Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
458 results(6 / 19)
Using Cellphones for Visualizing the Social and Environmental Relations of Community Gardens
2024Mitchell McLarnon · · Global
This chapter describes the practice, processes, and ethical tensions of using cell phones for visual data collection, representation, and analysis in school/community garden research projects. The findings suggest that while gardens and cell phones have the potential for enhancing experiential learning, increased well-being, and ecological awareness, their use needs to be highly contextualized within critical discussions related to settler colonialism, consumerism, neoliberalism, and (green) gentrification.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood educationBiodiversityClimate changeHealthPolicyUrban horticulture for sustainable living
2024Riya Mittal, Juhi Sharma · International Journal of Research in Agronomy · Global
This review states that urban horticulture is essential for addressing food security, urban growth, and environmental issues. It examined techniques such as vertical gardening, rooftop gardens, protected cultivation, and Dutch grow buckets, showing they optimize space, reduce resource use, and enhance crop yields. These methods conserve water, increase biodiversity, and enable year-round production.
Climate changeBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceDIYUso de biopesticida como alternativa segura para control de plagas en huertos urbanos y plantas domésticas
2024Diana Elinos, M. Carolina Cruz, Andrea Loyo del Castillo, Mar Zamora, Grecia Karime Yebra Peralta, José Gabriel Reyes Fernández · Memorias del Concurso Lasallista de Investigación Desarrollo e innovación · Global
This study analyzed the impact of inorganic pesticides, highlighting their potential mutagenic and carcinogenic effects and negative impact on biodiversity, water, and soil contamination. It proposed a methodology for creating an organic pesticide and presented results on its efficacy in pest control. The study concluded that inorganic pesticides pose significant risks, while organic pesticides offer a safe and effective alternative, and emphasized the need to prioritize organic solutions in agriculture.
Environmental trade-offsDIYOrganic cycleHealthBiodiversityMaximising CO2 Sequestration in the City: The Role of Green Walls in Sustainable Urban Development
2024Mansoure Jozay, Mohammad Hossein Zarei, Sarah Khorasaninejad, Taghi Miri · Pollutants · Global
This study evaluates the conceptual potentials and limitations of urban biomass circulation for energy production, food production, and CO2 consumption, with a focus on multi-purpose green walls. It aims to discover new methods of carbon sequestration using green walls to achieve sustainable urban development and CO2 reduction. Green walls are presented as a solution for CO2 absorption in urban areas due to their land efficiency and ecosystem services.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityFrom School Gardens to Community Oases: Fostering Environmental and Social Resilience in Urban Spaces
2024Ioanneta Dimouli, Dimitra Koumparou, Spyros K. Golfínopoulos · Geographies · Greece (Acharnes)
This case study in Acharnes, Greece, examined a local initiative that transforms schoolyards into community gardens, involving teachers, pupils, parents, grandparents, and neighbors. The research collected data from 85 participants, including parents, guardians, and school staff, using a questionnaire to explore their perceptions, with a focus on interactions with non-human beings like pollinators. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics and Kendall’s tau correlation, and the survey results revealed that these new urban green areas were "embraced" by both the school and the local community.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityPollinatorsBridging nature and urbanity through green roof resilience framework (GRF): A thematic review
2024Alishba Saqib, M Sana Ullah Khan, Irfan Ahmad Rana · Nature-Based Solutions · Global
A systematic review of 123 publications on green roofs and climate change identified recurrent themes including urban heat islands, stormwater runoff, thermal comfort, biodiversity, carbon footprint reduction, urban agriculture, and human well-being. The study proposes a Green Roof Resilience Framework (GRF) that integrates these concepts to enhance urban resilience.
