DENTON (UNT), Texas — The University of North Texas (UNT) has officially launched its new and improved community garden space, heralding an expansion of its sustainability and community engagement efforts. The grand opening event took place on March 31, 2025, at the garden located behind Crumley Hall on UNT’s Denton campus.
The UNT Community Garden initiative, originally established in 2017, is part of a broader suite of sustainability projects funded by the We Mean Green Fund. This fund, created through a 2010 student government initiative, is sustained by a $5 fee paid by students each semester. Initially sited behind Legends Hall, the garden has been relocated and expanded to better serve the UNT community.
Managed by the Diamond Eagle Student Resource Center, the garden offers faculty, students, and staff an opportunity to cultivate a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The expanded garden includes additional plots and increased overall square footage, allowing for higher yields and greater collaboration with the UNT Food Pantry, which benefits from the garden’s fresh produce.
Remarking on the garden’s potential, Tristen Wheeler Mauldin, associate director of the Diamond Eagle Student Resource Center, highlighted the increased capacity for produce, translating to an expected 70-pound increase in crop yield annually. “The new garden has more plots and overall square footage, which will allow our collaboration with the UNT Food Pantry to increase significantly,” Mauldin stated.
The garden’s development was made possible through collaboration with Valley Creek Church, RAM Concrete, and the We Mean Green Fund. These supporters contributed to various aspects of the project, including construction of beds, walkways, irrigation systems, and the installation of a new gazebo. Future plans for the garden include the addition of a hydroponic greenhouse, more fruit trees, and expanded composting capabilities.
At the event, volunteers and community members participated in seeding and transplanting efforts. Barrett Andrews, a sophomore speech pathology major, expressed enthusiasm about the garden’s communal aspect: “I really like meeting people and having this space to connect over shared interests. We get to see our plants grow together.”
The UNT Community Garden dedicates approximately 85% of its space to individual or group plots, encouraging engagement across the UNT community. Members with surplus produce can contribute to the UNT Food Pantry, further supporting UNT’s sustainability and food security initiatives.
Cody Kimpton, student services coordinator and garden operations supervisor, voiced his hopes for the garden’s future: “Now that we have this more central location, I hope we can host more events and continue building community connections. We’ve already seen a lot of new interaction from people, and we’re really excited.”
For UNT community members interested in joining, students can reserve a plot via the Navigate app, while faculty and staff can contact communitygarden@unt.edu.
