(NaturalPath) A study out of the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences notes that urban gardeners plant a diverse variety of plants, creating different ecosystems, born from their different cultural backgrounds.
“Ecosystem services are the benefits that ecosystems provide to humans. In a natural ecosystem, these are things like natural medicinal products or carbon that’s sequestered by forest trees. In an urban context, it would be similar types of things. For example, shade from trees provides microclimate control to keep us more comfortable,” said one researcher.
Specifically, the researchers looked at urban gardens in Chicago and found most were in African-American, Chinese-origin, and Mexican-origin communities. They visited and interviewed nearly 60 households, noting the variety of plants and trees in each garden.
While the urban gardens certainly affected the ecosystem, the researchers noted that, “urban gardens play an important role in the cultural lives of gardeners and may lead to greater food security where fresh produce is not easily available.”
“Each cultural group was specifically selecting ethnic crops and propagating plants that were familiar to them,” the same researcher said. “I think, in some ways, especially for first generation immigrants to Chicago, it’s a way to bring a feeling of home.”
A few examples include collards and okra only being found in gardens of African Americans, only Mexican-origin gardeners growing Papalo and tomatillo, and only Chinese-origin gardeners growing bitter melon, yardlong bean, winter melon, fuzzy gourd, and bok choy.
In a busy city, an urban garden can provide a feeling of home for immigrants, as well as being a medicinal and food source.
Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name.