Ethical Action: Sharing aspects of private property to distribute benefits more widely

Allowing non-owners access to and use of privately owned property is another form of commoning occurring worldwide.

In response to environmental concerns, conservation areas are being carved out of private property as owners accept that the care and responsibility of the earth can be shared. Gondwana Link is an arc of bushland in Australia’s south western corner where conservation groups scientists, private landholders and Aboriginal communities work together to protect this biodiversity hotspot

Even temporary commons that make use of underutilized private property are helpful to poor urban residents. In Cagayan de Oro City the Philippines, local government offers tax concessions to private landowners to let poor residents grow vegetables on unoccupied land. These allotment gardens as well as increasing food security for poor urban dwellers are reducing solid waste through composting and provide social spaces where people can meet.

Community Land Trusts are a growing movement in the minority world. The land is owned by a non-profit group who manage it for a social purpose while the housing is owned by individual owner-occupiers or possibly a housing cooperative. This helps keep housing more affordable especially in areas where land values have increased rapidly, such as inner-city neighbourhoods which have become gentrified.

Initiatives such as Landshare common aspects of property and knowledge for greater community benefit.