Thesis (M.L.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 36-37) Also available in print.

Kyle Marshall Moller

Historically, community gardens have served to provide food during wartime or periods of economic depression. Today, in addition to fresh and healthy produce, community gardens provide many other economical, social and environmental benefits. Many industrial cities have suffered severe damage to their economic base and lost at least 20 percent of their residents since half a century ago. Shrinking cities have become an issue that challenges the conventional planning orthodoxies assuming a constant-growth reality that no longer existed. There is a general understanding of how urban agriculture can benefit participants, neighborhoods, and communities. However, there are not many studies that particularly focus on urban agriculture and its association with stabilizing and revitalizing neighborhoods in shrinking cities. The purpose of this article is to understand the motivations and justifications of establishing urban agriculture in shrinking cities and how urban agriculture is perceived as economic and social tools for revitalizing the neighborhoods and reshaping the cityscapes through comparative case studies of Detroit and Cleveland. / text

With many of our cities today faced with a number of urban issues, there is an increasing need for cities to development sustainably. Urban Agriculture can play an important role in achieving environmental, social and economic sustainability for urban cities. The prospect of growing food locally will have profound benefits on the urban area. This study is conducted to look at how urban agriculture can be incorporated into the built environment of Hong Kong in order to contribute to its sustainability. Thorough extensive review of literature, overseas practices and interviews with various professionals, scholars, government officials, local bodies, etc., it is found that there are various development constraints inhibiting the development of urban agriculture in Hong Kong. Recommendations are made for enhancing urban agriculture from a planning policy and development framework perspective in hope that this study can spark interested from different members of the community in promoting local food production in urban cities. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Geography and Geology / Master / Master of Philosophy

Chronic health conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are on the rise in Canada, and particularly in Nova Scotia. Lifestyle-related factors including stress level, exercise, and a healthy diet are crucial to preventing such illnesses. Research shows that access to greenspace can greatly effect physical and mental health in terms of stress-reduction, social cohesion and exercise promotion. Importantly, food-producing greenspace provides further mental and physical benefits; highlighting the importance of a healthy diet and a connection to the earth. Despite these findings, productive greenspace in our cities as a viable source of wellness is not optimized. This project, located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, examines how productive greenspace can be integrated with interactive learning spaces to encourage a preventative approach to lifestyle-based illnesses.

Thesis (M.Inst.Agrar.)(Agricultural Economics)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes summary. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

The dissertation investigates the notion of resilience in the urban environment. The potential for architecture to adapt to the changing contexts. The study focuses on regenerating decayed urban environments using a relationship between architecture and the landscape. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

No description available.

Migration from rural to urban areas has characterized the South African population in the last quarter of the 20th century. More recently, internal urban growth itself has contributed to the rapid growth of cities. This rapid population increase in towns and cities has resulted in a range of social and environmental problems. Food insecurity is one such problem, it is contended, that could be addressed by the more wide spread development of urban agriculture (UA). The literature review helped the researcher to understand the problems and potential of UA. For the purposes of this study , UA is defined as the growing of plants , tree crops and raising of livestock within and at peri-urban areas. It focuses specifically on the 'community' type ventures rather than that associated with individual households. UA is an effective and efficient way of converting urban waste land and underutilized resources into food products , generate income and create jobs . The literature review and the case studies underlined the importance of UA to supplement household income and address issue of food security. However, the activity has been largely overlooked by local government, policy makers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It was also realized that UA is not a widespread or common practice in the cities of South Africa although the majority of the urban populations are poor due to past apartheid policy, rapid urbanization and the relatively slow growth of the economy as a whole. Against the above background, this study focused on socio-economic analysis of vegetable production in the study area by identifying and examining the role played and potential socio-economic and environmental importance of UA in the Greater Edendale Area (GEA). The study was conducted in the GEA particularly in three vegetable gardens, namely, the African Tree Centre (ATC), the Edendale Lay Ecumenical Centre (ELEC) and the Willow Fountain Centre (WFC). Primary data were collected through using structured interviews, key informant interviews , personal observation and through a literature review and the consultation of documents and records from the organizations surveyed. Agricultural activities in general and UA in particular in the study area were limited. Production at present is also low. However, the production of vegetables and fruits and the raising of poultry do relatively well when compared to other UA activities. Very few people in the study area were practising UA because of the lack of suitable land set aside for the purpose, lack of equipment and lack of financial and technical support. The initial cost of starting community based UA was found to be high. This situation has limited the number of urban farmers. If people are able to meet the start up costs, they can provide the urban poor with fresh and affordable produce. ln addition, the lack of information and awareness, in relation to the actual and potential benefit of UA, has limited its spread in the study area. It is also possible to optimize the capacity of UA with limited inputs. High production per hectare is possible and is well suited to low-income families and it allows women, who constitute the majority of urban farmers, to participate. The young, the old and the unemployed are other potential beneficiaries. However, lack of recognition, and cultural biases (i.e, many urban managers and policy makers think that allowing UA in cities 'ruralises' them of its activities hinder the realization of the potential role of UA. Therefore, integration of UAin the plans, policies and activities of stakeholders, particularly urban planners, city administrations, NGOs, local universities, extension and credit organizations, and community based organizations (CBOs) should be a priority issue. Strategies to ensure a higher priority for UA need to be carefully articulated. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.