Allotment Gardens Research Articles

Cover

Front cover: Overgrown allotment garden lot in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, with colored bowl traps to capture flower-visiting insects (Photo by David Frey).

Risk of cadmium, lead and zinc exposure from consumption of vegetables produced in areas with mining and smelting past

The study reveals links between disturbed geochemical environment being the result of mining and smelting activities with consumers exposure to toxic and carcinogenic metallic trace elements (MTEs). This study focused on evaluation on vegetable and soil pollution in family allotment gardens (FAGs), considering in the aspects of consumer exposure to cadmium, lead and zinc. Study material consisted of 219 soil samples from FAGs located in one of the most polluted areas in Poland, and 64 samples of edible plants. Contents of analyzed MTEs in topsoil in the studied area were spatially diversified and depended primarily on the location of industrial pollution sources. The average content of cadmium (0.52 mg kg−1 fresh weight) and lead (0.57 mg kg−1 fresh weight) in vegetables exceeded maximum permissible concentrations according to the European Quality Standards. Human health risk assessment was based on three scenarios of dietary exposure to cadmium, lead and zinc. In every scenario the highest average daily dose for all three elements was estimated for potatoes which are one of the main components of Poles’ diet. Presented study showed that consumption of vegetables cultivated in FAGs located in Silesia Province may pose a significant health risk for their consumers.

The Prospect of Community-Led Place-Keeping as Urban Commons in Public Residential Estates in Singapore

Can place-keeping be considered as urban commons or occurring through the sharing of activities? If so, then specifically, how? This paper discusses long-term place-keeping of Singapore's neighbourhood green spaces as a shared practice, actively engaging citizens in shared responsibilities and collective efforts in transitioning a 'public' space to a 'common' space. We discuss community gardens as a shared urban space and examine two initiatives for neighbourhood green spaces characterized by active involvement of citizens in place-keeping: Community in Bloom (CIB) and Allotment Gardens (AG). Six case studies were examined to understand the current process of shared green space management. An integrated Policy Arrangement Approach (PAA) framework was adopted to analyse the governance arrangements and evaluate the spatial qualities of the community gardens (CIB and AG). Our analysis highlights the positive socio-economic impact of community-led green space management through effective shared place-keeping strategies. It emphasizes the need for an innovative participatory governance approach with a conscious balance between 'autonomy' and 'authority' as the key to long-term place-keeping. Localized community initiatives within a mosaic governance model with flexible partnerships between authorities and citizens would be a good starting point in facilitating shared governance of green spaces in Singapore's public residential estates.

The use of Scots pine waste biomass for heating purposes

Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris) is a very popular tree species in north-eastern Poland. Pines are frequently encountered in allotment gardens in the proximity of residential buildings. Pine biomass should not be composted because the produced humus has acidifying properties. For this reason, the management of pine waste biomass poses a problem. The article proposes a solution for managing pine waste biomass for heat generation. In the study, pine waste biomass was composed of needles, cones and dry branches. The biomass potential of Scots pine was determined. Waste biomass was harvested in spring when most allotment gardens are cleared after winter. The biomass yield of several trees was determined (in kg and dm3), and the average yield per tree was calculated. The average proportions of different biomass fractions in mixed waste biomass were also determined. The specific heat of different biomass fractions (needles, branches, cones) was determined for two scenarios. In the first scenario, waste biomass was harvested during a prolonged dry spell, and in the second scenario, waste biomass was harvested immediately after rainfall. The energy potential of waste biomass was determined. The harvested biomass was burned in an open fireplace in a cottage with an area of 48 m2. The time required to burn 10 m3of biomass and the resulting increase in indoor temperature were measured. The environmental impact of burning Scots pine biomass was determined.

Trace metals in surface soils under different land uses in Kielce city, south-central Poland

This work presents the influence of land use in Kielce on the spatial differentiation of heavy metals in the near-surface soil layer. The aim is to determine the amounts of ten trace elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) contained in soil samples of five land use categories (residential areas, roads, urban greenery, allotment gardens, agricultural areas) in the city and to evaluate the contamination using geochemical indicators. The Clarke values of Earth’s crust and the average content of the elements in Poland’s soils are exceeded only for Pb and Zn (N = 60). Soils of urban greenery and residential areas stand out in this respect. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that a high content of As has been documented in the soils of allotment gardens and confirmed by high values of the geoaccumulation index (moderate to high pollution) in relation to the Clarke values and to average contents in Poland's soils. The highest average Pb content has been found in the areas of urban greenery and residential areas. The integrated pollution index (IPI) in terms of maximum values indicates high level of metal pollution of soils in all forms of land use, except for agricultural areas (moderate). On average, IPI and potential ecological risk index are low.

