Research & reports

Olga Romanova, Sarah Taylor Lovell · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global

This review assesses the capacity of woody species (trees and shrubs) used in urban food forests to accumulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals (HMs), and metalloids, given limited existing literature on food-safety risk in urban fruit- and nut-producing trees compared with annual crops. General trends identified were (a) lower risk of HM and PAH accumulation in woody species than in vegetables, and (b) less accumulation in the fruit of woody species than in other parts of the same species. However, these trends are not always consistent, and accumulation depends on factors such as the concentration of a given contaminant in the environment, contaminant type, and species or variety. The review states there is a critical need for more research on the safety of growing edible fruits and nuts on trees and shrubs in contaminated urban environments.

Vernooy R., Sthapit B., Bessette G. · Development in Practice · Global

Drawing on case studies from Bangladesh, Cote d'Ivoire, India, and Zimbabwe, examines how community seed banks operationalize farmers' rights through conservation, access, and seed sovereignty at the local level.

Orsini F., Pennisi G., Michelon N., Minelli A., Bazzocchi G., Sanyé-Mengual E., Gianquinto G. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 4, 562513 · Global

Reviews multifunctional urban agriculture in the Global North, systematizing six functions (food production, ecosystem services, social integration, education, health, economy) and showing the functional continuity between rural and urban farming.

Spataru, A., Faggian, R., Docking, A. · Journal of Rural Studies 74, 34–44 · Australia (Melbourne)

Presents principles of multifunctional agriculture for Greater Melbourne's peri-urban zone, developing a sustainable design framework for urban-rural-linked farming across four axes: food supply, landscape, ecosystems and community.

Amado De Santis A. A., Chacoff N. P. · Neotropical Entomology · Yungas, Argentina

Analysing citizen-science plant-flower-visitor interaction data along an urbanization gradient in the northern Argentinian Yungas, the study found urbanization alters community composition rather than species richness of flower visitors.

Maha Deeb, Peter M. Groffman, Manuel Blouin, Sara Perl Egendorf, Alan Vergnes, Viacheslav Vasenev, Donna L. Cao, Daniel C. I. Walsh, Tatiana Morin, Geoffroy Séré · SOIL · Global

This review examines the use of Constructed Technosols (CTs), mixtures of organic and mineral waste, for green infrastructure (GI) in urban spaces. While CTs have high potential to provide multiple soil functions and contribute to urban greening, urban soils are often physically, chemically, or biologically unsuitable for GI features. The analysis suggests that the composition and structure of CTs should be adapted to available wastes and by-products, as well as future land use and environmental conditions, highlighting the need for careful design to overcome existing limitations.

Monika Egerer · · Global

This chapter discusses how climate-related factors and climate change may affect the biodiversity of plants and animals in urban agroecosystems, and the ecosystem functions and services they provide. It notes that little research in urban agroecology explicitly investigates the impacts of local weather patterns or regional climate cycles on biodiversity, ecosystem functions, or service delivery. The chapter aims to bridge agricultural and urban literature to enhance understanding of social-ecological processes in urban agroecosystems during the climate change era.

Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury, Md. Fahim Sharker Eashat, Chinmoy Sarkar, Nafisa Habib Purba, Mohammad Asadul Habib, Plabon Sarkar, Lincon Chandra Shill · International Multidisciplinary Research Journal · Bangladesh (Dhaka)

Rooftop gardening for vegetable production has gained momentum in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, offering alternative spaces for urban agriculture and contributing to agricultural sustainability. While rooftop agriculture can improve ecosystem services, biodiversity, and food security, its widespread implementation is currently limited by multiple challenges. Green roofs are considered a supplement to other urban food production sources, not a total solution for food security.

Carrero Gaitán, Karen Nathaly · · Colombia

This study collected data from six active community urban gardens in Fontibón, Colombia, analyzing their agronomic practices, sociodemographic aspects, and purposes. It assessed the influence of these gardens on participants' well-being, focusing on ecosystem supply and cultural services. The three most important services identified by participants were stress reduction, decreased loneliness, and improved governance and social dynamics.

