Research & reports

Hang Yu · Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change · East Asia

This study in a culturally significant agricultural region in East Asia explored how edible tourism landscapes can be collaboratively developed by local communities and visitors using a participatory co-design approach. The results indicate that co-designed edible landscapes significantly enhance sensory engagement and foster a deeper tourist connection to local food heritage. Local residents reported increased cultural pride and agency, and the site transformation yielded ecological benefits like improved biodiversity.

Chen Li, Jin ZUO, Tao Lin, Xiao Wang · Landscape Architecture · China

This study, focused on the central urban area of Tianjin, China, presents a method for extracting potential green roofs and assessing ecological network reconstruction. It synthesizes four suitability characteristics — flat roof features, roof color, additional structures, and building height — into a deep learning model with attention mechanisms and multi-scale feature fusion to identify potential green roof areas, then proposes a framework based on a Least-Cost Path model for incorporating potential green roofs into urban ecological network reconstruction. The results identified 21,244 roofs with greening potential in central Tianjin, covering a total of 1,345.22 hectares (average 633 m², largest 24,927 m²), showing a "polycentric and dispersed" spatial distribution. Integrating potential green roofs with existing green space increased the number of source patches from 100 to 131 and total area by 302.35 hectares, with potential green roofs directly contributing 126.28 hectares.

Fetty Dwi Rahmayanti, Andi Gunawan, Anas Miftah Fauzi, Edi Santosa · Jurnal Agronomi Indonesia (Indonesian Journal of Agronomy) · Indonesia (Jakarta)

A mixed-methods study assessing biodiversity risk from urban agriculture activities in East Jakarta, Indonesia, combining a literature review with a field survey of questionnaires on respondents' perceptions of biodiversity risk to flora and fauna. The results showed the p-value exceeded the alpha level (0.05), indicating that urban agriculture in East Jakarta does not significantly affect biodiversity risks to flora and fauna.

Kulesh Bhandari · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · India

This press release reports on the field progress and community engagement of the Wild Food Forests in Tribal Jharkhand initiative in India, led by biodiversity researcher Kulesh Bhandari (M.Sc. Zoology, Godda College, SKMU) with support from The Pollination Project Foundation (USA). The project spans multiple tribal villages, including Bodiya Panchayat, Fhagu Tola, Rajapathar, Mandal Chak, Silthiya B Panchayat (Basdhuma Upar Tola, Niche Tola, Debri), Salaipahari, and Gardiapahari (Gopikandar Range). It aims to restore diversity of wild edible and medicinal plants such as Dumar, Dova, Mahua, Koha, and Bel by combining traditional knowledge with scientific monitoring.

Jannatul Nayma Bona, Md. Zaki Faisal, Durjoy Hur, Saniya Afrin Swarna, Md. Muntaseer Al Mamun · Agriculture Archives. · Asia

In the Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh, a mixed-methods study of 100 randomly selected rooftop gardeners drawn from a target population of 250 used structured interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviews between March and May 2024 to examine the environmental and nutritional benefits of rooftop gardening (RTG). 49% of respondents perceived moderate environmental benefits and 25% perceived high benefits, with increased rooftop vegetation (mean perception index 245), reduced indoor temperatures and improved biodiversity as ecological outcomes. On nutrition, 65% reported significant benefits, 63% reported healthier dietary habits and 75% reported meeting a substantial share of their vegetable needs through rooftop cultivation; both environmental and nutritional benefits correlated positively with respondents' education level (r=0.628 and r=0.544) and gardening experience (r=0.946 and r=0.532) at the 1% significance level. Over half of participants, however, cited limited technical knowledge (perception index 231), seasonal water scarcity, high input costs and pest management difficulties as challenges.

Saputra A., Abdoellah O., Utama G., Wulandari I., Mulyanto D., Suparman Y. · Sustainability · Indonesia

Interviews and a survey examined how residents of Bandung perceive the ecosystem services of homegarden-based urban agriculture. Residents themselves judged the gardens' contribution to overall food security to be only supplementary, even though they supply fresh produce. Their value was widely recognised elsewhere: biodiversity conservation, microclimate regulation, disaster risk reduction, social cohesion and mental well-being. Limited space, lack of knowledge and competing land uses emerged as the barriers, and the authors conclude that education and policy support are the levers for wider uptake.

Puneeth G. M., Gowthami R., Katral A., Laxmisha K. M., Vasudeva R., Singh G. P., Archak S. · Scientific Reports 14:10712 · India

Documents 671 landraces of 60 crops across 24 sites in the Western Ghats, identifying suitability, cuisine, medicinal use, cultural significance and economic value as determinants of on-farm conservation by custodian farmers.

· Frontiers in Sustainability · China (Beijing)

Discusses urban agriculture as a landscape approach for sustainable urban planning, using Songzhuang in Beijing as a case study.

· Landscape Ecology · China

An analysis of how urban green space expansion affected grain production through cropland loss in Chinese cities from 2000 to 2020, with implications for national urban greening schemes.