Climate changeBiodiversityUrban–rural linkagePolicyExploring Floristic Diversity, Propagation Patterns, and Plant Functions in Domestic Gardens across Urban Planning Gradient in Lubumbashi, DR Congo
2024Yannick Useni Sikuzani, Bernard Kisangani Kalonda, Médard Mpanda Mukenza, Jonas Yona Mleci, Alex Mpibwe Kalenga, François Malaisse, Jan Bogaert · Ecologies · DR Congo (Lubumbashi)
This study analyzed the spatial structure, plant diversity, propagation strategies, and ecological functions of domestic gardens across three distinct neighborhoods—planned, unplanned, and residential—in Lubumbashi, DR Congo. The study identified 232 taxa across 68 families, with exotic species predominating in all neighborhoods (80%), especially in unplanned areas (82.25%). This dominance of exotic species highlights a potential for ecological imbalances and emphasizes the strong human influence on domestic gardens in Lubumbashi.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityCommunityUrban–rural linkageKnowledge-Based Identification of Urban Green Spaces: Allotments
2024Irada Ismayilova, Sabine Timpf · AGILE GIScience Series · Global
Allotment gardens, a type of Urban Green Space (UGS), offer environmental, social, and health benefits but are often not recognized as a distinct category in land use maps due to their specific characteristics. This research proposes an identification approach utilizing semantic features such as the presence, density, and height of garden huts, proximity to water bodies and railroads, and the presence of pathways. The three-step workflow, combining a Random Forest classifier, hut extraction, and density-based clustering, accurately identified 78% of allotments in Augsburg and 88% in Wuerzburg.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityWellness Landscape Strategies
2024Phillip James Tabb, Lahra Tatriele · · Global
Chapter 6 presents specific physical design strategies at the landscape design scale for wellness planning, based on Halbert Dunn’s concept of high-level wellness. These strategies provide principles for human health, benefits to the natural environment, and implementation opportunities within the urban built environment. The chapter covers diverse applications from parks and greenspaces to healing gardens and edible landscapes, offering concrete approaches and design principles illustrated through precedents.
HealthBiodiversityCommunity"APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATION OF MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN COMPOST "
2024Atiqullah Sarwari, Abdieva Guljamal, Abdul-Bari Hejran, Mohammad Hassan Hassand · Bulletin of Toraighyrov University Chemistry & Biology series · Global
This study aimed to accurately measure soil quality parameters through the application of manure compost and bacteria fertilizers or their combination during maize development, in order to establish a quick and effective method for repairing deteriorated farmland soils. The research investigated the dynamic effects on the variety of community structure, basal respiration, and microbial count and biomass in soil.
CompostOrganic cycleBiodiversityResearch on the Commercial Model of Medicinal and Edible Plants: A Case Study of Gynura Bicolor
2024Shujun He, Shumei Xiao, Qiaoying Lin, Hong Wu, Shufen Xiao, Tingwei Deng · Journal of life sciences and agriculture. · Global
This study focused on the commercial potential of medicinal and edible plants, analyzing the growth traits, nutritional worth, market demand, and potential applications in landscape architecture of Gynura bicolor. Through an assessment of its cultivation techniques and ecological value, the plant's adaptability to diverse environments and its potential contribution to enhancing urban green spaces were highlighted. A dual strategy integrating ecological aesthetics with a commercial model was proposed, demonstrating that the plant's utilization contributes to both ecological balance and economic feasibility.
EconomicsBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageGuerrilla Gardening in a Time of Ecological and Social Crisis: An Exploratory Endeavor to Feel Connected with a Lost Piece of Forest
2024Margaretha Häggström, Mårten Häggström · The Trumpeter · Sweden
This four-year exploratory study in a clearcut in western Sweden investigated the feasibility of cultivating crops in a nutrient-poor, shadowless environment to support biodiversity. The study found that while it was possible to grow potatoes, peas, and some summer flowers without special efforts, it was difficult to grow other vegetables and root vegetables. The project suggests that planting activities in clearcuts may impact people's sense of human-nature identity and respect for the natural environment.
Limited or null effectDIYBiodiversityFood educationCommunityGreen horizons: Exploring the potential of vertical green walls
2024T Jeyasurya, C. Subesh Ranjith Kumar, P. Irene Vethamoni, K. Sivasubramanian, M. Djanaguiraman · Plant Science Today · Global
This review explores the concept, suitable plant choices, and benefits of green walls in urban settings, identifying them as a solution to environmental challenges from urbanization. Green walls offer environmental, social, and economic benefits such as improved air quality, noise reduction, energy conservation, and biodiversity enhancement, while also promoting urban agriculture and community engagement. Implementation requires careful consideration of structural integrity, irrigation, and maintenance.
BiodiversityClimate changeCommunityUrban–rural linkageEcological benefits of roof gardens and the difference of roof gardens in different regions
2024Qingxian Lin · Applied and Computational Engineering · Global
This paper examines the ecological benefits of rooftop gardens in response to rapid urbanization and its associated environmental problems. Rooftop gardens were found to improve air quality, store rainwater, mitigate the heat island effect, and protect biodiversity. These benefits alleviate urban air pollution, water resource stress, urban heat island effect, and ecological destruction, with numerous existing applications confirming their feasibility for future cities.
BiodiversityClimate changeMotivations for Urban Agriculture Policies: Evidence from Norway’s Largest Urban Areas
2024Inger‐Lise Saglie · The Geojournal library · Norway
This study investigated the motivations for urban agriculture policies in Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim, Norway, identifying five categories of motivations. These include urban "green" development, food production and alternative food systems, provision of social meeting places and community building, municipal welfare services (work training, integration, health promotion, knowledge sharing), and active citizenship and co-creation of city development. While motivations were similar across cities, their emphasis varied.
PolicyCommunityBiodiversityWelfareUrban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems Special Section: Improving Livability in Urban Areas: Examining Urban and Peri‐Urban Soil and Plant Management
2024Roberta Bulgari, Erdona Demiraj, Calogero Schillaci, Ahlem Tlili, Yushu Xia · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global
This special issue examines urban and peri-urban soil and plant management, highlighting that soil-related factors in urban agricultural systems pose unique challenges. Issues such as soil fertility, soil biodiversity, and soil contamination require further investigation to enhance urban agriculture's contribution to livability. The issue collects studies supporting sustainable soil management and crop diversification, and explores remote sensing and deep learning for soil health monitoring and plant disease detection related to contamination.
Contamination & food safetyUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityPolicyHealthFuture cities: Designing resilient urban ecosystems with AI-assisted horticultural planning
2024MVV Satyaveni · South Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences · Global
This article explores how AI technologies are reshaping urban green infrastructure and optimizing horticultural planning to address challenges from urbanization and climate change. Using a mixed-methods approach including a literature review (2010-2024), meta-analysis, and case studies, the research found that AI integration improves plant health monitoring, precision irrigation, predictive biodiversity modeling, and spatial planning of green zones. AI also enables real-time responses to climatic shifts, strengthening ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and cooling effects.
Digital agricultureClimate changeBiodiversityPolicyFood as a public service for people and pollinators: evidence-based insights from regenerative placemaking in New Zealand—the Waharoa living lab
2024Bárbara Ribeiro, David E. Pattemore, A. B. Morris, Leo Baldwin-Ramult, Daniel Exeter · Journal of Urbanism International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability · New Zealand
An action research project in Waharoa, New Zealand, transformed a former bowling green into a public, edible landscape. This 400 m2 Living Lab (LL) involved multi-stakeholder cooperation (government, community, and academia), and participants perceived benefits as transition pathways to more nutritious dietary choices, health education, and reduced criminality in a socially deprived region. Analyses of interviews, observations, and pollinator surveys conducted at the LL confirmed that 14 visiting species were drawn to the site, leading to an approach to regenerative placemaking that combines human health and biodiversity benefits.