Ekologiczna etyka ze spektrum posthumanizmu. Zarys perspektywy i przypadek ogrodu działkowego

Artykuł stawia dwa pytania: jaki rodzaj etyki ekologicznej daje się wyprowadzić z posthumanistycznej refleksji i jak taka etyka mogłaby działać w konkretnej przestrzeni – ogrodzie działkowym. Interesuje mnie pole teoretyczne, kt.re wyznacza troska i namysł nad światem poza człowiekiem. Jako punktu wyjścia używam schematu trzech traum opisanego przez Zygmunta Freuda. Sytuacja człowieka po trzech traumach odczytana zostaje jako krajobraz postapokaliptyczny, w którym możliwe jest budowanie nowej etyki ekologicznej. Omawiając spektrum posthumanizmu, zwracam uwagę na problem granicy i dualizmu. Oprócz wskazania przykład.w etycznych praktyk ogrodniczych, proponuję, aby w proces kształtowania struktury ogrodu włączyć śmierć ogrodników.

Engaging with urban green spaces – A comparison of urban and rural allotment gardens in Southwestern Germany

Connecting society to the ecosystem is crucial for the resilience of social-ecological systems. On the local scale, some citizens actively engage with the ecosystem in urban green spaces such as gardens. Therefore, the study investigates allotment gardens in two regions in industrialized SW-Germany through a mixed method approach consisting of questionnaires and qualitative interviews. The comparison of the regions adds to our understanding of the gardening community in industrialized countries and provides information to city planners and practitioners concerning motivations and knowledge of people interacting with the ecosystem. It shows that recreation is an important motivation for gardening in both regions, but food production is less important in urban allotment gardens. The soil knowledge relies on experiences in the respective gardens and the variety of soil conservation measures shows that gardeners care for the soil in their allotment. New management practices, such as raised beds, are present. Policy makers, city planners and interest groups should consider the present research to devise programs that lead to an engagement with the ecosystem in urban green spaces.

Diverting toilet systems - quality of collected urine mixture compared to other organic fertilizers

Storstrnm County and A & B Backlund ApS are cooperating in four wastewater projectsrunning since 1998 concerning source control, diverting toilet technology and analysis ofcollected human urine mixture and composted human faeces. Results from one of the projectsare presented in this paper. A & B Backlund ApS is working with further four national andinternational projects and are planning for further projects. The projects are carried out in anAction Plan administrated by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). DanishEPA is not responsibel for the conclusions or expressed views in the reports.The collected user experiences in the Danish projects show that the diverting technology areaccepted in a housing area, is running very well in a public place and are even highlyappreciated in allotment gardens (even if further technical improvement should be made).This paper presents contents of nutrients, heavy metals, organic compounds andmicroorganisms found in urine mixture compared to findings in organic fertilizers used indanish agriculture. The analysed urine mixture was of high quality.No-mixing toilets, diverting toilets, separation toilets, composting toilets, biological toilets,waterless urinals, wastewater treatment, ecological engineering, ecological sanitation, humanurine, human faeces, nutrients, heavy metals, pathogens, compost, sludge, manure,anaerobicly processed biomass

Polish Urban Allotment Gardens as ‘Slow City’ Enclaves

In this article, urban allotment gardens (UAGs) are discussed as one of the alternative urban development frameworks - Slow City. The UAG concept as well as the Slow City agenda aims to protect and enhance strong community relationships, decision making, civil engagement, group learning, and leisure practices for people of all ages in close proximity to green spaces. The authors argue that the statutory aims, organizational culture, and governance rules of UAGs are largely coherent with the formal Slow City agenda. The authors analyze the threats to sustainable cities and the alternative urban development agendas in the context of Polish allotment gardens. With increasing problems of soil pollution, abandoned gardens, informal housing, and limitation of access to the green areas of the UAGs for other inhabitants, the pressure to reduce the number of UAGs is reinforced.

