Exploring the potential of edible forest gardens: experiences from a participatory action research project in Sweden

Abstract

To meet the environmental challenges that are presently confronting society, the narrow focus on agricultural production needs to be altered to one that places equal value on the generation of crucial ecosystem services. Current research shows that perennial intercropping systems such as agroforestry may be a feasible alternative. Based on studies during the establishment of edible forest gardens in 12 participating farms in Sweden, this paper explores the potential of utilizing multi-strata designs for food production in temperate, highincome countries. Design and species composition of such gardens, types of food they provide, and how they would best fit into the present landscape are discussed. Factors for success and major problems related to the establishment are shared. Potential benefits were found to be closely related to a thorough analysis of the social and ecological contexts before establishment. Characteristics of the site and goals of the garden need to guide species and design choices. If forest garden approaches to food production should contribute to more than local selfsufficiency, the gardens need to increase in scale. Marginal lands and transitions areas between different land uses may be appropriate. Large knowledge gaps concerning potential production, social and economic benefits, and agronomic issues were identified.

Temperate Agroforestry: How Forest Garden Systems Combined with People-Based Ethics Can Transform Culture

“…Informed by Lovell et al [7], a study in Sweden followed a group of 12 participant growers as they established (i.e., first four years of growth) edible forest gardens (60 m 2 in size) on farms ranging in size from 3 to 200 hectares [56]. The FGSs were designed with the same species composition and plant layout, and their purpose was subsistence, commercial reasons, or both.…”

New Conceptions of Sufficient Home Size in High-Income Countries: Are We Approaching a Sustainable Consumption Transition?

“…The relative popularity of urban and regional self-sufficiency in parts of the Nordic countries is also an important dimension of this debate, but autonomous management of resources raises a different set of issues than sufficiency. For work that emphasizes the self-sufficiency of geographic areas of the region, refer to Iveroth, Johansson, and Brandt (2013) and Björklund, Eksvärd, and Schaffer (2019). 14.…”

Can Agroforestry Grow beyond Its Niche and Contribute to a Transition towards Sustainable Agriculture in Sweden?

“…To explore and learn more about agroforestry in temperate regions, a group of researchers and Swedish agricultural producers has conducted a pilot project on agroforestry in Sweden through a participatory action research (PAR) project and has tested and analysed different forms of agroforestry across 12 farms. The joint work and the process of establishment applied at each farm are presented in detail in an online report written in Swedish [28], and outputs of the PAR project are published in Björklund et al (2018) [29]. In this paper, we will investigate the need for agroforestry to expand beyond its niche and through this transition become an acknowledged facet of Swedish sustainable agriculture.…”

“…Through the PAR project, the group decided to plan for and apply three forms of agroforestry: edible forest gardens at all 12 farms where 3 of the farms also planned for silvopastures and five planned silvoarable systems. The edible forest garden design (compositions of plants and sizes) presented in Björklund et al 2018 was adopted by the group [29]. Locations, the preparation of land and the addition of plants were individually determined at different farms (see Figure 1 and Table 1).…”

“…As outputs of this project, 12 edible gardens and one silvoarable system were established as well as reference data for future research, extensive nutritional data on two unmapped crops, additional nut gardens created on 12 farms, demonstration plots with nearly 140 varieties, a conference article and poster, and a report describing the 12 cases and group outcomes published online in Swedish [28,29].…”