CommunityHealthBiodiversityPollinatorsImprovement of the urban microclimate with aromatic and medicinal plants
2024Administrative Region of Central, Thessaloniki, Greece, K.I. Maknea, Nikolaos Thymakis, Julia Nerantzia Tzortzi, A. Asănică · Romanian journal of Horticulture · Greece
Experimental research at eight sites in Thessaloniki, Greece, evaluated the impact of aromatic and medicinal plants on the urban microclimate. Sites with these plants showed a 10-15% temperature reduction compared to non-planted areas, and potted plants on simulated balconies led to a 5-10% temperature reduction. However, areas with dense vegetation and water features exhibited increased humidity and limited air circulation, creating adverse thermal comfort conditions.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityClimate changeDIYUnderstanding environmental generational amnesia through urban school garden learning experiences in Gimuy/Cairns, Australia
2024Rachael Walshe, Lisa Law, Neus Evans · Local Environment · Australia (Cairns)
This paper explores the potential of urban school garden learning experiences in Gimuy/Cairns, Australia, to remediate Environmental Generational Amnesia (EGA). Drawing on interviews with various staff at a Far North Queensland primary school, the study found that school garden experiences foster interaction patterns that combat EGA's symptoms, offering new possibilities for reassembling students into local ecologies and remediating EGA manifestations.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityValuing ecosystem services of community gardens in developing countries: a case study of Dezful City in Iran
2024Mostafa Baniasadi, Mohammad Eydipour · Nature Conservation · Iran (Dezful)
This study analyzed citizen preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for community garden services in Dezful, Iran, using a choice experiment with 170 respondents in autumn 2022. Results showed citizens were willing to pay 4.57 USD per month, valuing cultural services most, followed by provisioning services. Age, being native, education, household expenditure, and awareness of ecosystem services significantly affected WTP.
CommunityEconomicsBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceTeaching through community artistic practices in informal urban agriculture laboratory
2024Isabel Cristina Carvalho, Raquel Luz Sousa · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) · Global
This chapter advocates for teaching contexts that integrate community art practices, using an informal urban agriculture laboratory as a basis. It proposes pedagogical approaches for Architecture and Urbanism education that leverage action and experimental research to structure living spaces, focusing on proximity, solidarity, intergenerationality, multifunctionality, and sustainability. The aim is to foster social, biophysical, and ecological integration, promote diversity and gender equality, and raise awareness of active citizenship through collaborative co-planning and co-management of plural green urban spaces.
CommunityFood educationPolicyBiodiversityOrganic compost belowground and floral diversity aboveground interactively shape beneficial insects in urban gardens
2024Carmen K. Blubaugh, R. Chesnut, Katherine Hagan · Journal of Applied Ecology · Global
This study investigated how organic composts mediate the effects of plant diversity across trophic levels over two field seasons, conducting 18 experiments in school gardens. Vermicompost strengthened a positive relationship between flower richness and foliar-feeding omnivores, but predators increased with flower richness and were not affected by vermicompost. The net outcomes of vermicompost and plant diversity were neutral for herbivores.
CompostBiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleFood educationWhere the wild things are: How urban foraging and food forests can contribute to sustainable cities in the Global North
2024Filippo Oncini, Steffen Hirth, Josephine Mylan, Clare H. Robinson, David Johnson · Urban forestry & urban greening · Global North
This review evaluates the contribution of urban food forestry in the Global North to socio-ecological outcomes across climate change, biodiversity, food production, and relational aspects. The findings demonstrate multifactorial benefits of urban foraging and food forestry, but also identify potential risks and disservices from the literature. The study concludes that upscaling these spaces offers significant gains, requiring systemic changes.
Food sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityClimate changeCommunityThe role of green roofs as urban habitats for biodiversity modulated by their design: a review
2023Coulibaly S.F.M., Aubry C., Provent F., Rousset-Rouvière S., Joimel S. · Environmental Research Letters, 18(7) · Global
A review synthesizing existing research on how far green roofs can support urban biodiversity, framed by their design and modes of use. It finds green roofs can provide habitat for soil organisms and pollinators as well as plants, but that the effect depends strongly on design such as substrate depth and vegetation diversity, and recommends integrating soil communities into construction guidelines and increasing heterogeneity at roof and landscape scales.
BiodiversityPolicyOrganic cycle