truly beneficial way. Additionally, communities that complete this process will have a presence on Ashoka’s website and access to Ashoka resources, as well as forums to discuss their experience with other interested communities.

What are Backyard Commons?

Although the notion of the “commons” is well-established, Backyard Commons is a relatively new concept. We want to provide the public with a reliable framework for designing and managing these types of projects before implementation begins.

Backyard Commons are shared open green spaces on the inside of city blocks, created either when residents merge backyard space or reclaim underutilized urban land such as vacant lots and alleyways. These shared spaces are communally used and managed only by the residents whose homes abut them. They are not a public park, a private backyard, or a community garden; however, they can function as all three. Backyard Commons already exist in communities in numerous cities across the country, including Boston, Livermore, Baltimore, New York, and San Francisco.

Backyard Commons are multifunctional spaces for gardening, recreation, and leisure which provide social, economic, and environmental benefits to urban residents. Communities that create Backyard Commons have increased interaction with neighbors throughout the planning and implementation process, which results in a stronger overall sense of community. Other social benefits include decreased crime from having more eyes on the street and having safe places for children to play and adults to relax. Backyard Commons, like other types of urban green spaces, significantly improve the ecological functioning of urban habitats. Vegetation and permeable pavement slows stormwater runoff and allows for groundwater recharge. This in turn reduces pollutant loads being carried to nearby waterbodies during storm events. Urban environments are often significantly warmer than outlying suburbs, mostly due to the prevalence of low-albedo concrete surfaces. City trees mitigate this heat island effect and cool the urban microclimate through shading and evapotranspiration. When neighbors take down their fences, backyards are transformed from fragmented habitats to connected corridors for urban wildlife. City dwellers recognize value in green space, often simply from an aesthetic standpoint, and this is reflected through increased property values resulting from access to Backyard Commons.

Design Criteria for Backyard Commons: