Urban Gardens Research Articles

Natural bioconversion of green waste for tropical and subtropical climates and agriculture-based regions

ABSTRACT This work aims to optimise the biotransformation upset by the high lignin content, of green wastes from urban parks and gardens, by creating optimal conditions for producing a natural and stable biofertilizer with adequate microbiological quality. The addition of other nutritive residues is a promising option, nutritious and complementary agro-industrial residues from the sugar and poultry industries were then selected. Seven formulations were tested, being inoculated by the non-pathogenic antagonist Aspergillus niger, a frequent saprophyte of tropical and subtropical climates like Morocco, to control the proliferation of potentially harmful indigenous alteration bacteria. The 15-day monitoring of efficacy and safety criteria demonstrated that it is possible to produce a nutritious biofertilizer that complies with France’s NF U44–551 standard. It had no inhibitory effect on barley crops, with performance comparable to that of a commercial fertiliser. This research provides a promising approach for sustainable management of green waste in tropical and subtropical regions.

Constructive Thinking on Landscape Morphology of Urban Garden Plants

Constructive Thinking on Landscape Morphology of Urban Garden Plants

Changes in HIV Internalized and Experienced Stigmas and Social Support After an Urban Gardens and Peer Nutritional Counseling Intervention Among People With HIV and Food Insecurity in the Dominican Republic.

Food insecurity and HIV-related stigma negatively affect HIV outcomes. Few studies have examined how food security interventions affect HIV-related stigma and social support. Two HIV clinics in the Dominican Republic. A pilot cluster randomized controlled trial of an urban gardens and peer nutritional counseling intervention was conducted to examine outcomes of HIV-related stigmas and social support. Adult patients (≥18 years of age) with moderate or severe household food insecurity and evidence of suboptimal ART adherence and/or a detectable viral load were enrolled; standard measures of internalized and experienced stigmas and social support were collected at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Intervention clinic participants received training and materials from agronomists for a home garden, 3-4 sessions of nutritional counseling from the clinic's peer counselor, and a garden produce cooking workshop facilitated by professional nutritionists. Of 109 study participants (46 intervention and 63 control), 103 (94%) completed 12-month follow-up. Difference-in-differences multivariate longitudinal linear regressions adjusting for sociodemographic factors found that intervention participants had reduced internalized stigma by 3.04 points (scale 0-32) at 12 months (P = 0.002); reduced probability of experiencing HIV-related stigma or discrimination in the past 6 months (20 percentage points at 6 months, P = 0.05 and 25 percentage points at 12 months, P = 0.02); and modestly improved social support at 12 months (1.85 points on 30-pt scale, P = 0.093). A fully powered, larger trial is needed to establish the efficacy of the intervention and assess pathways by which the intervention may improve HIV stigma and social support.

Differences and Integration of Chinese and Western Urban Garden Architectural Aesthetics

From the perspective of Chinese and Western urban aesthetics, the article studied 15 existing scientific literature sources in terms of building types, building scale, gardening art, the relationship between gardens and architecture, the aesthetic style of castles and buildings, artistic origins, and aesthetic tastes. Using the classification and comparative analysis method, the artistic characteristics of Chinese and Western classical gardens were compared, the reasons for the differences in the artistic characteristics of Chinese and Western classical gardens were analyzed, and it was pointed out that the integration of Eastern and Western garden arts has reference significance for Chinese urban greening.

URBAN GARDEN PROJECT: A PROJECT-BASED APPROACH APPLIED TO EXTENSION EXPERIENCES AS A CURRICULAR COMPONENT

A resolution approved in 2018 by the Brazilian Ministry of Education defined in the curriculum matrices of undergraduate courses subjects that have an extension curricularization workload, allowing students to combine the content seen in the classroom with practical activities in external communities. In this context, this article presents the project report applied in the Extension Experiences curricular component, as well as the activities carried out, the procedures and the results of the application, with an expansion of the content displayed at the 2023 Sustainable Design Symposium. The proposal aimed to create a documentary and an awareness campaign for the implementation of urban gardens in neighborhoods in the city of Joinville (SC), Brazil. To execute the project, the double-diamond design method was chosen, considering the stages discover, define, develop, and validate, in addition to the adoption of an institutional platform for monitoring teachers and students and community participation. Here, we present the materials generated for the campaign and a discussion regarding the significant role played by extension experience activities in academic training.

A sustainable livelihood pathway for urban carrot gardening in Ghana

A sustainable livelihood pathway for urban carrot gardening in Ghana

Designing healthy edible cities: investigating the environmental and spatial factors affecting urban fruit safety

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the factors affecting lead and cadmium levels in urban fruits, a topic that has received little attention despite potential health risks. Tehran’s Tarasht neighborhood was chosen due to heavy traffic and the presence of numerous urban gardens with fruit trees. Specifically, this study explored how barriers (defined as artificial structures like walls), urban fruit tree height, distance from the sampling site to the street, and fruit type influence the content of lead and cadmium in these urban fruits. The results revealed that sites taller than 10 meters exhibited the highest cadmium levels, while sites without barriers or with 4-meter barriers demonstrated the highest lead content. Barrier width also had a significant influence, with unobstructed sites showing the highest lead content, and sites with 41-50-meter width barriers displaying the highest cadmium levels. Urban fruit tree height affected lead content, while cadmium levels remained unaffected. Additionally, heavy metal absorption was influenced by the distance to the street and the type of fruit. These findings can be used in the future for the development of guidelines for healthy and edible green infrastructure to reduce pollutants and promote safer urban horticultural practices.

Unveiling human-nature interaction: Qualitative exploration of perceived benefits of urban gardening

The study seeks to provide insights into the subjective experiences and perceived benefits of urban gardening by gardeners in the city of Belgrade. It encompassed several forms of urban gardens, both collective and individual. The study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with 44 gardeners, supplemented by field observations. Thematic analysis revealed seven key themes of benefits. The findings slightly diverged from studies in developed countries, demonstrating less emphasis on the social aspects of urban gardening, as participants did not view social interaction as a primary motivation. Also, there was a stronger focus on the productive and economic aspects of gardening among the retired low-income population of home gardeners with previous experience in agriculture.

Can food self-reliance support urban sustainability? The lessons from urban gardening in North Korea

Although sustainable urban development has been conceptualized in a vast array of proposals, it seems that the prioritization of economic development over environmental and social concerns limits real progress in making cities more sustainable. This paper studies whether an orientation towards self-reliance can contribute in some way to urban sustainability through examining the case of gardening in North Korean cities. The results demonstrate that even though self-reliance has long been a part of the national ideology, only its practice at the household level has resulted in significant improvements in urban sustainability. The key therein lies in family ties, the responsibility to which oblige people to actively practice a more conscious consumer behavior. Meanwhile, the economic empowerment of women, who sell a part of the harvest from their urban gardens at the local market, has not precipitated their broader involvement in either social or political activities.

Plant diversity and its use in Javanese urban home garden: An ethnobotanical study in Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Darmastuti SA, Nazar IA, Setyawan AD. 2024. Plant diversity and its use in Javanese urban home garden: An ethnobotanical study in Central Java, Indonesia. Asian J Ethnobiol 7: 32-42. Urbanization makes the spread of botanical knowledge increasingly widespread. Ethnobotanical knowledge brought by village communities can be applied in urban areas. The implementation of Proklim (Climate Village Program) by the Indonesian Government strengthens the development of environmentally friendly cities that are able to adapt and overcome climate change and are sustainable by paying attention to the balance of social, economic, and environmental aspects. Currently, communities and home gardens have responded to various driving factors, such as the environmental movement and urban sustainability, and are more focused on providing healthy local food and community development. The objectives of this study were to find out the medicinal and food plants found in the home gardens and community gardens of ProKlim RW 16 Banjarsari Village, Banjarsari Sub-district, Surakarta City, Central Java, Indonesia and the influence felt by the community and knowing the existence of ProKlim RW 16 to support the 13th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate action. The method used is descriptive quantitative, which is conducted through observation, interviews, and questionnaires. Data from observations and interviews were calculated using the formula of Use Value, Relative Frequency of Citation, Informant Consensus Factor, and Fidelity Level. Meanwhile, questionnaire data is calculated using the Likert Scale calculations. The research results show 56 species that residents often use for medicinal and food plants. The most widely used medicinal plant is lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), and the most widely used food plant is chili (Capsicum frutescens L.). Based on Likert Scale calculations, the adaptation indicator states that 90.25% of respondents agree that food plants grown by themselves are fresher and healthier. Meanwhile, on the mitigation indicator, 93.39% of respondents agreed that the more plants planted could reduce air pollution and lower the earth's temperature.

Vertebrates and flying insects provide biocontrol services to Australian urban food gardens

Biocontrol by wild insects and other organisms is an important service provided to agriculture, but few studies have linked the role of this service to urban garden crop production. In 15 urban food gardens in Sydney, Australia, we assessed predation and parasitism of two sentinel prey species, recorded pest control activities undertaken by gardeners and the produce yielded by garden crops. We observed substantial removal of sentinel prey (mean removal 22% for Tenebrio molitor larvae and 59% for Helicoverpa armigera) but no parasitism. Vertebrate predators primarily consisted of urban adapted birds and mammals common throughout Australian cities. We measured a range of local and landscape scale environmental variables including plant richness and abundance, light, canopy cover, building density and distance to remnant vegetation. We found that gardeners undertook only basic pest control activities with little chemical use, yet high amounts of produce were harvested. Pest control services were poorly explained by environmental variables. Low active pest control activities, and high predation rates suggest pests are either well controlled or in low numbers in the surveyed urban food gardens. Given the vertebrate predators were generalist birds and mammals common to many parts of urban Australia, the provision of predation services to urban gardens by these taxa could be widespread across the continent.

How healthy are horticultural plants cultivated in urban gardens in polluted cities? The case of Mexico City

Soil-to-plant metal(loid) accumulation has been highly evaluated recently due to its significant impact on human health. This study reports the concentrations of 15 metal(oid)s in four vegetables (tomato, onion, chili, and lettuce) cultivated in a greenhouse and three shade houses (two roofs of buildings and one in the UNAM Botanical Garden) in four locations in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. In this experiment, the contribution of metals and metalloids due to atmospheric deposition and irrigation may be negligible. Hence, the concentration of metals depends only on transfer from the soil. Soil analysis indicates that only vanadium in one location (a rooftop garden in the municipality of Venustiano Carranza) exceeds the permissible limits according to Mexican regulations. Lettuce shows the highest concentrations and transfer factors for most metals compared to the other vegetables studied. Transfer factors were exceptionally high for Cd (lettuce) and Hg (tomato), presenting values above 1. Concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb were compared with limit values recommended by different international agencies for vegetables. It was observed that, except for As, these values are exceeded in various vegetables harvested in this study. This information must be corroborated with more detailed studies evaluating the chemical species in which those metal(oid)s are present and identify the physical and chemical parameters of the soil that may have interfered with the soil-plant transfer factor.

Hazard estimation in urban home garden soils in an industrial area using microarthropods, soil properties and GIS modelling: an integrated approach.

The use of soil microarthropods as indicators of soil pollution in home gardens of an industrial area has been covered in this study. Soil samples were collected from 25 home gardens in three zones in Eloor during summer and North East monsoon from 2014 to 2018, for the study of soil microarthropods, soil properties, soil nutrients, and trace elements. The relationships among QBS-ar, microarthropod abundance, soil properties, and soil nutrients, were used to estimate the pollution hazard of the industrial area. The microarthropods present in the study area were Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diplopoda, and Araneae. A prominent study area feature was the absence of Collembola and Acari. The QBS-ar index score in these regions showed that the home gardens located adjacent to the industrial area showed low soil quality, with soil quality class values ranging from 1 to 2 throughout the study period. Discriminant analysis of soil nutrients with soil properties and microarthropod abundance showed that in Zone 1 and Zone 2, the data in 2018 was very well discriminated compared to other years. The hazard assessment in the Eloor region showed various levels of hazard zonation: Zone 1 with high-hazard and medium-hazard areas, Zone 2 with medium-hazard areas, and Zone 3 with low- and medium-hazard areas. The study is one of the first kinds that have used QBS-ar scores and soil properties along with soil nutrients and trace elements for estimating the level of hazard in home garden agroecosystems and thus points to an easy, simple, and practical approach in the monitoring and management of soil ecosystems.

Public perceptions towards urban horticulture in front-yard greenhouses: Unveiling ecosystem services and practices for sustainable and resilient city

In the pursuit of sustainability and resilience, urban horticulture holds immense promise for cities. This paper delves into the captivating realm of urban horticulture preferences in Iran, unraveling the factors that shape individuals' inclinations. The results highlight the influence of greenhouse design on urban horticulture preferences. Urban dwellers prioritize cultural ecosystem services over regulating and provisioning services when engaging in urban horticulture activities. Anticipated ecosystem services differ among various socio-demographic groups. Different greenhouse elements evoke distinct perceptions of ecosystem services. However, certain greenhouses can improve the overall perception of ecosystem services due to the strong correlations between different types of services.

Is it healthy urban agriculture? Human exposure to potentially toxic elements in urban gardens from Andalusia, Spain

Different vegetable species and topsoils were collected from different urban gardens of Seville, Cordoba, and Huelva (South Spain) and from two small towns in a mining area (Riotinto), together with topsoil close to the plants. The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was evaluated in edible plant parts and in the soils. The same species were also purchased from Seville local markets and from a peri-urban area (domestic garden in a rural area) and also analyzed. Plant/soil pollution relation was studied and human health risk was assessed by different parameters. Soils of urban gardens from the mining area were more contaminated with As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in comparison with other locations, and generally, soils from cities showed higher values of As, Pb, and Zn than the peri-urban ones. The mean concentration of almost all potentially toxic elements was higher in leafy than in fruiting and bulbous species. Arsenic, Cd, and Pb concentrations were below health-based guidance values in all vegetables except Cd in one sample in the peri-urban area. In general, PTEs concentration in vegetables from city urban gardens did not exceed the one found in market vegetables for almost all studied elements, except in lettuce for almost elements. The hazard quotient (HQ) values were lower than the unit for all PTEs in plant species from the studied gardens, as well as the hazard index (HI), indicating that consumption of these vegetables can be considered safe and without risk to human health. Also, cancer risk values for As were below the established limits in all vegetables from the studied urban gardens, including those from the As-contaminated soils in the mining area.

Local and landscape factors shape alpha and beta trophic interaction diversity in urban gardens.

Promoting urban green spaces is an effective strategy to increase biodiversity in cities. However, our understanding of how local and landscape factors influence trophic interactions in these urban contexts remains limited. Here, we sampled cavity-nesting bees and wasps and their natural enemies within 85 urban gardens in Zurich (Switzerland) to identify factors associated with the diversity and dissimilarity of antagonistic interactions in these communities. The proportions of built-up area and urban green area at small landscape scales (50 m radius), as well as the management intensity, sun exposure, plant richness and proportion of agricultural land at the landscape scale (250 m radius), were key drivers of interaction diversity. This increased interaction diversity resulted not only from the higher richness of host and natural enemy species, but also from species participating in more interactions. Furthermore, dissimilarity in community structure and interactions across gardens (beta-diversity) were primarily influenced by differences in built-up areas and urban green areas at the landscape scale, as well as by management intensity. Our study offers crucial insights for urban planning and conservation strategies, supporting sustainability goals by helping to understand the factors that shape insect communities and their trophic interactions in urban gardens.

Shifts in host–parasitoid networks across community garden management and urban landscape gradients

