Beyond the Food Forest: How a community’s openness to urban agroforestry in a riparian area aligns with municipal urban forestry and biodiversity strategies
Catherine Dowdell
Advisors: Dr. Melissa McHale, Daniel Sax, Dr. Sara Barron
Abstract
Agroforestry research in various spatial scales and climates in recent decades has lent a traditional land-use practice its due credence. Terminology related to food forestry, permaculture, community gardening and urban agroforestry are discrepancies only with respect to spatial scale and the degree and type of human interaction with the landscape in use. The research specific to this study is based on a seven-acre plot in a naturalized area within a culturally significant park in the City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This report provides evidence to support the hypothesis that residents and users of the study area are open to the addition of fruit- and/or nut-bearing trees, shrubs and perennials in layered, complimentary plantings. Methods included a review of existing City of Calgary plans, strategies, and policies, a survey to residents and users of the park, and a preliminary site analysis. Themes of biodiversity, conservation, food, and climate adaptation were explored through the lenses of community engagement, urban forestry, riparian management, and connectivity of natural infrastructure.
This study is relevant, replicable, and scalable to support urban green corridors in sensitive watersheds. The evidence shows that scalability of urban agroforestry in other urban and peri-urban environments in riparian areas within Canada and throughout the world could address climate change, rapid urbanization, habitat loss and food security, with co-governance and stewardship at the community level to inform future land use policies.
Keywords
urban forestry, agroforestry, riparian, biodiversity, community, land-use policy