1.
The potential of edible forest gardening
in urban areas
– a case study from Stockholm, Sweden
Christina Schaffer , Stockholm University

2.
Christina Schaffer
Department of Physical Geography,
Stockholm University
Stockholm, Sweden
christina.schaffer@natgeo.su.se
- Örebro University (supervizor Johanna Björklund)
- Research and experimental agroforestry farming on
small farm Kopparberg (Örebro)
- Applied edible forest gardening Stockholm
- EURAF member

3.
My PhD work
• Sustainable food production
• Agroforestry pilot study 13 small farms
Sweden
-on choice of crops, potential environmental
benefits, culinary aspects = food
• Urban agriculture temperate zones
(Stockholm)
• Edible forest gardens, urban food
forests,edible parks
• Multifunctional benefits /ecosystem services

4.
This aim of this paper…
…is to study the 4 existing edible forest
gardens in Stockholm by investigate how
have these edible forest garden been used
so far? And what are the benefits and
constrains with these edible forests gardens?

5.
What is an edible forest garden?
• Multi layers
• Edible perennials
• Intercropping
• Guilds (groups)of veg,
herbs, flowers
• No digging/tilling
• No irrigation, fertilization
• Contributes to several
ecosystem services
…and for some reasons
becoming popular in Sweden!

6.
Inspiration
Martin Crawfords
Forest Garden in
Devon UK
Book:
”Creating a edible
Forest garden”
2010

7.
Material and methods
• Study visits 2011-15 on 4 gardens
Stockholm
• Participatory observations in planting and
community events
• interviews with initiators and managers
of the gardens.
• Studies of planning documents,
initiatives and ambitions regarding
sustainability from the municipality of
Stockholm.

8.
Findings (some)
• The 4 edible forest gardens are used by local residents,
children, green groups, students and the public.
• They are used (intentional) study visit groups or
(unintentional) passers by etc, or by actively taking part in
planting, management and harvesting
• The potential benefits are community building, informal and
informal learning, recreational values, and experience of
new crops
• High interest in new crops like healthy “super berries” but
also
• Insecurity on what and when to harvest
• Volunteers as managers is a challenge for the continuity
• Local authorities and housing companies are interested in
edible perennials in public parks, if introduced to them

9.
Some conclusion
Edible forest gardens:
• as community gardens, could function as
an arena for participation in creating a
sustainable city and
• contribute to social cohesion, security
and to public health

10.
More conclusions
• as a replacement of ornamental trees
and shrubs in dense urban areas could
contribute to food security
• located in public areas as parks could
function as communication on
sustainable food production in general
and in particular on agroforestry, which is
not well known in Sweden

11.
Two ways (at least) with this
data
1) more on these types of gardens function in the urban
landscape and add maps, list of spieces, ecology, climate
mitigation and environmental aspects
2a) Compare the benefits from EFG with goals, initiatives
and programs in Stockholm municipality/ county
-So far; match with ”social sustainability” and various
environmental programs
-new housing vs conservation of green areas
-”green roof fever”
b) Or compare this with benefits from diffrent kinds of
urban agriculture?

12.
Thank
Thank you!