‪I Gusti Ayu Diah Yuniti, Nanang Sasmita, Jhon Hardy Purba, Liris Lis Komara · Journal of Applied Agricultural Science and Technology · Indonesia

This study evaluated the land suitability for Wani fruit (Mangifera caesia) plants on the slopes of Mount Batur, Kintamani, Bali. Using composite sampling and descriptive and comparative analysis, the results showed three land suitability classes: moderately suitable, marginally suitable, and not suitable, with slope, texture, temperature, effective depth, and rainfall identified as main limiting factors. Zones I, II, and III of the Kintamani area, covering 21,476 hectares, were found suitable for the development of Wani fruit for horticultural and conservation purposes.

Myung‐Bok Lee, Daojian Chen, Fangyuan Liu, Fasheng Zou · Basic and Applied Ecology · China (Guangzhou)

This study investigated how spatial and temporal crop changes relate to bird diversity and traits in small peri-urban agricultural lands in Guangzhou, a sub-tropical city in China. Bird and crop data were collected approximately bimonthly from December 2021 to October 2022. Both overall crop diversity (alpha diversity) and seasonal crop changes (beta diversity) were positively associated with bird Shannon-Wiener diversity. Woody vegetation cover positively affected all three bird diversity indices, while plant/seed-eating bird abundance was negatively associated with alpha crop diversity, and ground-foraging bird abundance was positively associated with beta crop diversity.

Soo-Young Moon, Dae-Hee Jang · KIEAE Journal · South Korea

This study investigated whether green roof soil, originally artificial, could evolve into natural soil suitable for urban agriculture over time. Researchers analyzed the composition of rooftop greening soil from a 20-year-old testbed at KICT in South Korea. The analysis revealed that the rooftop greening soil had gradually transformed into natural soil, confirming that long-term maintained rooftop greening on artificial grounds can evolve into an environment quantitatively similar to natural soil.

Rafi Pratama, Wawan Dhewanto · International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies · Indonesia (Bandung)

This mixed-methods study assessed the effectiveness of the Micro Urban Food Forest Campaign at Masagi Koffee, Bandung, Indonesia, in enhancing environmental sustainability and community involvement. While the initiative moderately succeeded in raising environmental awareness among participants, it faced problems in achieving consistent community participation. Logistic regression analysis identified awareness and knowledge as significant predictors of sustainability practice, indicating a need for targeted strategies to foster behavioral change.

Shunxiang Fan, Min Yan, Linfei Yu, Bowei Chen, Li Zhang · Ecological Indicators · China (Beijing)

A framework integrating ecosystem service supply-demand and landscape ecological risk assessment was developed for urban planning in Beijing, China's plain area. This study quantified the supply and demand of five ecosystem services (biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, water conservation, food production, and landscape recreation) and identified landscape ecological risks. Findings revealed an imbalance in total ecosystem service supply-demand and a high level of landscape ecological risk in Beijing's plain area, with protection priority areas accounting for 10.39% and restoration priority areas for 19.94% of the total area. Land use, distance to settlements, and vegetation cover were identified as primary influencing factors.

Girish Visvanathan, Kailas Patil, Yogesh Suryawanshi, Vishal Meshram, Shrikant Jadhav · Scientific Reports · India (Chennai)

A study conducted in Chennai, India, from April to June 2023, assessed temperature dynamics on a building's terrace by comparing a well-maintained garden area with an exposed region using temperature and humidity sensors. Findings indicated a significant reduction in internal room temperatures in areas with rooftop gardens, ranging from 4 to 11 °C, compared to rooms with fully exposed roof configurations. Simulation studies suggested that optimizing soil beds and plant density could yield an additional 3-4 °C reduction, resulting in an overall difference of up to 14-15 °C.

Ehsan Rahimi, Chuleui Jung · Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment · South Korea

This study developed a methodology to identify optimal urban locations for pollinator-dependent crops in South Korea. Researchers generated habitat suitability maps for 243 pollinating insects across 10 major cities using species distribution models and Graphab 2.8 software. The analysis found a strong positive correlation between green space cluster modularity and pollinator distribution, indicating that areas with higher modularity have richer pollinator populations and are suitable for urban agriculture.

Dika Supyandi, Pipit Pitriani, Mahra Arari Heryanto · MIMBAR AGRIBISNIS Jurnal Pemikiran Masyarakat Ilmiah Berwawasan Agribisnis · Indonesia (Bandung)

This quantitative research, using Rasch Modeling and a census of urban farming group members in RW 04 Pajajaran District, Cicendo, Bandung City, aimed to analyze community perceptions of urban farming benefits. The study found that the community sufficiently benefited from the program, perceiving it as making the environment green, beautiful, and productive. However, respondents believed urban farming could not minimize household food consumption costs, indicating environmental benefits were more dominant than household resilience.