Eliot Gee, Hyun-Ju Lee · · Global

Gee and Lee explore the incorporation of local food biodiversity into food and agriculture innovations, with attention to emerging youth-led practices. The chapter highlights opportunities and challenges of mobile apps, urban agriculture, and youth movements. These varied examples are assessed to suggest how social and technological innovative approaches can be leveraged to ensure fair and effective promotion and protection of local food biodiversity across the producer–consumer spectrum.

Stefan Sattler, Irene Zluwa, Doris Österreicher · Applied Sciences · Global

An interdisciplinary study developed and tested designs for integrating photovoltaic (PV) systems into rooftop gardens, focusing on retrofitting flat roofs. Prototypes were analyzed for structural design, plant choices, and energy output. The study found that concurrent integration of PVs and green roofs is achievable with lightweight construction, suitable for existing buildings, contributing to urban renewable energy, UHI mitigation, and recreational spaces.

Julian Gonsalves, Danny Hunter, Nina Lauridsen · · Global

School garden programs have been a popular development intervention over past decades, with objectives varying from teaching improved farming skills and supporting community food production to demonstrating agricultural practices in developing countries. This chapter provides a history of school gardens and an overview of their multiple benefits. These benefits include enhanced understanding of agriculture and nutrition, improved farming and livelihood skills, positive behavioral changes towards food, agrobiodiversity conservation, understanding climate change impacts, enhanced academic performance, empowerment of girls and women, cultural reconnection for indigenous children, and addressing schoolchildren's mental health.

Monika Bajaj · · Global

This chapter explores the role of experiential learning in environmental education, noting that traditional methods often lack personal engagement. Experiential learning, through direct, hands-on experiences, aims to foster ecological literacy, emotional connections to nature, critical thinking, and sustainable behaviors. The chapter discusses its principles, alignment with environmental education goals, and ability to enhance understanding of ecological systems, promote interdisciplinary thinking, and encourage civic engagement.

Christopher Young, M Hofmann, David Frey, Marco Moretti, Nicole Bauer · Landscape and Urban Planning · Switzerland (Zurich)

A study of approximately 300 leisure gardeners in Zurich, Switzerland, investigated how self-reported psychological restoration related to garden type, the number of plant species, and garden-related stress. Allotment gardeners reported higher restoration levels compared to domestic gardeners. Restoration was positively related to the number of plant species via the perceived restorativeness of the garden, but garden-related stress or negative affect was negatively related to the restoration outcome.

Maëlle Tripon, Dorothée Boccanfuso, Marie-Ève Yergeau · Cahiers de recherche · Global

This literature review examines urban agriculture (UA) models, their implementation contexts, production needs, and impacts. It highlights that UA faces limitations, particularly restricted access to good quality (unpolluted) soil, water, and air, which can negatively impact productivity. UA can also have negative impacts on ecosystems and human health, such as pollution and diseases, depending on management methods.

Peter Loxley · · Global

This chapter presents three topics to help teachers guide children in understanding the scientific concept of interdependence, observable in school gardens and other outdoor learning areas. It outlines a progression from Key Stage 1, where children explore plant growth conditions and animal feeding, to lower Key Stage 2, focusing on plants as food producers and food chains/webs, and finally to upper Key Stage 2, where students learn about dependence and competition for resources within ecosystems. Subject knowledge for teaching this concept is provided.

Mohamed Ikhwan Nasir Mohamed Anuar, Saiful Arif Abdullah · PLANNING MALAYSIA · Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)

This study explored the typologies and reappropriation of residual spaces under elevated highways in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, using site observation, document analysis, and expert interviews. Two main typologies of residual spaces were identified: easily accessible and hard-to-access. Experts suggested that play lots, recreational lots, and community gardens were suitable for easily accessible spaces, while semi-natural areas and functional landscapes were suitable for hard-to-access spaces.