AbstractBiological pest control relies on interactions between herbivores and their natural enemies. Maintaining this ecosystem service requires considering herbivore and natural enemy interactions and their response to anthropogenic change at multiple scales. In this study, we used ecological networks to quantify the network structure of interactions between herbivorous insects and their parasitoids. We examined how herbivore host abundance, parasitism rates, and shifts in network structure relate to changes in local habitat management and landscape context. We sampled herbivores and parasitoids in Brassica oleracea plants at 22 urban gardens in the Central Coast of California. At each site, we measured local management characteristics (e.g., vegetation, ground cover, canopy cover) and quantified surrounding landscape composition (e.g., urban, natural, open, and agricultural cover). For the eight sites with large enough networks, we calculated three network structure metrics (interaction richness, vulnerability, and functional complementarity). We then used generalized linear and mixed models to examine relationships between herbivore host abundance, parasitism rates, garden management and landscape characteristics, and network metrics. We found that both local management and landscape composition influenced parasitism, while only local factors affected host abundance and network structure. Higher network interaction richness was marginally associated with enhanced parasitism rates for two host species and lower parasitism rates for one host species. Our results suggest that local garden management decisions may shift the structure of host–parasitoid networks, which may subsequently affect host parasitism rates, but outcomes for biological pest control will likely vary across host species.

Urban Gardening as Food Commons: METU Garden

The inadequacy of agricultural production due to environmental factors and injustices in accessing food as a result of increasingly profit-oriented production-distribution-consumption processes have led to the food crisis in many cities worldwide. The fragility of the current food systems in the face of all these problematic conditions calls for alternative strategies to be developed. Food commons, in this sense, emerges as a novel form of commoning that blends practical aims (sharing of land, resources, and tools) with social aspirations (fostering cooperation, self-management, and community involvement) of the urban commons to address food-related problems. In this context, this study focuses on collective food production within urban gardens while accepting urban gardening as a form of food commoning. It further explores the role of common spaces and the social dynamics of urban gardening groups for urban food production. All these are discussed through a selected case study: METU Garden (ODTÜ Bostanı). Accordingly, this research aims to relate the social structures and spatial qualities of the METU Garden to food commons theories and frameworks. Acknowledging how food commoning practices occur in community-led urban gardens such as METU Garden can contribute to developing novel, bottom-up, and inclusive design strategies to tackle food-related problems in cities.

Linking ecosystems to public health based on combination of social and ecological systems

Promotion of public health is one of the most important benefits of ecosystems. Nevertheless, the relationship between ecosystems and social health’ needs is not well understood. Therefore, a study was done to investigate the potential of natural (forests and rangelands) and artificial (urban parks and gardens) ecosystems in ensuring the five dimensions of public health (i.e. physical, mental, spiritual, social and environmental) in the social systems (urban and rural societies). Therefore, 47 health indicators were used in order to relate different ecosystems and social’ needs to five dimensions of public health through questionnaire. The results indicated that natural ecosystems had the greatest potential in providing mental, spiritual and environmental health due to ecological characteristics of wilderness and aesthetic. The artificial ecosystems had the greatest potential in providing physical and social health due to their easy access. However, there was a match between social health’ needs and ecosystem potential in the rural areas. The study highlighted the need for promotion of ecological indicators related to mental health in urban areas by enhancing silence and aesthetic in artificial ecosystems. Presented framework can provide comprehensive information on the weaknesses and strengths of different ecosystems to promote public health based on social needs and fixing the weaknesses of artificial ecosystems in urban areas.

Effect of Therapeutic Gardening Program in Urban Gardens on the Mental Health of Children and Their Caregivers with Atopic Dermatitis.

This study was conducted to identify the physical and psychological difficulties of children with atopic dermatitis and their caregivers, and to investigate the effects of participation in a novel therapeutic gardening program based on psychological intervention on their physical and mental health. The program, consisting of 15 sessions, was conducted for approximately 4 months in urban gardens in Seoul and involved 30 children with atopic dermatitis and their caregivers. Additionally, a control group of 30 non-participating caregivers was recruited for comparative analysis. The psychological and emotional changes in caregivers were assessed using six self-report scales (depression, anxiety, stress, vitality, life satisfaction, parenting efficacy) before and after participation in the program. Additionally, the depression index (CDI) and atopic dermatitis index (SCORAD, TEWL) were measured for the children with atopic dermatitis. The research results indicate that the therapeutic gardening program utilizing psychological intervention had a positive impact on the physiological and psychological health of participants. These results are significant as they demonstrate the clinical application of the professionally developed therapeutic gardening program through active intervention and operation. This study suggests that this program can serve as an effective intervention in improving the mental health of both children with atopic dermatitis and their caregivers.