The Case For Edible Public Spaces in Cities
Australian landscape architect, Joshua Zeunert, says the time is now.
By Lindsay Campbell
Modern Farmer
Oct 12, 2020
Excerpt:
MF: There was a study conducted a few years ago that found 51 countries around the world lacked the public space to grow what would meet the daily nutritional recommendation (300 grams per person) of fresh vegetables. Is it possible to overcome this challenge?
JZ: In Australia, when we have new developments, there’s generally a percentage of land that needs to be given over as public space. Countries that don’t have that sort of mechanism need to fight to have that park or public square and then advocate for what they want in that space.
Studies worldwide point to the fact that parks and public spaces are in higher socio-economic areas. And it’s generally the lower socio-economic areas that have edible public spaces as more of a need as subsistence rather than this beautiful thing to look upon or stroll through. There are big structural, social issues that are super important. It’s trying to get more edible species in a way that creates benefits for as many people as possible.
MF: Are edible public spaces particularly important now in the midst of a pandemic?
JZ: This topic is something I’ve been advocating for over 10 years now. But it has picked up a little more interest more recently with bare shelves, stores and nurseries sold out of anything vaguely edible. I think it’s just important to our resilience. Making more public spaces edible, reducing the amount of lawns and making those into edible spaces so that when a shock comes, the impact is less significant.
