Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1006 results(20 / 41)
Gardens’ contribution to people and urban green space
2021Helena I. Hanson, Emma Eckberg, Malin Widenberg, Johanna Alkan Olsson · Urban forestry & urban greening · Sweden (Lund)
This study explored private gardens' contribution to urban biodiversity and garden owners' wellbeing (in terms of cultural ecosystem services) in Lund, Sweden, through a garden land-use inventory and interviews with 35 garden owners. Results showed that urban development influences gardens' biodiversity potential by limiting available space or garden vegetation, with new properties having small gardens containing few biodiversity features and large trees. Important cultural ecosystem services included social bonds, recreation, nature experiences, and relaxation, which were influenced by age and gender.
BiodiversityHealthUrban–rural linkagePolicyEffectiveness of plants and green infrastructure utilization in ambient particulate matter removal
2021K. Wróblewska, Byoung Ryong Jeong · Environmental Sciences Europe · Global
This review presents the effectiveness of plants and green infrastructure in ambient particulate matter (PM) removal. It describes the mechanisms of PM capture by plants and factors influencing PM reduction in the atmosphere. The review refers to the effectiveness of plant utilization in various forms of green infrastructure, including trees, grasslands, green roofs, living walls, water reservoirs, and urban farming. Additionally, methods to increase PM removal by plants, such as species selection, biodiversity increase, PAH-degrading phyllospheric endophytes, transgenic plants, and microorganisms, are presented.
Climate changeBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture on the Rooftop
2021Sumita Ghosh · · Global
This research conducted a desktop review and analyzed six international case studies of rooftop urban farms, community gardens, and home gardens. The analysis found that productive landscapes already exist on city rooftops, contributing positively to community, environment, ecology, economy, and society. Planning and designing rooftop gardens in dense urban areas could foster place-making through urban agriculture.
DIYCommunityClimate changeEconomicsBiodiversityPode a agricultura urbana contribuir para o desenvolvimento de cidades e comunidades sustentáveis?
2021Moisés Savian, Pedro Boff, Mari Inês Caríssimi Boff · Research Society and Development · Brazil
This study analyzed the contribution of urban agriculture to sustainable development in Brazilian cities and communities by reviewing 40 scientific articles published between 2009 and 2019. The findings indicate that urban agriculture is practiced across all regions of Brazil, exhibits diverse multifunctional characteristics, plays a significant role in maintaining agrobiodiversity, and supports food and nutritional security. It also contributes to economic, social, and ecological aspects of cities, potentially benefiting urban spaces, promoting health, and aiding educational processes.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityEconomicsLearning about Moss: Forming Communities of Inquiry
2021Hester Buck · Question Journal · United Kingdom (London)
This paper explores how different understandings of "community" converged during the participatory design of a moss wall at the R-urban community garden in London. The project addressed poor air quality, bringing together residents, activists, academics, and volunteers who formed a community of inquiry through meetings and workshops. The paper reflects on the successes and failures of engagement strategies, including challenges like apathy and misunderstanding.
CommunityDIYBiodiversityReasons and Remedies to the Dying Plant Walls
2021Hayley Q McGough · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · Global
This paper investigates why plant façades on buildings frequently die, preventing them from fully realizing benefits like urban heat island reduction and improved air quality. Through interviews with landscape architects, it examines factors for maintaining plant façades and assesses if new approaches, such as earlier integration of landscape architects or biocurtains, can address the high mortality rates. The study highlights that these plant façades often fail, leading to waste and unfulfilled potential.
