Research & reports

Sam Vanbergen, Pablo Deschepper, Jan Van Autreve, Vera Huyshauwer, Massimiliano Virgilio, Jochem Bonte, Wannes Dermauw · Insects · Belgium

In 2023 and 2024, adult male Bactrocera dorsalis, a major fruit pest, were captured in community gardens and produce markets in Belgium. Genomic tracing via nuclear SNP analysis revealed that three adults originated from Africa and eight from Asia, indicating multiple independent occurrences. Intercepted larvae predominantly had an African origin, and a diagnostic set of nuclear SNPs was developed for origin tracing.

Sara Perl Egendorf, Maha Deeb, Brooke Singer, Nkwi Flores, Marisa Prefer, Zhongqi Cheng, Peter M. Groffman · Geoderma · United States (New York City)

The Carbon Sponge pilot study, conducted at the New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York City, evaluated the effects of different plant communities on constructed Technosol formation and carbon and nitrogen cycling through an artist-led collaboration. Soils were constructed from NYC Clean Soil Bank sediments and urban municipal composts at a 2:1 ratio, creating 24 beds under 8 different planting regimes. Over the 21-month study duration, soils changed significantly in microbial biomass nitrogen content, sunflowers increased soil carbon and ammonium, and cover crop mixtures increased nitrate and ammonium.

Silvia Barbero, Federica Larcher · · Italy (Turin)

This chapter explores the role of the Turin Living Lab in testing nature-based solutions (NBS) in the Mirafiori Sud district of Italy. Local schools play a significant role in testing these solutions. Seven NBS types have been implemented, including new soil, urban horticulture, aquaponics, green roofs and walls, and green corridors.

Fatiha Hakimi, Sara Sehli, Abeer Hashem, Graciela Dolores Ávila-Quezada, Elsayed Fathi Abd Allah · Cogent Food & Agriculture · Morocco

In peri-urban Rabat, Morocco, a study compared the sustainability of 30 farms (15 organic, 15 conventional) using the IDEA method, assessing agro-environmental, socio-territorial, and economic dimensions with 18 indicators. Organic farms excelled in agro-environmental sustainability and demonstrated long-term economic resilience. Conversely, conventional farms, while more productive, faced socio-territorial limitations and economic dependence on external inputs.

Hugo Rochard, Céline Clauzel, Nathalie Blanc · Urban Ecosystems · France (Paris)

The impact of civic-led hedgerow planting on landscape connectivity was assessed in the southern Paris periurban context. A graph modeling methodology was applied to 94 hedgerow sites, revealing that these sites strengthen landscape connectivity. This quantitative assessment was coupled with qualitative data collected from local civic leaders regarding their perception of social-ecological functions associated with hedgerow planting.

Anna Paltseva · iScience · Global

This article presents a participatory science framework for urban soil research, engaging communities in soil monitoring and management through co-designed projects and educational outreach. The framework integrates digital tools and real-time mapping to enhance data accuracy and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to improve urban soil health. Demonstrated through case studies, this approach aims to build capacity for sustained community involvement and equitable environmental decision-making.

zahra nobar, Akbar Rahimi, Alessio Russo · Land · Global

This study assessed the efficacy of nature-based solutions in revegetating abandoned urban agricultural lands to enhance outdoor thermal comfort, using ENVI-met 4.4.6 and Ray-Man 3.1 simulation models. Simulation results showed that species like Quercus spp. (broadleaf) and Cupressus arizonica (evergreen) substantially reduced the Mean Radiant Temperature (Tmrt) index by up to 26.76 °C, primarily due to their shading effects and large canopies. Combining these vegetation types with crops emerged as the most effective strategy to mitigate heat stress and optimize land-use.

Joabson Almeida Freitas Souza, Liza Maria Souza de Andrade · Periódico Técnico e Científico Cidades Verdes · Brazil

This study analyzed the role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in revitalizing public spaces in Brazilian peripheral areas through a systematic literature review. Findings indicate that interventions like community gardens and green roofs can reduce heat islands, improve drainage, and strengthen community bonds. The research also identified Brazilian public policy advances, such as the National Policy on Climate Change, supporting NbS integration in urban planning for vulnerable territories.

Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Walthall, Beatrice, Parisi, Anton, Schröter, Barbara, Gallagher-Squires, Charlotte, Cuevas Garcia Dorado, Soledad, López García, Daniel · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global

This catalogue, part of the FOODCITYBOOST project, provides a guide for integrating urban agriculture (UA) into city and spatial planning, focusing on governance and policy. It evaluates UA governance practices based on policy integration and multi-stakeholder approaches. The catalogue highlights "good practices" informed by research and empirical evidence, addressing challenges identified by FOODCITYBOOST living labs, and emphasizes that UA policies, instruments, and interventions vary widely by location, making common models challenging to identify due to context-specific factors.

Jelka Strgar, Gregor Torkar, Simona Strgulc Krajšek · Journal of Biological Education · Slovenia

A study surveyed Slovenian lower and upper secondary school teachers regarding their interest in plants and attitudes towards ecosystem services provided by school gardens. Teachers showed high interest in plants and held positive attitudes towards school garden ecosystem services, including education, habitat and regulatory services, relaxation, and plant cultivation. A positive correlation was found between teachers' interest in plants and their attitudes towards these services, indicating Slovenian teachers recognize the importance of school gardens in education.

Marie Davidová, María Claudia Valverde Rojas, Hanane Behnam · Land · Global

This study explored the integration of gamification into social and environmental systems to enhance urban biodiversity and foster the co-creation of ecosystems. It focused on developing tangible ecosystemic interventions, such as habitat extensions and edible landscapes, and gamifying these interventions to engage communities. The interventions were codesigned using systems-oriented design methods, including gigamapping and prototyping, to produce scalable DIY solutions that empower communities to replicate these practices.

Diana Giurea, Vasile Gherheș, Claudiu Coman · Sustainability · Global

This paper explores temporary small-scale architecture as a catalyst for community-driven development of green urban spaces, using the Greenfeel Architecture wooden pavilion as a case study. The pavilion, built with reused materials, was designed to provide shelter and facilitate social interactions while protecting existing vegetation and enhancing biodiversity. Since its completion, it has hosted various outdoor activities and educational workshops, demonstrating the potential of temporary architecture for physical and socio-cultural sustainability in urban environments.

Sheetal Patil, Simi John, Pooja Sagar, Narmada A. Khare, Kruthika Ganesh · · India

This book explores the integration of regenerative urban agriculture within sustainable cityscapes, using the IIHS Kengeri Campus in India as a case study. The campus functions as a 'living lab' for sustainable soil and water management, renewable energy, biodiversity conservation, and urban food production. By experimenting with interdisciplinary approaches, the book highlights innovative models for food and water security in rapidly urbanizing environments.

Mais Jafari, Rolf Morgenstern, Jonas Runte · · Germany

This chapter analyzed the co-creation pathway of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) in the Dortmund Living Lab, focusing on urban gardening, food forests, and biodiversity. It critically illustrated missing dimensions that hinder innovation, such as business opportunities, legal frameworks, and planning conditions. These identified gaps indicate challenges in governance and implementation for social innovation through NBS.

Fereday, George, Tang, Bo · London Met Repository (London Metropolitan University) · United Kingdom

This case study examined the integration of regenerative pedagogy in undergraduate architectural education through annual timber structures workshops at Mudchute City Farm, London, over a six-year period. Second-year students learned regenerative design principles focused on climate change, local ecology, and adaptive timber reuse, fostering circular and regenerative design skills. The program prepares students for future architectural challenges, including reducing carbon emissions and increasing biodiversity.

Anca Monica PARASCHIV, Eugenia NIȚĂ, Anca SÂRBU · Acta Horti Botanici Bucurestiensis · Romania (Bucharest)

This case study from Bucharest, Romania, describes a small, intensive rooftop garden built in 2011 on a 40 sqm private house terrace. The garden, created using ZinCo Technology, aims to conserve plants and reconnect people with nature. As of 2023, it hosts 55 taxa of vascular plants, including 51 non-native and 4 native species.

A.R. Taufiq Satria Azhar, Irnawaty Idrus, Citra Amalia Amal, Muhammad Syarif, A. Syahriyunita Syahruddin, Siti Fuadillah A. Amin · Journal of Muhammadiyah’s Application Technology · Indonesia

This study explored the application of biophilic architecture concepts in the design of a hybrid library in North Luwu Regency, Indonesia. A descriptive comparative method, using literature review and case analysis, identified biophilic design elements such as natural materials, natural lighting, and cross-ventilation. The research found that the hybrid library fully implemented biophilic concepts, particularly in specific areas like reading rooms, lobbies, and rooftop gardens.

