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Urban food forestry: Linking people, nature, and food in cities
The document discusses urban food forestry (UFF) as a strategy to improve food security and ecosystem services in cities amidst challenges like climate change and urbanization. It highlights the rise of UFF initiatives, their integration into urban planning, and the potential of planting food-producing trees to contribute to food availability and access. Lastly, it addresses the need for planning, species selection, and the challenges faced in implementing UFF effectively.
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Urban food forestry: Linking people, nature, and food in cities
- 1. Urban Food Forestry: LinkingPeople, Nature, and Food in Cities Kimberly Nicholas kimberly.nicholas.academic@gmail.com, @KA_Nicholas Reference: Clark, KH & Nicholas, KA. 2013. Introducing urban food forestry: a multifunctional approach to increase food security and provide ecosystem services. Landscape Ecology 28(9) Image:MidwestPermaculture
- 2. Cities and BiodiversityOutlook: Action and Policy 2013 1
- 3. Current trends Source: U.N.World Population Prospects: The 2006 Revision • Rapid worldwide urbanization • Concerns about food security (particularly in cities) • Climate change potentially exacerbating food insecurity • “Dual burden” of malnutrition • Governments and planners seeking ways to mitigate these issues
- 4. Ch. 1 inElmqvist et al., 20133
- 5. Ch. 1 inElmqvist et al., 20134
- 6.
- 7. Where People Live Wikimedia,basedon2010USCensusdata 6 Reuters/StefanWermuth WhereFruit Trees Live http://www.usbr.gov/
- 8. Foley et al.2005. Science Tradeoffs Between Ecosystem Services 7
- 9. Urban Food Forestry(UFF)* Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology * ‘‘the intentional and strategic use of woody perennial food-producing species in urban edible landscapes to improve the sustainability and resilience of urban communities.’’ http://urbanfoodforestry.org/ 8
- 10. Trädgård på Spåret,Stockholm Prinzessinnengarten, Berlin High Line, NYC Ten Yards Project, Michael Bernstein9
- 11. Urban Forestry Local ®ional climate Water & air quality Wildlife habitat Property values Health Food security Resilience Community engagement & development Habitat Poverty alleviation Resource conservation 10 Urban Agriculture Agroforestry Urban Food Forestry
- 12. How can urbanforestry enhance food security? 1. Are there existing initiatives that bridge urban forestry and food security? 2. What is the potential capacity for urban food trees to contribute to food security? 3. What species are suitable for food production in the context of a changing climate? Urban Sustainability Food Security Climate Resilience
- 13. 1. What activitiesdo current UFF initiatives undertake? 12
- 14. Clark and Nicholas,2013, Landscape Ecology N=37 community UFF initiatives Most founded 2007 or later 1. What activities are UFF initiatives undertaking? 13
- 15. Clark and Nicholas,2013, Landscape Ecology N=37 community UFF initiatives Most founded 2007 or later 1. What activities are UFF initiatives undertaking? 14 neighborhoodfruit.com
- 16. Clark and Nicholas,2013, Landscape Ecology N=37 community UFF initiatives Most founded 2007 or later 1. What activities are UFF initiatives undertaking? neighborhoodfruit.com 15
- 17. Planting Mapping Harvesting Clark and Nicholas,2013, Landscape Ecology 1. What activities are UFF initiatives undertaking? 8% 16
- 18. Trees are registeredonline Volunteers pick fruit, split 3 ways Initiative is growing rapidly Examples of current initiatives
- 19. Mapping Initiatives Source: fallenfruit.orgSource: neighborhoodfruit.com
- 20.
- 21. • 34 orchardsplanted since 2007 • 656 trees • 1,229 shrubs and vines • 7,348 perennials • Planting over 20 varieties of fruit and nut trees 20
- 22. 2. How arecities planning for urban food forests? “Food” “Fruit” “Wildlife” 21 Out of 30 Cities… 23 (77%) mentioned wildlife habitat / food security 4 (13%) mentioned human food security Analyzed over 2000 pages of text from documents from 30 cities
- 23. Quotes from UFPlans “When replacing existing trees, we need to take food security issues into consideration by planting diverse varieties of native and non-native food producing trees.” (Victoria, British Columbia) “the District can protect the biodiversity of wild foods by educating about sustainable harvesting, diversifying Park planting regimens to include fruit and nut trees, addressing regulatory barriers to food production, and promoting shade grown foods to preserve tree cover.” (Selchelt, British Columbia)
- 24. 2. How arecities planning for UFF? Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology “wildlife” N= 30 urban forestry master plans 80 60 40 20 Percentmentioningconcept AndreaColon 77% 23 City planners recognize benefits of trees for wildlife…
- 25. 2. How arecities planning for UFF? Brendan Callahan Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology 13% “wildlife” “food” N= 30 urban forestry master plans 80 60 40 20 Percentmentioningconcept AndreaColon 77% 24 City planners recognize benefits of trees for wildlife… …but not for people.
- 26. 25 Trees can benefitboth people and wildlife!
- 27. 3. What isthe potential capacity for UFF to contribute to food security? 26 Components of food security Food availability Food access Food utilization S t a b i l i t y o v e r t i m e Production Distribution Exchange Affordability Allocation Preference Nutritional value Social value Food satefy
- 28. Which trees, andwhere? Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology Open space in Burlington, VT Image:fruitwise.net 27
- 29. How many trees? Openspace High (50%) Med (25%) Low (5%) Planting scenarios 28
- 30.
- 31. Open space High (50%) Med(25%) Low (5%) Med (50%) High (75%) Low (25%) Commercial yield: Med (50%) High (75%) Low (25%) Med (50%) High (75%) Low (25%) Yield scenarios Planting scenarios 30
- 32. Open space High (50%) Med(25%) Low (5%) Med (50%) High (75%) Low (25%) Commercial yield: Med (50%) High (75%) Low (25%) Med (50%) High (75%) Low (25%) Yield scenarios Planting scenarios 31
- 33. How much food? -= Tons Calories 32
- 34. Relative to whatneed? • Recommended minimum daily intake of fruit (200 g according to WHO / FAO) • Estimated caloric deficit of “very food insecure” (VFI) population of Burlington • 4,870 individuals (11.7% of population) is VFI • Annual caloric deficit of 833 million kilocalories • 3,023 metric tons needed to meet minimum intake
- 35. Relative to whatneed? Very Food Insecure Recommended fruit intake Caloric deficit 34
- 36. 3. How manypeople could UFF feed? Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology VFIdeficitmet(inner) 35
- 37. 3. How manypeople could UFF feed? Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology VFIdeficitmet(inner) 36
- 38. 3. How manypeople could UFF feed? Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology VFIdeficitmet(inner) 37
- 39. 3. Urban treescould provide substantial food Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology VFIdeficitmet(inner) 38
- 40. 4. What speciesare suitable for UFF? Roloff et al., 2009 + Additional edible species 1. Edible 2. Commercial 3. Familiarity 4. Edible raw 5. No special prep…. Climate-Species Matrix 39
- 41. 4. What treesare suitable for UFF? + http://urbanfoodforestry.org/ 40 70 recommended, 30 highly suitable
- 42. UFF contributes tofood security 41 Components of food security Food availability Food access Food utilization S t a b i l i t y o v e r t i m e Production Distribution Exchange Affordability Allocation Preference Nutritional value Social value Food satefy New production Avoided waste Local Free or cheap Economic development Nutrient-dense Diverse diets Buffering shocks, extend seasonal availability, preserving
- 43. A few potentialproblems to consider • Maintenance • Pests and diseases • Falling and rotting fruit • Invasive species • Unequal access
- 44. Conclusions • Urban foodforestry initiatives are on the rise and are growing in ambition • Urban planners are increasingly integrating food trees into urban forestry plans • Urban food trees can address urban food insecurity • Only part of the solution 43
- 45. A few ideasto consider… 44
- 46. “Agrifitting” • Agriculturally retrofittingexisting urban forest • Planting shade-tolerant fruiting understory species • Grafting existing ornamental plants (e.g. pears and apples), “guerilla grafting”
- 47. Integrated perennial food/energysystems • Utilizing food trees that can be coppiced (e.g. hazelnut) • Utilizing waste fruit for methane production
- 48. Rethinking landscape valueand function 47 Ecobelts-> Food belts?