The countryside in the city? Rural-urban dynamics in allotment gardens in Brno, Czech Republic

Abstract The position of urban allotments in the rural-urban spectrum is evaluated in this paper, which contributes to literatures on urban gardening, as well as contemporary rural-urban dynamics. Historically, European allotments can be seen as a product of urbanisation. At the same time, they embody a number of “non-urban” characteristics that create the impression of “the countryside in the city”. This research project investigates how the urban and the rural are materialised, represented and practised in five allotment sites in Brno, Czech Republic. We follow three main lines of enquiry where the urban and the rural seem to meet: the physical environment of the allotments; the social life of these spaces; and food production as one of their core functions. Critical reflection of the rural-urban perspective advances our understanding of urban gardens, while, at the same time, allotments offer an example of hybrid spaces, which, in turn, contribute to discussions on current cities and countrysides. Overcoming the urban-rural dichotomy could facilitate the inclusion of urban gardening in contemporary cities.

The influence of emotional and conditional motivations on gardeners’ participation in community (allotment) gardens

Despite the benefits of participating in community gardens, motivations that influence gardeners’ participation in gardening activities is largely unexplored. The goal of the study is to quantitatively examine, beyond the commonly known functional motivations, the individual impact of emotional and conditional motivations on gardening participation. To reach our goal, a web-based survey and on-site surveys were administered to 180 gardeners in three community gardens in Austin, Texas. Results showed that, while most functional motivations were significant, the emotional motivation of attachment towards gardening was also statistically significant, demonstrating the individual role of emotional motivations on garden participation. Additionally, a significant conditional motivation was found, including time required to garden. We discuss the implication of our findings for ensuring continual community garden participation.

Urban Agriculture as the Path to Sustainable City Development. Insights into Allotment Gardens in Andalusia

Abstract Increasing demand for urban agriculture (UA) can be perceived as a global phenomenon. In some parts of the world its main function is to feed the rapidly growing population while in others it is more associated with lifestyle and environmental issues. Undeniably, UA provides opportunities for sustainable city development. UA can support all pillars of sustainable development: ecological, economic, and social. However, depending on existing circumstances certain pillars may be influenced more than others. In this paper we concentrate on urban allotments in Andalusia and take Baeza as an example of a city with an interesting approach to urban gardening. We attempt to answer the question how urban allotments in Baeza affect the city’s sustainable development and what remains to be done to make this influence more effective. Our study showed that allotment gardens in Baeza endorsed all three pillars of sustainable city development. However, developing broader community relations on the city scale, revival of declining local grocery market and dissemination of environmental initiatives which allotment gardens may also promote and facilitate was missing.

Public–private collaboration in allotment garden operation has the potential to provide ecosystem services to urban dwellers more efficiently

There has been a growing global interest in urban agriculture that contributes to the well-being of urban dwellers by providing various ecosystem services. Focusing on allotment gardens, this study quantitatively analyzed their economic conditions, ecosystem service provisions, economic and environmental efficiencies, and the differences among them as regards their location and management. A questionnaire survey was used for data collection as a basic input for the quantification of economic conditions and ecosystem services of 223 allotments in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used for analyzing the economic and environmental efficiency of each allotment. Statistical analyses were conducted to explore statistically significant differences in economic conditions, ecosystem service provisions, and economic and environmental efficiencies among the four groups of allotment gardens classified by location (i.e., urbanization promotion area [UPA] and urbanization control area [UCA]) and type of actor (i.e., public or private). Our analysis identified that the expenditures of public allotments tended to be significantly larger than those of private allotments, whereas there was no difference in the income among the four groups, which resulted in lower economic efficiency of public allotments. Moreover, although public allotments in UCA and UPA provided a large amount of food production, recreation, and disaster prevention services, DEA revealed that they were less environmentally efficient when expenditures such as land rent, construction cost, and operational cost were considered. Our findings also identified that public allotments provided a significantly large amount of ecosystem services for urban dwellers in exchange of large public expenditures, which often resulted in inefficient allotment operation. If local governments and private actors build a collaborative relationship and strategically divide their roles, the governments could decrease the financial burden in the establishment and operations of allotments while maintaining/increasing benefits arising from allotment gardens.

A discussion on the spatial features and management systems in allotment gardens in urban park

A discussion on the spatial features and management systems in allotment gardens in urban park

Urban Allotment Gardens for the Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Trace Element Pollution.

