New organizational forms of urban garden management

• Research unit: COST
• Project number: C14.0065

Key words (English)

alternative garden forms; social engagement; multi stakeholder processes; scenario analysis; transition management; future search

Research programs (English)

COST-Action TU1201 - Urban Allotment Gardens in European Cities - Future, Challenges and Lessons Learned

Short description (English)

Allotment gardens have been a successful model for urban food production for over a century, but there is evidence that the changes in our society call for optimisation and innovation of the allotment garden system in Switzerland. The social component of allotment gardens is diminishing, people don't volunteer to serve on management committees, the turnover of gardeners is higher, and people seek to adapt the existing system or seek alternatives. The aim of this mixed methods study is to explore which organisational forms of urban gardens, including hybrids of alternative and traditional systems are best suited to our current society and in which integration and engagement are enhanced. Furthermore, the project will analyse the effect of different organisational forms of allotment gardens and community gardens on mental and social health and wellbeing, on place attachment and on the social integration of the tenant gardeners. We will use expert interviews to gain a more precise understanding of the problems, followed by qualitative methods to identify possible future scenarios. These scenarios will be tested using quantitative methods, and strategies will be developed in light of system transition theory. The resulting strategies will provide city managers with tools to structure allotment gardens, in a way that builds a sense of community, so that knowledge transfer between participants is enabled, volunteers can be found, and retention rates are increased

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise: Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL Sozialwissenschaftliche Landschaftsforschung

Partners and International Organizations (English)

AT; BE; HR; CY; CZ; DK; EE; FI; FR; MK; DE; EL; IE; IL; IT; LV; LT; LU; MT; NL; NO: PL; PT; RS; SK; SI; ES; SE; UK; NZ

Abstract (English)

The project focuses on two important aspects of urban gardening, (1) optimal organizational forms and (2) the health benefits of urban gardening. To assess the current status regarding the organizational forms, interviews were conducted with city officials and presidents of garden societies. Building on these interviews, scenario workshops will be conducted focusing on possible and desired future developments of urban gardening. Regarding the health benefits, a quasi-experimental approach is being pursued in comparing first-time allotment gardeners with people still on waiting lists for an allotment. For both groups, subjective appraisals of stressors, stress symptoms, health and psychological wellbeing are assessed at the beginning and at the end of the gardening season of 2016. The subjective appraisals are being complemented by objective measurements of the “stress hormone” cortisol. Data collection for both aspects of the project is currently ongoing.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. [phone] Swiss Project-Number: C14.0065