Limited or null effectClimate changeBiodiversityEconomicsDIYVariation in Temperature, Precipitation, and Vegetation Greenness Drive Changes in Seasonal Variation of Avian Diversity in an Urban Desert Landscape
2021Fábio Suzart de Albuquerque, Heather L. Bateman, Cameron Scott Boehme, Daniel C. Allen, Luis Cayuela · Land · Global
This study investigated the effects of land-use and land-cover (LULC) types, vegetation greenness, and climate on avian seasonal variation abundance and richness in urban desert ecosystems, using avian community data collected seasonally (winter and spring) from 2001 to 2016. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) indicated that LULC was the most important predictor of avian abundance and richness. Avian abundance was highest in urban riparian and urban LULC types, followed by agriculture. Avian richness was highest in riparian environments (urban and desert), followed by agriculture, urban, and desert.
BiodiversityClimate changeEvaluation of ecosystem services from peri-urban organic farms: a case study of Beijing
2021黄甘霖 HUA Yeyu 华野毓 · Acta Ecologica Sinica · China (Beijing)
Ecosystem services from peri-urban organic farms in Beijing, China, were evaluated as of 2019. It was found that there were 271 organic farms in the suburbs of Beijing, covering a planting area of 10,900 hectares, accounting for 5.1% of the arable land in Beijing. Provision services were valued at 1.612 billion Yuan, regulation services (soil carbon sequestration) at 21.4 million Yuan, and cultural services (picking, farmers' markets, education activities) at 118.9 million Yuan. Organic farms also reduced energy use and emissions compared to conventional farms of the same area.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleBiodiversityClimate changeEconomicsFood educationCommunitySTUDI KERAGAMAN JENIS TANAMAN DI KEBUN PERCOBAAN FAKULTAS PERTANIAN UNIVERSITAS BOROBUDUR
2021Fetty Dwi Rahmayanti, Tungga Buana Diana · AGRO TATANEN | Jurnal Ilmiah Pertanian · Indonesia
This descriptive qualitative study describes the existing state of the experimental garden at the Faculty of Agriculture, Borobudur University, Indonesia. The garden is used for learning, research, and reforestation, with efforts to expand plant collections and preserve rare species. In line with government programs for utilizing narrow land, the faculty applies urban farming methods such as tabulampot, polybag, and hydroponic planting techniques. Data was collected from primary field observations and secondary literature.
DIYFood educationBiodiversityFood
2021Margaret Robertson · · Global
Chapter 13 examines how food is grown, from smallholders and pastoralists to small farmers and industrialized agriculture, addressing issues of ecosystem health, human health, food waste, and the impact of meat diets. It also discusses the importance of pollinators. The chapter then explores finding space for food in cities, including in schools, yards, urban farms, community gardens, and on public lands.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceS7ílhen tl’a Swa7ám (Food of the Ancestors)
2021T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss · Public · Global
T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss has dedicated her life to Indigenous plant remediation and restoration projects supporting wetland ecosystems, food forests, and their wild inhabitants. This work aims to restore what was taken from the natural world over the past 150 years, ensuring the survival of future ancestors. Interdisciplinary documentation, including true plant names in Indigenous languages, ensures future generations remain connected to the natural world.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleUrban agroforestry as a strategy for aligning agroecology with resilience planning initiatives
2021Sarah Taylor Lovell, John Taylor · · Global
This paper discusses urban agroforestry (UAF) as a strategy to integrate fruit and nut production into urban settings, emphasizing the inclusion of agroecological principles for improved design. It suggests that UAF can be intentionally integrated into urban landscapes, considering synergies with adjacent land uses. Guidelines for planting design can draw from multi-strata systems found in permaculture and food forest literature.
BiodiversityPollinatorsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyTAMAN KOMUNITAS BSD: UPAYA KEMBALI PADA ALAM BACK TO NATURE: COMMUNITY GARDEN
2021Fulgentius Rodney, Joko Priyono · Jurnal Sains Teknologi Urban Perancangan Arsitektur (Stupa) · Indonesia
This project in the West BSD area of Indonesia aims to reduce community stress and provide new green spaces in a future CBD area with limited green infrastructure. It proposes a self-sustaining urban farming model where residents grow, care for, and harvest crops for sale or restaurant use, with seeds replanted for new yields. The "Back To Nature: Community Garden" project applies biophilic design to create communal spaces for activities like planting, working, and gathering, fostering interaction among people and with nature.
CommunityHealthBiodiversityEconomicsContainer gardens: Possibilities and challenges for environmental and social benefits in cities
2021Ayako Nagase, Jeremy Lundholm · Journal of Living Architecture · Global
This review elucidates potential ecosystem services provided by container gardening, which are used in cities globally where access to soil is limited. The services include food production, stormwater management, air quality improvement, energy savings, thermal comfort, plant biodiversity, creation of animal habitats, aesthetic value, communication, and environmental education. The review aims to recognize the value of container gardens to promote them as part of green infrastructure in urban areas.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityClimate changeFood educationMorebattle Recreation Ground, Scottish Borders: Archaeological Mitigation and Engagement
2021S Black · Archaeology Data Service · United Kingdom
An archaeological evaluation was conducted for the Kalewater Community Council at Morebattle Recreation Ground, Scottish Borders, from May 24-28, 2021. This work was related to land purchased to provide community facilities, including a community garden. Five trenches, totaling 166.5 sq.m, were excavated, targeting anomalies from a September 2019 geophysics survey, but very shallow linear ditches and a possible wall/drain were found that did not appear to relate to the geophysics anomalies.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationPerspectiva agroecológica en el Antropoceno
2021Miguel A. Altieri, Clara I. Nicholls · Magna Scientia UCEVA · Global
This reflection explores agroecology as a sustainable development alternative for a post-COVID-19 agricultural system, revitalizing peasant agriculture and enhancing urban agriculture. An agroecology-based system can minimize future food supply disruptions by improving links between small-scale food production and local consumption. Agroecology is presented as a strategy for autonomy and resilience, addressing global challenges like climate change and food insecurity.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeBiodiversityHealthUrban–rural linkageA polinização por abelhas sob a perspectiva da Abordagem de Serviços Ecossistêmicos (ASE)
2021Fernanda Rodrigues Vieira, Daniel Caixeta Andrade, Francis Lee Ribeiro · Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais · Global
This systematic review analyzed 45 publications from Web of Science up to September 2020 to examine the benefits of bee pollination through the Ecosystem Services Approach. The review found a significant increase in publications over the last two decades, with 84.44% associating pollination with rural agricultural productivity, 8.88% with wild plant reproduction, and 6.66% with urban agriculture. Only 7 of the 45 studies conducted economic valuation of pollination.
PollinatorsBiodiversityOrganic cycleOrchards from the forest: Urban agriculture as a lab for multiple learning
2021Alessandra Pavesi · · Brazil
This paper presents a conceptual and methodological approach to analyze and foster Cerrado (Brazilian savannah) cultivation in urban settings, focusing on collaborative learning processes. Based on cultural historical activity theory, it reframes urban farming for Cerrado regeneration from a systemic, developmental, and participative perspective. The approach aims to help practitioners identify and manage internal and external tensions within the activity system by rethinking its object and designing new actions and artifacts.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityQuantification and Analysis of Microplastics in Farmland Soils: Characterization, Sources, and Pathways
2021Hoda Fakour, Shang‐Lien Lo, Nathan Thadeo Yoashi, Angelbetter Marselian Massao, Nelson Naboth Lema, Fezile Bethusile Mkhontfo, Patrick Chris Jomalema, Nasra Shabani Jumanne, Bright Hubert Mbuya, James Travor Mtweve, Moslem Imani · Agriculture · Taiwan (Tainan)
A study in Tainan city farms, Taiwan, quantified and analyzed microplastics (MPs) in farmland soils. MPs were found in all soil samples at depths ranging from 12–117 items/m2. Farms adjacent to suburban roads had approximately three times more MPs than enclosed farms. Fragment and fibers were the main forms, with low-density polyethylene being the dominant polymer, originating from historical land use, plastic mulch, and fruit protection foams.
Contamination & food safetyHealthBiodiversityA risk management framework for Gentle Remediation Options (GRO)
2021Paul Drenning, Shaswati Chowdhury, Yevheniya Volchko, Lars Rosén, Yvonne Andersson‐Sköld, Jenny Norrman · The Science of The Total Environment · Sweden
This paper proposed a framework for risk management and communication of Gentle Remediation Options (GRO) to support phytomanagement strategies at contaminated sites. An extensive literature review mapped risk mitigation mechanisms, and the Swedish national soil guideline value model derived human health exposure pathways and ecological risks. Results indicated that most expected risk mitigation mechanisms are supported by literature, but knowledge gaps still exist. The framework was demonstrated to support the identification of GRO options for a case study site under two envisioned land uses: biofuel park and allotment garden.
Organic cycleBiodiversityClimate changeLong term snow tracking data of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and martens (Martes sp.) indicates an increase in number of mesocarnivores in urban area of Warsaw
2021Mateusz Jackowiak, Jakub Gryz, Karolina Jasińska, Dagny Krauze‐Gryz · · Poland (Warsaw)
Density changes of red foxes and martens were investigated in the urban area of Warsaw from 2015-2021 using winter snow tracking. Results were compared with data from 1976-1978 and 2005-2008, showing a gradual increase in the average density of both mesocarnivores across all habitat types since the 1970s. A decrease in density for both species was observed in the 2017/2018 winter season, with the reasons for this decline remaining unclear.
BiodiversityBodemkwaliteitsindicatoren voor stadslandbouw en stedelijk groen : wetenschappelijke basis en praktijktoepassing
2021Erik van den Elsen, P.F.A.M. Römkens, S.J.E. Verzandvoort, G.W. Korthals, Dorothee Leenders -van Tol, J. Bloem · · Netherlands (Amsterdam)
This report selects relevant soil quality indicators for assessing soil quality in the Amsterdam metropolitan region, specifically for 'urban agriculture' and 'urban green' applications. It notes that while agricultural soil quality indicators exist, specific ones for urban environments were lacking. A case study in Amsterdam's 'Fruittuinen van West' area develops an example for using these indicators in urban agriculture.
Organic cycleCommunityBiodiversityFascination and Joy: Emotions Predict Urban Gardeners’ Pro-Pollinator Behaviour
2021Ulrike Sturm, Tanja M. Straka, Alexandra Moormann, Monika Egerer · Insects · Germany (Berlin)
This study surveyed 111 community gardeners in Berlin and Munich, Germany, to understand the socio-psychological factors predicting pro-pollinator behavior. Using generalized linear models, the analysis revealed that gardeners who were fascinated by pollinators, held positive attitudes, and felt joy about seeing them reported intentions to protect or support pollinators. This suggests that fascination and joy can be harnessed for pollinator research and conservation efforts.
CommunityPollinatorsBiodiversityGround cover plants research for objects of landscape architecture
2021BMSTU (Mytishchi branch), I.Yu. Bochkova, Yu.A. Khokhlacheva · Лесной вестник / Forestry bulletin · Global
Research conducted in 2018 at the Main Botanical Garden (MBG RAS) identified promising groundcover plants for landscape architecture. From 225 selected plants, field surveys and phenological observations were performed, including biometric measurements and color refinement. The study resulted in a list of 40 highly promising species recommended for urban gardening.
BiodiversityDIYBody Size Variation in a Social Sweat Bee, Halictus ligatus (Halictidae, Apoidea), across Urban Environments
2021Rachel A. Brant, Gerardo R. Camilo · Insects · United States (Chicago)
Body size variation in female Halictus ligatus sweat bees collected from Chicago, Detroit, and Saint Louis between May and October 2016 was compared. Head width and intertegular distance were measured in bees collected from community gardens and urban farms. ANCOVA analysis indicated significantly different body size ranges across the three cities, and temperature also had a significant influence on body size.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunity