Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
172 results(6 / 7)
Substantial Mortality of Cabbage Looper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) From Predators in Urban Agriculture Is not Influenced by Scale of Production or Variation in Local and Landscape-Level Factors
2016David M. Lowenstein, Maryam Gharehaghaji, David H. Wise · Environmental Entomology · United States
A study at 28 urban food-production sites in the Midwestern United States measured the removal of sentinel eggs and larvae of the cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) by predators over a 3-day period. Predators removed 50% of eggs and 25% of larvae, with mortality rates not predicted by landscape factors and similar across residential gardens, community gardens, and farms. Laboratory assays confirmed that lady beetles, spiders, and pirate bugs consumed eggs and larvae at high rates.
BiodiversityPollinatorsStrategically Siting Urban Agriculture: A Socioeconomic Analysis of Roanoke, Virginia
2016Tammy E. Parece, Elena Serrano, James B. Campbell · The Professional Geographer · United States (Roanoke)
A socioeconomic evaluation in Roanoke, Virginia, analyzed ten variables, including food options, across census block groups to identify neighborhoods that would benefit from urban agriculture. The study found that one block group qualified in all ten variables, and two-thirds showed need in at least half, with most of these areas located in the city's middle. This analysis produced a hierarchy of locations based on socioeconomic need for new urban agriculture sites.
EconomicsCommunityBiodiversityEcosystem services and tradeoffs in the home food gardens of African American, Chinese-origin and Mexican-origin households in Chicago, IL
2016John Taylor, Sarah Taylor Lovell, Sam E. Wortman, M.K. Chan · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (Chicago)
In Chicago, semi-structured interviews and plant inventories were conducted with 59 African American, Chinese-origin, and Mexican-origin households regarding ecosystem services and tradeoffs in their home food gardens. A total of 387 plant species were identified; gardens of African American households were rich in ornamental species, while those of Chinese-origin households had a depauperate flora. Shade trees and a developed shrub layer were absent from most gardens, suggesting a tradeoff in ecosystem services favoring food production. Only 9.6% of the inventoried species were native to the Chicago area.
Environmental trade-offsCommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleHealthDiversity of wild bees supports pollination services in an urbanized landscape
2015Lowenstein D.M., Matteson K.C., Minor E.S. · Oecologia, 179(3):811-821 · United States
A study measuring wild bee diversity and cucumber pollination (a pollination service) across urban Chicago. Sites with more bee species had better pollination, and even densely populated residential areas supported high bee richness. It demonstrates that growing diverse flowers in urban gardens sustains pollinators and directly benefits urban agricultural yields.
PollinatorsBiodiversityFood educationCommunitySeed exchange networks and food system resilience in the United States
2015· Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences · United States
Documents seed exchange networks in the United States (including the Seed Savers Exchange) and their role in food system resilience and heritage crop diversity.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityCommunityCADASTRO, DIAGNÓSTICO E RECUPERAÇÃO DAS ÁREAS VERDES PÚBLICAS URBANAS DE CRICIÚMA/SC REGISTRATION, DIAGNOSIS AND RESTORATION OF PUBLIC URBAN GREEN SPACES IN CRICIÚMA/SC
2015Renan Yamashita Ferreira · · Brazil (Criciúma)
This article reports on the survey, registration, diagnosis, and restoration of urban public green spaces in Criciuma/SC, Brazil. Green spaces created in urban allotment processes were demarcated on maps, and a diagnosis describing vegetation, degradation factors, and necessary improvement actions was elaborated. Actions such as tree planting, organic matter input, fencing, and removal of invasive species and waste were carried out in some areas. Engaging the local community is recommended to aid recovery, and intrusion problems should be restrained with prompt inspection, which is more efficient with community surveillance.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityREPRESENTAÇÕES DO MEIO RURAL NO ESPAÇO URBANO: A AGRICULTURA URBANA E CONSERVAÇÃO DA AGROBIODIVERSIDADE. UM ESTUDO DE CASO NO MUNICÍPIO DE PIRACICABA, SÃO PAULO
2015Sebastião Gabriel Chaves Maia · Revista Ouricuri · Brazil (São Paulo)
This case study focuses on understanding the representations of rural environments within urban spaces, emphasizing urban agriculture practices. It applies theoretical assumptions of pluriactivity and multifunctionality from traditional rural agriculture to urban agriculture in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The organization of urban gardens exemplifies the application of rural representation in urban settings, with these activities contributing to local well-being, the local economy, and the conservation of agrobiodiversity.
CommunityBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsCultivating the City: Infrastructures of abundance in urban Brazil
2015Jacques Abelman · Kobra (Universitätsbibliothek Kassel) · Brazil (Porto Alegre)
The "Cultivating the City" project attempts to apply landscape architectural thinking to integrate urban agriculture into the city. A proposed network of urban agriculture typologies, emphasizing agroforestry with native species, was developed for Porto Alegre, Brazil. These hypothetical designs aim to serve as a basis for dialogue among potential stakeholders and as catalysts for future projects.
CommunityBiodiversityPolicyUrban–rural linkageAgricultura urbana e conservação da agrobiodiversidade: um estudo de caso Cáceres, Mato Grosso
2015Luciene Rodrigues, Maria Antônia Carniello · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This study aimed to document the use and agricultural management practices of tuberous plants by residents in urban backyards in Cáceres, Mato Grosso, Brazil, using semi-structured interviews. Nine species were recorded, including Manihot esculenta, with carrot, sweet potato, ginger, and saffron cited for medicinal use (8.3% to 16.6%). Planting followed seasons and lunar phases, and soil fertility was corrected with organic fertilizer and sawdust.
BiodiversityDIYOrganic cycleEATING ECOLOGIES: INTEGRATING PRODUCTIVE ECOLOGIES AND FORAGING AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE
2015Matthew Potteiger · · United States (New York City)
This paper explores a fundamental shift in urban agriculture based on productive urban ecologies and foraging practices. Part one identifies urban foraging as a significant cultural practice, summarizing ethnographic research in Syracuse and New York City, and a multi-city USDA Forest Service study. Part two focuses on design strategies for urban foraging and productive ecologies, presenting case studies and design proposals for Syracuse and New York City. The study outlines a paradigm shift in design and planning to integrate urban agriculture with critical landscape systems and re-localize urban metabolism.
CommunityBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageCBHL Members. CBHL 2015 Annual Meeting: Taste, Tradition and Beauty in the Edible Landscape. Saturday tours.
2015Bill Musser · · United States (Iowa)
The CBHL 2015 annual meeting and conference was hosted by Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, from June 16-20, 2015. The conference theme reflected the growing public interest in creating edible landscapes.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityFood educationMonitoreo e identificación de algunos insectos plagas asociados a la agricultura urbana en Veracruz centro
2014Mabel Hernández Osorio, Ana Lid del Ángel Pérez, Carlos Nahin Castro José · Revista Biológico Agropecuaria Tuxpan · Mexico
This study in Veracruz, Mexico, identified insect pests associated with urban cultivation of vegetables and aromatic species in two types of recycled containers. Daily ethological monitoring revealed five insect pests: whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum), red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae C.L.Koch), leaf miner (Liriomyza sp), thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), and aphids (Myzus persicae). The findings aim to inform preventive actions and biological control strategies to reduce pest presence in urban container vegetable production.
BiodiversityDIYCommunityRemaking Pittsburgh: Permaculture soundscapes
2014Jeremy Woodruff · Journal of sonic studies · United States (Pittsburgh)
This essay explores the contribution of sound art to progressive ecology groups in Pittsburgh, focusing on the installation "Gongburgh: Steeltown Forests" developed at the Hazelwood Food Forest (HFF). The composition, using sounds from the urban garden, gamelan, and steel factories, aimed to create social connections and promote the HFF through a sustainable music-making experiment. It highlights novel similarities and differences between these sounds and their social organization, raising political questions for the garden and listeners.
CommunityBiodiversityClimate changePeople, Plants, and Fungi: Examining the Ecological and Social Landscapes of the Swan Creek Park Food Forest
2014Renee Meschi · Sound Ideas (University of Puget Sound) · United States (Tacoma)
This research examined the plants, fungi, and people of Tacoma's Swan Creek Park Food Forest (SCPFF) in the United States. The study investigated the site's history, including indigenous plant use by the First People of Cascadia, Native American food sovereignty projects, and the influence of immigration waves. It concluded with recommendations for ethical development and cultural sensitivity at the SCPFF.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceHeirloom & landraceGrowing an Urban Oasis: A Qualitative Study of the Perceived Benefits of Community Gardening inBaltimore,Maryland
2014Melissa N. Poulsen, Kristyna R. S. Hulland, Carolyn A. Gulas, Hieu M. Pham, Sarah L Dalglish, Rebecca K. Wilkinson, Peter J. Winch · Culture Agriculture Food and Environment · United States (Baltimore)
This qualitative study explored the perceived benefits of community gardening in Baltimore, Maryland, through in-depth and focus group interviews with community gardeners. Gardeners reported benefits at multiple levels, including psychological benefits and a connection with nature individually, trusting relationships and shared learning at the neighborhood level, and reclaiming city space and improving the food environment at the community level.
