By Vedosi Karmarkar
On the 20th of October, the shed housing tools and equipment in the ‘Anna’s Tuin En Ruigte’ garden went up in flames. The fire occurred in the middle of the night, and the question of how it was caused is yet to be answered. However, the event itself showcases the susceptibility of the garden to outside influences, especially due to its easy accessibility to the general public. This accessibility is not a fault however, as Anna’s Tuin has become an important landmark to various people in AUC. In an effort to understand what the garden means to the members of the university, individuals were interviewed about their experiences with Anna’s Tuin en Ruigte.
Anna’s Tuin was made accessible to the public seven years ago and has become a cornerstone of Science Park. The 3 acres of land are filled with gardens dedicated to various functions, from plants that make paint and dyes to vegetable gardens. Due to this vast biodiversity, it has been the location for much university research on local ecological systems and permaculture. The lecturer for ‘Anthropologies of Community’ at AUC, Professor Scott Dalby, is one of the academics working closely with the garden, often taking his students between the plants. His relationship with Anna’s Tuin began with an individual need to connect with the outside world. “I noticed working in academia, I really need a grounding element in my life,” he says. Having spent a large amount of time in the garden, the coordinators and he got to know each other and “started to get creative” in how they could foster a closer relationship between Anna’s Tuin and the AUC community. For ‘Anthropologies of Community,’ he says that the students would spend half of the course hours in the garden. The space changed his perception of teaching, as he watched his students form connections with nature.
Professor Dalby’s qualms with traditional teaching boil down to the question: “Why are we so disembodied in how we learn?” He questions why students have to be educated sitting behind laptops or at desks, hypothesizing that their anxiety and unhealthiness stem from the constant confinement. “One thing that has become apparent to me is that there are many ways of learning using all of your senses. Outside of the university, when you’re moving your body, you learn in a different way,” he states, emphasizing the importance of nature-based learning and highlighting how Anna’s Tuin helped foster inspiration and creativity in his students. The garden furthered social growth as well, encouraging a sense of camaraderie not only amongst the students, but also with other species. Spending time in Anna’s Tuin, despite being for a class, has also left a lasting impact on his pupils. “I go walking there and I see my old students and they’re like, you know, I come here every week now. I feel less stressed!” Scott hopes that launching initiatives that engage all members of the AUC community with the ‘tuin’ will be beneficial both to the natural world as well as the university itself. He firmly believes that food forests should be commended, because they prove that humans can live in equitable relationships with other species, a feat that’s necessary to stave off the already visible effects of climate change.
Following the ideals that food forests like Anna’s Tuin propose, a second-year Science student, Alex Jarocinska, has admitted to frequenting the park to throw out his organic trash. Having grown up in Germany, he was able to carry forward his trash sorting habit, whilst simultaneously contributing to maintaining the chemical-free growth of the plants by donating his organic waste to the compost bins. Alongside its functional properties, the garden has helped Jarocinska in other ways. “It’s just a really nice green space in Science Park. If I’m really overwhelmed about an exam or something, I’ll take a walk through there and look at nature, and I end up feeling more okay,” he admits. For Jarocinska, Anna’s Tuin has come to be a contemplative space. He expresses his hope for the Tuin to be able to continue functioning and thriving after the fire. “I would like to become more involved with it.”
Rebekka Walser, a first-year Social Science student, has been similarly impacted by the garden. “I like being surrounded by nature. Last year, I lived in an area that wasn’t very green, and it made me realize how much a green space benefits my mental health,” she reveals. Walser’s connection with Anna’s Tuin extends beyond that of just a space for tranquility. It serves as a reminder of home. When talking about her favorite part of the garden, she describes the way the plants grow with abandon. “There are a lot of raspberry bushes in different places, and that’s something we have at home that I really miss.” Reflecting on the emotions she often feels in the garden, she describes them perfectly in her parting statement: “It just reminds me of different phases of my life.”
Anna’s Tuin has made an impact, not only with the AUC faculty, but also with all Science Park residents. The interviewees reached a general consensus in wanting to bridge the gap between the university and the garden. Those working there are currently fundraising to recover the equipment they have lost, hoping to resume regular functioning as soon as possible. Altogether, Anna’s Tuin has come to cultivate not only plants, but also a sense of community.
The Herring 