Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
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Food-Miles and the Relative Climate Impacts of Food Choices in the United States
2008Weber C., Matthews H. · Environmental Science & Technology · United States
Production dominates US food-related life-cycle emissions (about 83%), while all transport accounts for roughly 11% and final delivery only about 4%, undermining the assumption that local food is low-carbon and that cutting food-miles via urban growing yields large climate gains.
PolicyEconomicsIt takes a garden: Cultivating citizen-subjects in organized garden projects
2008Mary Beth Pudup · Geoforum · USA (San Francisco Bay Area)
Argues that 'organized garden projects' proliferate in roll-out neoliberal institutions (jails, schools, clinics) to cultivate self-governing citizen-subjects, reframing gardening policy as a technology for downloading social responsibility onto 'at-risk' individuals.
PolicyWelfareCommunityThe Effect of Community Gardens on Neighboring Property Values
2008Ioan Voicu, Vicki Been · Real Estate Economics · United States (New York City)
This study estimated the impact of community gardens on neighborhood property values in New York City using a difference-in-difference hedonic regression model. The findings indicate that community gardens have significant positive effects on property values, particularly in the poorest neighborhoods. Higher-quality gardens were observed to have the greatest positive impact.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareUsing Land Inventories to Plan for Urban Agriculture: Experiences From Portland and Vancouver
2008Wendy Berry Mendes, Kevin Balmer, Terra Kaethler, Amanda Rhoads · Journal of the American Planning Association · North America
This study examined how land inventories can integrate urban agriculture into planning and policymaking for sustainable communities, using case studies of Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The Portland inventory enabled integration and advanced social and ecological sustainability. In Vancouver, similar integration was achieved, but its smaller scope did little for public involvement and social sustainability.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityThe adaptive consumer: shifting attitudes, behavior change and CSA membership renewal
2008Willow Saranna Russell, Lydia Zepeda · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (Wisconsin)
A 2008 qualitative study in Wisconsin, USA, examined attitude and behavior changes among a subset of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members. Modified eating or cooking habits, increased consideration of food seasonality, and enhanced appreciation for farming were observed, but no "spillover" changes like reduced driving or increased use of eco-friendly products were found. The study suggests that attitude and behavior changes are generated by CSA's structural elements, not by social norms, and that demonstrated changes increase membership renewal likelihood.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsMotivations for Participating in Community-Supported Agriculture and Their Relationship with Community Attachment and Social Capital
2008Joan M. Brehm, Brian W. Eisenhauer · Journal of Rural Social Sciences · United States
This research identifies perceived benefits, motivations, and effects of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) activity on community social capital, using quantitative data from CSA memberships in Central Illinois and New Hampshire, United States. Findings indicate that food quality is the strongest motivator for CSA members, while community building and social capital development were not significant motivators or perceived benefits. However, community attachment significantly enhanced motivations like a desire for a stronger sense of community and support for local growers.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomics“A Better Crop of Boys and Girls”: The School Gardening Movement, 1890–1920
2008Sally Gregory Kohlstedt · History of Education Quarterly · United States
The school gardening movement, prominent from the 1890s into the twentieth century, exemplified progressive educational ideas of integrating school and society, as advocated by educators like John Dewey. School gardens, found in both urban and rural settings, connected intellectual and practical learning, with evidence of their widespread presence documented in newspapers, magazines, and school reports. These gardens were encouraged in both theory and practice across various educational institutions.
Food educationCommunityContaminação do Solo por Parasitas e Ocorrência de Doenças Intestinais
2008Andréa Andreis, Graziela Maria Schuh, Rejane Giacomelli Tavares · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Novo Hamburgo)
An evaluation of parasite contamination in playground soils at Horta Comunitária Joanna de Angelis in Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil, detected rhabditoid larvae in 33% of soil samples. An enteroparasitological survey (n=22) confirmed parasitism in 59.10% of samples. However, it was not possible to establish a correlation between the presence of parasitosis in children and in the soil.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityA AGRICULTURA URBANA NA SEDE DO MUNICÍPIO DE MARECHAL CÂNDIDO RONDON
2008Paula Vergili Pérez, Mariângela Brito Freiberger, Ubirajara Contro Malavasi, Marinelva Curti, Marlene Matos Malavasi · Varia Scientia - Ciências da Saúde · Brazil
A diagnostic study in Marechal Cândido Rondon, Brazil, interviewed a sample of owners or users of 3,897 urban non-built lots to understand agricultural production. The most frequent reasons for lot use were producing vegetables and fruits for personal consumption and agricultural work for leisure. Common crops identified included cassava, corn, peanuts, beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, lettuce, orange, lemon, banana, and mango.
DIYCommunityEconomicsChildhood Obesity Prevention: Successful Community-Based Efforts
2008Laure DeMattia, Shannon Lee Denney · The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science · United States
This article reviews community-based programs in the United States aimed at slowing the rate of childhood obesity, which affects one in three children. It examines interventions such as recipe preparation demonstrations, community gardens, and school-based curricula. The article concludes with suggestions for intervention efforts and funding priorities, emphasizing the importance of primary prevention focusing on high-risk populations of low-income overweight women of childbearing years.
HealthCommunityFood educationFrom Industrial Garden to Food Desert: Unearthing the Root Structure of Urban Agriculture in Oakland, California - eScholarship
2008Nathan McClintock · · United States (California)
This paper uses urban political ecology to explore the rise of urban agriculture (UA) in Oakland, California, where the city aims to source 30% of its food locally, partly from UA in "food deserts." The analysis argues that 20th-century industrial capital flows and racialized urban planning concentrated capital devaluation in the flatlands, leading to the creation of food deserts. Food justice activists are mobilizing through UA to counter these uneven transformations.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityThe 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 & justiceCommunityHIERARCHICAL BAYESIAN SCALING OF SOIL PROPERTIES ACROSS URBAN, AGRICULTURAL, AND DESERT ECOSYSTEMS
2008Jason P. Kaye, Anandamayee Majumdar, Corinna Gries, Alexander Buyantuyev, Nancy B. Grimm, D. Hope, G. Darrel Jenerette, Weixing Zhu, Lawrence A. Baker · Ecological Applications · United States (Phoenix)
A study in a 7962-km2 area around Phoenix, Arizona, USA, used a hierarchical Bayesian model to predict soil organic carbon (oC), inorganic carbon (iC), total nitrogen (N), and available phosphorus (avP) storage. Both Bayesian and traditional approaches indicated that oC, N, and avP were higher in mesic residential and agricultural areas than in deserts or xeric residential areas. Cultural variables like impervious surface cover, tree cover, and turfgrass cover were significant predictors, and an estimated 1140 Gg of oC and 130 Gg of N had accumulated in human-dominated soils.
Organic cycleClimate changeLocalizing 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 & justiceHealth