Fordham Bedford Lot-Busters Community Garden
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
The Fordham Bedford Lot-Busters Community Garden is located in the state of New York, not New Jersey.
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Summary
This public garden was established in 1993 in the Bronx as a way to revitalize a vacant lot. It has since become a thriving community space where residents can grow their own vegetables, participate in community events, and learn about urban agriculture.
One of the reasons to visit the Fordham Bedford Lot-Busters Community Garden is to see the impressive array of plants and vegetables that are grown there. The garden has over 50 individual plots, as well as communal areas where volunteers grow crops to donate to local food banks. Visitors can also participate in educational programs and workshops on topics such as composting and beekeeping.
In addition to the garden itself, the Fordham Bedford Lot-Busters Community Garden is surrounded by interesting cultural and historic attractions. Just a few blocks away is the Bronx Zoo, one of the largest metropolitan zoos in the world. The historic Arthur Avenue Retail Market, which dates back to the early 1900s, is also nearby and is known for its Italian specialty shops.
The best time of year to visit the Fordham Bedford Lot-Busters Community Garden is during the growing season, which typically runs from May to October. During this time, visitors can see the garden in full bloom and participate in events such as the annual Harvest Festival.
Overall, the Fordham Bedford Lot-Busters Community Garden is a unique and inspiring destination that showcases the power of community-led initiatives to transform urban spaces.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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