Hao Yang, Runyan Zou, Yueming Hu, Lu Wang, Yingkai Xie, Zhengxi Tan, Zhiqiang Zhu, A‐Xing Zhu, Jianzhou Gong, Xiaoyun Mao · Land Use Policy · China

This study introduced an "element coupling-function synergy" analytical framework and constructed a causal Bayesian belief network to identify trade-offs and synergies among multiple functions of cultivated land resources in Guangdong, China. The findings revealed trade-offs between food cleanliness and food production/social security. Synergistic relationships were found among food production, social security, and ecological regulation, as well as among ecological regulation, habitat maintenance, and landscape culture. The study divided the area into eight functional zones and formulated multi-objective management plans.

Salma Ardelia Darmastuti, IRFAN ABU NAZAR, AHMAD DWI SETYAWAN · Asian Journal of Ethnobiology · Indonesia (Surakarta)

An ethnobotanical study in ProKlim RW 16 Banjarsari Village, Surakarta City, Central Java, Indonesia, identified medicinal and food plants in urban home and community gardens. The study found 56 species commonly used by residents for medicinal and food purposes, with lemongrass being the most used medicinal plant and chili the most used food plant. Likert Scale calculations indicated that 90.25% of respondents agreed self-grown food plants are fresher and healthier, and 93.39% agreed more plants reduce air pollution and lower earth temperature.

YUDHA LESMANA, Sambas Basuni, Rinekso Soekmadi · Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity · Indonesia

This qualitative study in the Batang Toru Landscape, North Sumatra, Indonesia, investigated human-orangutan conflict arising from forest clearing for economic development. It found that Tapanuli orangutans migrate to community gardens, leading to crop destruction and decreased economic income for local communities, thus triggering conflict. The study suggests that the concept of ecosophy, integrating intellectual, spiritual, and emotional dimensions, can raise public awareness for orangutan protection, with higher education levels showing more positive results, but highlights the economic viability challenge for communities.

Budi Utomo, Rezky Nizar, Rizky Wahyudi, YUNASFI YUNASFI, Samsuri Samsuri, Mohammad Basyuni · OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences · Indonesia

This study analyzed land cover changes in Sianjur Mula-Mula District, Samosir Regency, Indonesia, between 2017 and 2022 using Sentinel 2 imagery and a guided classification method. In 2017, shrubs dominated, covering 4,689 hectares (39.68%), a pattern that persisted in 2022 with 4,529 hectares (38.32%). Forest land decreased by 182 hectares (1.54%), while built-up land increased by 111 hectares (0.95%). The study concluded that reforestation of 4,529 hectares of shrubs is necessary to maintain Lake Toba's water quality.

· · India

The IIHS Campus in Kengeri, India, is located at the intersection of Ramasagara Lake, Sulikere Forest, and an urban settlement, making it a suitable site to examine the interconnectedness between natural systems and the built environment. The campus aims to become an archetype of a safe space for humans and nature, building eco-friendly and climate-resilient structures, and establishing a multidisciplinary living lab. The NATURAL SYSTEMS Box Set documents the campus's water systems, biodiversity, integrated campus agriculture, and related experiments.

Mahsa Tarashkar, Salman Qureshi, Zhifang Wang, Akbar Rahimi · Sustainable Futures · Asia

This study examined factors shaping preferences for front-yard greenhouse urban horticulture in Iran. It found that greenhouse design influences urban horticulture preferences, and that urban dwellers prioritize cultural ecosystem services over regulating and provisioning services when engaging in urban horticulture activities. Anticipated ecosystem services differed among socio-demographic groups, and different greenhouse elements evoked distinct perceptions of ecosystem services, though certain greenhouses were found to improve overall perception of ecosystem services due to strong correlations between different service types.

Hojun Choi, Min Kim, Jinhyung Chon · Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture · South Korea

A study structurally analyzed the socio-ecological system of honeybees, as pollinators, using systems thinking, in order to propose green space planning strategies to revitalize urban beekeeping. It analyzed the ecological structure of bees' foraging and pollination activities and the social-ecological structure of urban beekeeping through individual causal loop diagrams, then synthesized these into an integrated causal loop diagram. The resulting proposed strategies were citizen participation programs, local government investment, and the creation of urban parks and green spaces on idle land.

Chengxiang Zi, D. Winterbottom, Juanjuan Liu · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · China

Focusing on a well-preserved village of the Dong ethnic group in southwest China that maintains traditional livelihoods and a local food system, a study used field surveys, interviews and participatory mapping to propose an edible green infrastructure (EGI) model for traditional villages. The model comprises the "rice-fish-duck" cycle as the core of traditional livelihoods, a hierarchical ecological structure of "households-groups-village," and corresponding management models. By theoretically analyzing the EGI of traditional villages shaped over China's millennia-old agricultural civilization, the study aims to inform sustainable food-system and natural-resource-management knowledge, applying it to the construction of bio-districts in rural China.