José́ G. Vargas-Hernández · Practice, progress, and proficiency in sustainability · Global

This chapter analyzes the implications of urban sustainable growth, development, and governance structures for revitalizing open vacant spaces in agriculture and farming. Following an extensive literature review, the authors used critical socio-ecological analysis to identify key issues, trends, practices, and implications of urban vacant spaces concerning sustainable urban growth, urban agriculture use, and collaborative governance for revitalization. It concludes that transitional use of vacant land should be employed for developing sustainable green cities, but urban vacant spaces require stimulated utilization for revitalization purposes.

Kit Prendergast · Pacific Conservation Biology · Australia

The African carder bee, Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum, first recorded in Queensland in 2000, has now been found in Western Australia, marking a significant distribution expansion. Three confirmed and one unconfirmed localities were identified in the Mandurah region, with abundant female specimens observed in one garden. The presence of this introduced species necessitates vigilance due to known negative impacts on native fauna and flora.

Jakob Laage‐Thomsen, Anders Blok · Local Environment · Denmark

This article explores variations in civic engagement with urban sustainability politics by examining "urban green communities" in Denmark, including urban gardening and beekeeping. Using a conceptualization of civic and place-based material participation from pragmatic sociology, particularly Laurent Thévenot's work, the study traces translations between familiar attachments and public critiques within these communities. A comprehensive digital mapping exercise identified six civic modes of urban greening and their group engagement styles, with implications for care, justice, and democracy in sustainable city-making.

Monika Egerer, Benjamin Wagner, Brenda B. Lin, Dave Kendal, Kai Zhu · Landscape Ecology · Global

This study applied new and traditional methods to understand how vegetation structure and function indicators in urban community gardens vary with spatial scale. Traditional field sampling and UAV aerial imagery were used to assess vegetation structure (height) and function (species diversity, cover) at garden and plot scales. Results showed that garden vegetation characteristics vary with spatial scale, and plant species richness and vegetation cover related to UAV-derived imagery, but height did not.

Marie Davidová · Strategic Design Research Journal · Global

This article presents gigamaps and full-scale prototypes developed within the Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance (SAAP) research by design field. SAAP employs Time-Based Eco-Systemic Co-Design, involving both living and non-living agents, to develop theories and methods through experimental practice. Gigamapping serves as a tool to map and generate complex relations across environmental, societal, and cultural aspects in collaborative design-research processes, aiming to co- and re-design these complexities in "real life co-design laboratories."

Brandon García Rodríguez, José Andrés Martínez Machado, Reinier Lop Herrera, Reina Dayamí Reyna Reyes · Revista Científica Agroecosistemas · Cuba (Cienfuegos)

A study on the use of Meliponinos was conducted in two meliponarios in Cienfuegos province, Cuba, specifically in San Fernando de Camarones and Pueblo Nuevo. Interviews with bee owners and community members identified factors affecting the sustainable development of Meliponicultura within Urban, Suburban, and Family Agriculture systems. Findings indicated a tendency for the Melipona beecheii population to increase in both municipalities, and common factors affecting bees were identified.

Ines Babnik · IntechOpen eBooks · Global

This paper discusses how historical gardens, from ancient Mesopotamia to the Renaissance and Baroque eras, have shaped human living environments and incorporated green elements. It proposes that studying the motifs and innovations of these historical gardens can offer inspiration and possibilities for the design and development of present and future urban horticultural gardens.

In-Kyoung Hong, Hyung-Kwon Yun, Young-Bin Jung, Sang-Mi Lee · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global

To derive indicators for assessing the service value of educational farming experiences using school gardens, literature review, the Delphi method, exploratory factor analysis, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) were employed. The study classified indicators into four criteria: educational value, health value, economic value, and ecological and environmental value, comprising 13 items and 33 sub-factors. Experts rated educational value as the most important, followed by health, ecological and environmental, and economic values.