urban food forestry: linking people, nature, and food in cities

Urban Food Forestry:Linking People, Nature, and Food in Cities

Kimberly [email protected], @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)

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2Cities and Biodiversity Outlook: Action and Policy 2013

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

4Ch. 1 in Elmqvist et al., 2013

5Ch. 1 in Elmqvist et al., 2013

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Where Fruit Trees Live

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8Foley et al. 2005. Science

Tradeoffs Between Ecosystem Services

Urban Food Forestry (UFF)*

Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape Ecology

* ‘‘the intentional and strategic use of woody perennial food-producingspecies in urban edible landscapes to improve the sustainability and resilience of urban communities.’’

http://urbanfoodforestry.org/ 9

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Trädgård på Spåret, Stockholm

Prinzessinnengarten, Berlin

High Line, NYC

Ten Yards Project, Michael Bernstein

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Urban ForestryLocal & regional climateWater & air quality Wildlife habitatProperty valuesHealth

Food security ResilienceCommunity engagement & development

HabitatPoverty alleviationResource conservation

Urban Agriculture

Agroforestry

Urban Food Forestry

How can urban forestry 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

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1. What activities do current UFF initiatives undertake?

Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape EcologyN=37 community UFF initiativesMost founded 2007 or later

1. What activities are UFF initiatives undertaking?

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Planting

Mapping

Harvesting



8%

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Trees are registered online Volunteers pick fruit, split 3 ways Initiative is growing rapidly

Examples of current initiatives

Mapping Initiatives

Source: fallenfruit.org Source: neighborhoodfruit.com

Fruktsam.info

• 34 orchards planted since 2007• 656 trees• 1,229 shrubs and vines• 7,348 perennials• Planting over 20 varieties of fruit and nut trees

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2. How are cities planning for urban food forests?

“Food”

“Fruit”

“Wildlife”

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

Quotes from UF Plans“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)

2. How are cities planning for UFF?


“wildlife” N= 30 urban forestry master plans

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77%

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City planners recognize benefits of trees for wildlife…

2. How are cities planning for UFF?

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13%

“wildlife” “food”N= 30 urban forestry master plans

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60

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77%

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City planners recognize benefits of trees for wildlife…

…but not for people.

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Trees can benefit both people and wildlife!

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3. What is the potential capacity for UFF to contribute to food security?

Which trees, and where?

Clark and Nicholas, 2013, Landscape EcologyOpen space in Burlington, VT

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How many trees?

Open space

High (50%)

Med (25%)

Low (5%)

Planting scenarios

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How many apples?

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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

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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

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How much food?

- = Tons

Calories

Relative to what need? • 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

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Relative to what need?

Very Food Insecure

Recommended fruit intake

Caloric deficit

3. How many people could UFF feed?


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VFI

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3. Urban trees could provide substantial food


VFI

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4. What species are suitable for UFF?

Roloff et al., 2009

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Additional edible species

1. Edible

2. Commercial

3. Familiarity

4. Edible raw

5. No special prep….

Climate-Species Matrix

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4. What trees are suitable for UFF?

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http://urbanfoodforestry.org/

70 recommended, 30 highly suitable

UFF contributes to food security

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New productionAvoided waste

Local Free or cheap

Economic developmentNutrient-dense

Diverse diets

Buffering shocks, extend seasonal availability, preserving

A few potential problems to consider• Maintenance

• Pests and diseases

• Falling and rotting fruit

• Invasive species

• Unequal access

Conclusions

• Urban food forestry 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

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A few ideas to consider…

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“Agrifitting”

• Agriculturally retrofitting existing urban forest• Planting shade-tolerant fruiting understory species• Grafting existing ornamental plants (e.g. pears and

apples), “guerilla grafting”

Integrated perennial food/energy systems• Utilizing food trees that can be coppiced (e.g. hazelnut)• Utilizing waste fruit for methane production

Rethinking landscape value and function

48Ecobelts-> Food belts?

urban food forestry: linking people, nature, and food in cities

Education