Magdalena Roszczynialska · Przestrzenie Teorii · Poland

This article characterizes the edible landscape, a non-visual approach to landscape, by identifying landscapes where the cultural component is weakened in favor of the environmental one. The author develops a typology of edible landscapes in 21st-century Polish prose, including consumption landscapes, edible mnemotopos, terroir, and urban gardens, interpreting them as practices of "hacking the Anthropocene" and interventions for socio-environmental justice. The edible landscape is presented as a way of literary manifestation of nature and a means of survival in the face of ecological catastrophe.

Julián Briz Escribano, Isabel de Felipe Boente · Revista española de estudios agrosociales y pesqueros/Revista española de estudios agrosociales y pesqueros · Spain

This study addresses various climate change-related functions and climate issues, particularly in urban areas. A holistic analytical method for green infrastructure is proposed as a nature-based solution, based on its structure, behavior, and functioning. Dimensions emerging with climate change and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), such as urban agriculture and agrifitness, are identified, and the situation in Spain is described.

Evelyn Lizeth Ilbay-Guaña · Impact Research Journal · Global

This qualitative documentary study analyzed suitable culinary spice species for sustainable and diversified cultivation in home urban gardens, assessing their impact on food autonomy and self-care for informal primary caregivers in urban contexts. The review of scientific literature found that spice production in urban gardens contributes to food security and biodiversity, with successful experiences in high-value species like saffron. However, gaps persist in systematically integrating spices under sustainability criteria and in applied research on less conventional species. The study concludes that promoting sustainable urban spice gardens is a strategic tool for improving urban quality of life and recommends strengthening technical training and interdisciplinary research.

B. Constance, Adrienne Grêt‐Regamey, Andoniaina Valérie Andriamanga, Dominic A. Martin, Nicolas Salliou · Ecosystems and People · Madagascar (Antananarivo)

This study investigated the motivations and consequences of soil extraction for brick-making in Antananarivo, Madagascar, through 263 interviews with farmers and brick-makers. Findings indicate soil extraction serves as a climate change adaptation strategy, leading to a decline in flood regulation capacity but also a shift to more resilient cultivation practices like raised gardens. Climate change, with shorter rainy seasons, intensifies soil extraction.

Zahra Nobar, Akbar Rahimi · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global

This study explores the revitalization of urban agricultural lands and the creation of edible parks as nature-based solutions for sustainable urban development. It highlights urban agriculture's role in addressing food demands and its social and environmental implications. Edible parks, utilizing public and private spaces, are presented as a strategy to build sustainable urban infrastructure, promote social interaction, and strengthen community bonds.

Rolf Morgenstern, Bernd Pölling · · Global

This chapter explores the economic benefits and challenges of integrating nature-based solutions (NBS), including urban farming, into circular economy frameworks in urban environments. Using the proGIreg framework and an Economic and Labour Market Questionnaire, it reveals financial impacts of NBS implementations. Case studies from Zagreb, Turin, and Dortmund illustrate diverse economic outcomes, demonstrating both direct financial returns and broader economic value created by NBS.

Emily Schneider · Amsterdam Museum Journal · Global

This essay explores the conjuncture of interspecies reciprocity, hospitality, gift-giving practices, and the co-creation of urban spaces, focusing on the potential for and complexity of neighborly relationships between humans and plants. Borrowing the concept of the ‘good neighbor’ from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, it considers the conditions under which relationships based on care and responsibility can thrive through ‘circular reciprocity’. Sites for close interspecies encounters, like urban foraging practices and community gardens, show the potential of a caring and attentive striving toward neighborliness but also reveal the multiplicity and ambiguity of what can be considered different, sometimes irreconcilable, interests and needs of various urban dwellers. Nevertheless, this essay argues that the practice of becoming ‘good neighbors’ ultimately benefits both humans and plants.

Arun Kumar, Sandhya Prajapati · · Global

Urban farming has emerged as a viable approach that encourages intensive farming techniques and urban wastewater to sustainably generate food. This approach optimizes available urban spaces like rooftops, vacant lots, and vertical structures to cultivate food within city boundaries. It lessens reliance on lengthy supply chains and promotes a clean, sustainable environment by minimizing resource consumption, including fresh water and pesticides.