This study evaluates the results of the characterization of air pollution in urban green areas using edible plants. To this purpose, we examined the effect of location (i.e., three different levels of pollution), substrate (peat moss and vermiculite), and plant species (oilseed rape [ L.] and kale [ L.]) on the accumulation of trace elements on leaves. A total of 36 samples of unwashed leaves were digested with HNO-HO and analyzed for 27 elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Considering the location, plants exposed next to the road showed higher contents of traffic-related elements, and additionally, outdoors samples were enriched in marine aerosol ions. Cadmium and Pb concentrations did not exceed the European legal maximum levels for vegetables, so their consumption would be safe for human health. Results support the hypothesis that edible plants such as kale and rapeseed could be used as bioindicators of atmospheric pollution.

Allotment Gardens as Significant Element Integrating Greenery System of the City

The greenery system of the city is an extremely important element of the urban structure. It is responsible for the proper functioning of the city in the ecological and natural aspect, but also supports social functions. The dynamic development of urbanized areas and the pressure of investment often causes the reduction or elimination of allotment gardens area. The paper presents example of the system of city with particular reference to allotment gardens. It is focused on the contemporary role of allotment gardens as an element of cities green areas. It is also attempted to determine factors that affect the integrity of the Green Infrastructure and sustainability development of the urban structure.

<b>Users' Behaviors and Evaluations of Allotment Gardens</b>

<b>Users' Behaviors and Evaluations of Allotment Gardens</b>

Cultivating urban landscapes: horticulture

DOI: 10.14673/IJA2018341031 For a long time urban horticulture has represented a marginal activity generally for the elderly, after their retirement or as a part-time activity, as opposed to a main economic activity. However, in the context of post-modern society, horticulture is becoming more popular and more visible, as an activity with educational or rehabilitation purposes or as a hobby for highly motivated gardeners, individuals or groups, with no previous experience but keen to experiment with cultivating practices.The interest in urban gardening has grown considerably, assuming many forms and characteristics in different contexts both at global and local levels. The phenomenon seems to be a response to a wide range of needs that goes well beyond the production of food, as it often contributes to promote social inclusion, as well as protection and restoration of urban green areas.For many people taking care of a vegetable patch or a garden is a great way to rediscover their bond with nature, to let off steam and get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. At the same time allotment gardens become a meeting place for the elderly or turn into an outdoor classroom where children can discover nature’s way of teaching. Even more important perhaps is when vegetable gardens are located in healthcare facilities and used for their therapeutic function, thus providing support and motivation during treatment or rehabilitation. And so it seems as though garden plots are becoming a bottom-up strategy to combat the limitations and paradoxes of the current economic model.

Informal Practices in Housing Financialisation: The Transformation of an Allotment Garden in Hungary

Informal Practices in Housing Financialisation: The Transformation of an Allotment Garden in Hungary

Front and back yard green analysis with subpixel vegetation fractions from earth observation data in a city

This paper introduces a novel approach to green space availability in cities that includes the thus-far mostly neglected urban front and backyard green space around residential buildings on privately owned ground. To quantify the full spatial scope of urban green space, we calculated subpixel vegetation fractions from RapidEye remote-sensing data for the entire city with a spectral unmixing technique that enabled us to model the extent of urban vegetation with a high degree of confidence (MAE 7%, R2 0.92). We then applied a new ‘urban front and back yard green space derivation algorithm’, namely, a masking of the fractional vegetation data using GIS vector data of land cover, in order to delineate the front and backyard greenspace of residential houses in a city with an accuracy of 96%. Combining these two approaches, we can calculate the area of urban front and back yard green space for the entire city (including different residential structure types) and compare this data to the area of public (parks, urban forests) and semi-public (allotment gardens) green spaces that have been used for prevailing per capita green space availability analyses. The new method is exemplified at the city of Leipzig, Germany, which provides different residential structures concerning house types and the surrounding green that are characteristic of many European cities. Key findings include that the total amount of urban front and back yard green space is almost 2000 ha, which is ∼40% of the amount of public green space (4768 ha). In 15 out of the 63 total districts, there is more front and backyard than public green space, which highlights the importance of these urban front and back yard green space for the analysis of urban livelihoods and a tool for detailed ecosystem services-oriented urban planning.