Public Food Trees’ Usage and Perception, and Their Potential for Participatory Edible Cities: A Case Study in Birjand, Iran

Juliette Colinas, Francesca Ugolini and Mohammad Reza Khalilnezhad ()
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Juliette Colinas: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
Francesca Ugolini: Institute of Bioeconomy (IBE), National Research Council, 50145 Florence, Italy
Mohammad Reza Khalilnezhad: Faculty of Arts, University of Birjand, Birjand City 9717434765, Iran

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-23

Abstract: Public food trees are increasingly popular among researchers, urban planners, and citizens for their diversity of social, provisional, and environmental benefits. However, more research is needed to determine how to overcome their barriers. Here we used a qualitative approach to explore the usage and perception of public fruit trees and attitudes towards public usage and participation in two urban green spaces harboring fruit trees in Birjand, Iran: Tohid Park and Akbarieh Garden. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve visitors to both spaces, four administrators, and eight workers. Almost all visitors had great personal experience and interest in picking fruit; nevertheless, usage in these green spaces was low, partly due to social norms. Almost all visitors appreciated the public fruit trees for the diverse pleasures that they provide (sensory, emotional, cognitive, experiential, social). Ten also had a high interest in participating in their management, especially in Tohid Park due to its greater social impact. Education and access limitation were suggested by some as important to reduce tree damage and maximize production. Our findings expand our understanding of how citizens relate to public urban fruit trees and can be involved in co-management schemes, thereby contributing to building smart and participatory edible cities.

Keywords: public produce; public urban fruit trees; edible city; participatory city (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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