CommunityHealthFood educationBiodiversityCritical Food Forest Scan & Ideas for a Food Forest in Peterborough: Includes Final Report
2014Melissa Johnston, Andre Knight-Lira, Zoë Mager, Nadine Mulrooney, Matthew Poppleton, Samantha Shaw, Matthew Wilkinson · · Canada (Peterborough)
This document compiles research reports written by students in the Environmental Resource Studies/Science (ERTS) 3160H class at Trent University in the winter of 2014. The students critically examined urban food forests around the world and made suggestions for designing a food forest in Peterborough. Urban food forests have the potential to provide the same services as current urban forests, but also produce food and perhaps increase biodiversity in the process.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageParadise, Future
2014Pierrette Hondagneu‐Sotelo · · United States (California)
This chapter discusses possibilities for rethinking and reinventing new models of garden making in Southern California and metropolitan regions more generally. In Southern California, diverse gardens promoting environmental and cultural sustainability, shared backyard gardening, organic vegetable gardening, wall gardens, and lawn removal efforts are observed. The chapter reviews these projects, looking at new efforts in private residential gardens, urban community gardens, and public spaces, with a focus on immigration and the Southern California region.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityHealthThe Value of Urban Vacant Land to Support Arthropod Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
2013Mary M. Gardiner, Caitlin E. Burkman, Scott P. Prajzner · Environmental Entomology · United States
This article discusses the ecological value of urban vacant land in the United States, particularly its role in supporting arthropod biodiversity and ecosystem services. It notes that vacant lands can offer opportunities to preserve declining species and restore ecosystem functions. The article emphasizes the need for quantifying the current ecological value of vacant land and assessing how changes in its ecosystem management affect biodiversity and ecosystem processes, with a specific focus on arthropods.
BiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkageThe Effects of Urban Land Use on Wasps: (Hymenoptera: Apocrita)
2013Klaire Elise Freeman · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · United States (Cleveland)
A study in Cleveland, Ohio, examined the role of wasps in urban gardens and vacant lots, collecting 13,339 arthropods, including 5,165 wasps across 24 families and 369 morphospecies. The findings showed higher wasp abundance, species richness, and number of families in vacant lots compared to urban gardens. Specifically, vacant lots had 2,703 individuals and 288 morphospecies, while gardens had 2,462 individuals and 231 morphospecies.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityThe Influence of Habitat Management and Landscape on Spider Assemblages within Urban Greenspaces of Cleveland, Ohio
2013Caitlin E. Burkman · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · United States (Cleveland)
A two-year study investigated the influence of habitat management and landscape on spider assemblages within urban greenspaces in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. This research was set against the backdrop of thousands of acres of vacant land resulting from economic decline and population loss, which are being reutilized for strategies like urban agriculture and small native planting parks. Spiders were used as a model throughout this process, but the abstract does not state specific research findings.
BiodiversityCommunityPromoting Environmental Stewardship through gardens: A case study of children’s views of an urban school garden
2013Рена Упитис, Scott Hughes, Anna C. Peterson · Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies · Canada
An 8-month qualitative study was conducted at a school garden program in one public elementary school in southeastern Ontario, Canada. Data collected from eight students through observations, semi-structured interviews, and student photographs identified five themes enhancing environmental stewardship (including connecting with nature, caretaking, and harvesting) and three themes explaining the program's long-term success (including parental involvement and community connections). The study highlighted benefits of the school garden program, as well as some difficulties associated with the program and limitations of the study.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityBiodiversityPrairie to Prairie: Ungrowth in American Cities
2013Catalina Freixas, Pablo Moyano Fernandez · Suburban Sustainability · United States (St. Louis)
This paper examines the role of eco-urbanism in St. Louis, a shrinking city experiencing population loss and economic decline since the 1950s. It reviews the implementation and benefits of three eco-urbanism strategies: community gardens, greenways, and urban forests. The study identifies social, ecological, and economic benefits, and suggests further adoption of eco-urbanism ideology and improved implementation strategies by the municipal government.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityEvaluating Community Gardens as Habitat for an Urban Butterfly
2012Kevin C. Matteson, Gail Langellotto · Cities and the Environment · United States (New York City)
This study used mark-recapture and translocation experiments to assess the residency and movement of the urban butterfly, Pieris rapae, within and among community gardens in New York City. While most marked butterflies used gardens transiently, recruitment and residence time were higher in larger gardens and those with more flowers. The study demonstrated the butterfly's ability to move through developed landscapes and locate floral resources.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsCommunity gardens, creative community organizing, and environmental activism
2012· · United States (New York City)
In New York City, social workers and community organizers engage in environmental protection practices through community organizing aimed at creating and preserving green spaces. Much of this activism takes place within community gardens, which are recognized as spaces for social engagement, community building, and social justice-based activism.
CommunityHealthPolicyBiodiversityEvaluation of growing media for annual herb production in green roof modular trays
2012Mary Margaret Fischer · OpenSIUC (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) · United States
This study evaluated commercial and vermicompost-blended green roof media for annual herb production in shallow modular trays on a university roof in Southern Illinois, Carbondale, during two experiments in 2011. The commercially available media generally produced more significant results for shoot growth parameters in sweet basil, Thai basil, and parsley. Partial shade also showed significant effects on shoot-to-root ratio in the first experiment, while most basil variables were insignificant in the second.
DIYClimate changeBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justice