Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1540 results(58 / 62)
The Incredible, Edible Wall Cal Poly Students Create Affordable Fresh Produce for Congested Urban Areas
2008Public Affairs Office · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (Los Angeles)
Students and faculty at Cal Poly cultivated 4,000 fruit and vegetable plants on 180 vertical panels, which are intended for mounting on commercial building walls in Los Angeles' inner city. These vertical panels were designed to maximize growing space in congested urban locations. The project aims to provide a practical solution for accessing fresh, affordable produce.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityLocalizing Linkages for Food and Tourism: Culinary Tourism as a Community Development Strategy
2008Gary Paul Green, Michael L. Dougherty · Community Development · United States (Door County, Wisconsin)
This paper examined culinary tourism through a case study of the Kingdom So Delicious program in Door County, Wisconsin. The analysis was based on intensive interviews with owners/managers of four restaurants and surveys of 30 retailers and 40 farmers in the region. The most frequently cited concerns with producing for local establishments involved in culinary tourism were low prices and challenging logistics.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justice2008 South Carolina school garden survey results
2008Laura Greenwold Derks · The South Carolina State Library Digital Collections (South Carolina State Library) · United States
A 2008 survey was conducted among 175 public and private schools in South Carolina to assess the impact of school gardens. The survey covered garden type, activities, costs, and assessment. Most responding schools indicated that students participate in the garden, suggesting opportunities for student interaction with the garden.
Food educationCommunityEconomicsFrom Industrial Garden to Food Desert: Unearthing the Root Structure of Urban Agriculture in Oakland, California
2008Nathan McClintock · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)
This paper explores the rise of urban agriculture (UA) in Oakland, California, using an urban political ecology framework. A macro-level structural analysis of Oakland's history reveals how 20th-century industrial capital flows and racialized urban planning concentrated capital devaluation in the flatlands, ultimately giving rise to food deserts. The study suggests that food justice activists are mobilizing through UA to counter these uneven transformations, despite critiques that some urban garden programs are neoliberal, emphasizing self-betterment while filling state-left gaps.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityTownes Harvest Garden and Community Supported Agriculture Program, First Annual Report 2007
2008Anna Differnderfer, Tim Reusch, Nic Acker, Candace Moyer, Marcy Gaston, Charles A. Holt, Alison H. Harmon · · United States
This report describes the Towne's Harvest Garden, a 3-acre diversified vegetable plot at the MSU Horticulture Farm, established by the MSU Friends of Local Foods Student Organization in 2006. The garden aims to raise awareness about local foods and encourage sustainable lifestyles on campus and in the community. Its name honors a former landowner.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood educationEleanor Graham Community Garden and Ashland Park Design Project
2008Kathryn Skelton · University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy (University of Minnesota) · United States
The District 13 Gardens Committee sought a Conceptual Master Plan for the Eleanor Graham Community Garden and the surrounding green space. This project summary shows the community input process and includes a copy of the final site design.
CommunityPolicyMinneapolis Community Gardens: A Study of Public Policies in Minneapolis and Hennepin County
2008Erin Foster West · · United States (Minneapolis)
This study explores the interaction between community gardens and public agencies in Minneapolis and Hennepin County, United States. It identifies that despite a large number of community gardens in the Twin Cities Metro Area, there is no comprehensive city policy for community gardening, making land acquisition difficult as vacant land becomes scarce. The research inventories public policies related to land use, water, and compost specific to community gardens, highlighting the need for public agencies to provide essential services.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyCompostPerception of needs and responses in food security: divergence between households and stakeholders
2008Anne‐Marie Hamelin, Céline Mercier, Annie Bédard · Public Health Nutrition · Canada (Quebec City)
A study in Quebec City, Canada, interviewed 55 food-insecure households and 59 stakeholders to compare perceptions of food security needs and community programs. While both groups agreed on the need for better financial resources, households reported that food quality and access were neglected, and that existing programs, even combined, were insufficient to meet their needs. Stakeholders, however, largely perceived households as satisfied with programs and believed their primary need was a basic amount of food. The study concluded that community programs alone cannot bring about the social change needed to prevent food insecurity.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareUrban Ecosystem Ecology Section
2008Wayne C. Zipperer · Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America · United States
The Urban Ecosystem Ecology Section of the Ecological Society of America implemented a quarterly newsletter and field trip in 2007, sponsored two symposia, and voted to support travel awards for students presenting at the 2008 ESA meeting. The section's officers met their objectives by establishing these initiatives and will hold a meeting on August 5th to nominate new officers, discuss future events, and present travel awards.
CommunityBiodiversityDeveloping IPM Resources for Youth Gardening Programs
2008Monika Roth, Leigh MacDonald Rizzo · eCommons (Cornell University) · United States
This paper proposes developing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) fruit and vegetable demonstration garden and six hands-on IPM lessons for youth gardening programs. The initiative aims to address the disconnect between children and the outdoors, promoting physical activity and improved diets. The lessons, to be piloted at Ithaca Children’s Garden, will teach youth and adults about pest identification, beneficial insects, and pest management, with training offered to school garden coordinators.
Food educationCommunityThe Feminist Pedagogy of SAVE NATURE-SAVE CULTURE: A Double-Coded Art Installation
2008M. Pilar Viviente · Visual Culture & Gender · United States (New York City)
This visual essay discusses the feminist pedagogy of double-coding embedded in the "SAVE NATURE-SAVE CULTURE" (2006) art installation. The installation, located in Le Petit Versailles (LPV), a community garden in New York City's East Village, addressed the sustainability of community gardens. LPV is a public garden maintained by neighbor volunteers, focusing on environmental sustainability and themes such as housing, graffiti, gender, and sexuality.
CommunityPolicyFood educationField trials identify more native plants suited to urban landscaping
2008S. Karrie Reid, Lorence R. Oki · California Agriculture · United States (California)
In California, there is a growing need for landscape plants requiring fewer water and chemical inputs. A program at UC Davis screened ten unused or underused California native plants for low water tolerance in open-field conditions during summer 2006. No significant differences were found in summer growth or physical appearance across four irrigation levels. Six species maintained a favorable appearance throughout the season and are now undergoing further assessment in demonstration gardens across seven climate zones.
CommunityClimate changeBiodiversityIntroduction: Localising the Global
2008Ronald Labonté, Glenn Laverack · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · Canada
In a Canadian city, a group of single mothers living in poverty started a community garden. This garden was primarily about creating capacity and empowering experiences, such as successfully negotiating with authorities, rather than just food production. For some, it served as a tool for political activism, while for others, it provided a sense of control and coherence through gardening.
CommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceHealthGrowing urban health: Community gardening in South-East Toronto
2007Wakefield S., Yeudall F., Taron C., Reynolds J., Skinner A. · Health Promotion International 22(2):92-101 · Canada
Qualitative Toronto case study using observation, focus groups and interviews. Gardeners perceived numerous health benefits, including improved food access, nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and community cohesion.
HealthCommunitySaving Seeds, Saving Culture: A Case Study of a Heritage Seed Bank
2007· Society & Natural Resources · United States
Case study of a nonprofit heritage seed bank (the Seed Savers Exchange), examining the cultural significance of heirloom seed saving and exchange.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityCommunityThe Effects of School Gardens on Students and Schools: Conceptualization and Considerations for Maximizing Healthy Development
2007Emily J. Ozer · Health Education & Behavior · United States
While thousands of school gardens exist in the United States with anecdotal evidence of enhancing student learning, rigorous research on their effects and sustainability factors is limited. This review conceptualizes school gardens as systemic interventions for promoting student health and well-being and strengthening the school environment. It summarizes existing literature, provides a conceptual framework, and suggests further research to inform practice.
Food educationHealthCommunityAgricultura urbana na Vila Fanny, Curitiba, PR: Agroecologia fomentando uma atividade transdisciplinar de educação ambiental.
2007Michelle Melissa Althaus Ottmann, Áurea Portes Ferriani, Ricardo Serra Borsatto, Homero Cidade Júnior, Cláudio Ferraz Oliver, Eduardo Feniman, Lourival de Moraes Fidelis, Nilce Nazareno da Fonte · REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE AGROECOLOGIA · Brazil
Since August 2006, an urban agriculture, landscaping, and horticulture program has been developed with children attending the Casa da Videira NGO in Vila Fanny, Curitiba, Brazil. Weekly transdisciplinary sessions have shown preliminary results including increased children's interest in environmental topics, proposals for solutions, and changes in family attitudes. Qualitatively, the program has improved the visual appearance of the area and fostered team cohesion.
Food educationCommunityHealthClimate changeCasitas, Healing the Wounds of Displacement
2007D. Winterbottom · · United States (New York City)
In New York City, unique park spaces have been created on reclaimed neglected urban land, meeting various community needs including social, spiritual, cultural, and ecological aspects. These gardens, created by Puerto Rican immigrants as recreations of their indigenous landscapes, are valued by users for their restorative benefits such as stress reduction, ability to regain focus, calming engagement with nature, and an increased sense of well-being. This paper presents how these spaces function as restorative refuges and places to express and affirm traditional cultural values.
CommunityHealthWelfareCommunity Essay: SPIN-Farming: advancing urban agriculture from pipe dream to populist movement
2007Roxanne Christensen · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · United States (Philadelphia)
This essay discusses the development and potential of SPIN-Farming as a tool to demonstrate the economic viability of urban agriculture, which the author began advocating for in Philadelphia in 1998. The author applied their background in helping entrepreneurs to develop SPIN-Farming, aiming to revive the farming profession and rebuild local food systems. SPIN-Farming is presented as a concept learnable across economic classes and geographical boundaries, fostering engaged agriculture.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyChicago's Urban Nature: A Guide to the City's Architecture + Landscape
2007Sally A. Kitt Chappell · · United States (Chicago)
Sally A. Kitt Chappell's "Urban Nature" is a guide to Chicago's blend of nature and architecture, highlighting the integration of green spaces into the city's cultural life. The book explores historic sites like Garfield Park Conservatory and contemporary green spaces such as City Hall's rooftop garden and Millennium Park. It emphasizes the connection between buildings, landscapes, culture, and nature in Chicago's urban concept.
CommunityBiodiversityPolicyJovenes Junto con Ancianos para un Mejor Mañana : JJAMM Food Network
2007· · United States (Lawrence)
The JJAMM Food Network was launched in Lawrence, MA, in summer 2006 to address three community needs: health, education, and employment. The program enabled elders and teenagers to learn nutrition, fitness, gardening, and money management, grow crops in community gardens, and sell produce to local restaurants. Although initial funding was challenging, the U.S. Department of Agriculture granted funding for 2007, fostering intergenerational interaction and relationship building.
CommunityElderlyFood educationEconomicsWelfareCommunity Gardens: The Struggle for Environmental Justice in Latino Communities
2007Ariana de Lena · Occidental College Scholar (Occidental College) · United States (Los Angeles)
This research provides an overview of the environmental justice movement in relation to community gardens and examines two community gardens in Los Angeles: the El Sereno Community Garden and Proyecto Jardín. While both gardens primarily consist of Latino participants, the El Sereno garden was found to have significantly lower rates of participation. The study analyzed how a community garden can best utilize its resources to most benefit its participants and its community.
CommunityHealthWelfareThe People's Property?: Power, Politics, and the Public.
2007Lynn A. Staeheli, Donald W. Mitchell · · United States (New York City)
This book explores the complex relationship between power, politics, and public space across various US cities, including Washington, D.C., Santa Fe, San Diego, Syracuse, and New York City. Chapter 5 specifically addresses the struggle for public access and control in New York's community gardens. The work reveals challenges in governance and public access within these urban spaces.
Governance failureCommunityPolicySPIN-Farming: advancing urban agriculture from pipe dream to populist movement
2007Roxanne Christensen · Sustainability Science Practice and Policy · United States (Philadelphia)
This paper discusses SPIN-Farming as a tool to demonstrate the economic viability of urban agriculture, which was initially advocated in Philadelphia in 1998. While social and environmental benefits are clear, economic proof was needed to motivate policymakers. The author applied entrepreneurial experience to develop SPIN-Farming, aiming to revive the farming profession and enable a scalable, accessible farming concept across economic classes and geographical boundaries, fostering local food systems.
EconomicsPolicyCommunityThe role of collaborative community supported agriculture: Lessons from Iowa
2006Corene M. Bregendahl, Cornelia Butler Flora · Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) · United States
In Iowa communities, collaborative Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) serves as a business incubator for new growers and helps existing growers expand and diversify. This model offers various benefits to the communities it serves.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomics