Tradition, Dynamics and Sustainability of Plant Species Composition and Management in Homegardens on Organic and Non-Organic Small Scale Farms in Alpine Eastern Tyrol, Austria

Abstract

In Eastern Tyrol (Austria), homegardens are an integral part of the farming system. The aim of this paper is to present evidence for the development of gardening in the study area and to identify differences/similarities between gardens at organic and non-organic farms. In 1997 and 1998, in homegardens on 91 organic and 105 non-organic farms from 12 communities, occurrence and abundance of cultivated plant species were surveyed and interviews were carried out about garden history, management and plant use. For the factor organic/non-organic, differences between gardens were statistically tested. Garden management is similar in organic/non-organic gardens, except mixed cropping and the use of alternative remedies to combat diseases, both with significantly higher occurrence on organic farms. Popular innovations from organic farming did not have a strong and clearly visible impact on management of homegardens. The population of cultivated plant species, until the 1960s approx. 51; nowadays approx. 587 species in all gardens, and main use of garden produce has been in a process of change with an increase in importance of species used as food and for decoration, but with no significant differences concerning organic/ non-organic. Women farmers gardening in Eastern Tyrol are highly sympathetic to the principles of organic farming, even on non-organic farms. Sustainability can be increased when methods from organic gardening are promoted and tested locally more effectively. Science and policy should recognize the work of women farmers who maintain homegardens with high agrobiodiversity as part of their culture.

Status, Diversity, and Traditional Uses of Homestead Gardens in Northern Bangladesh: A Means of Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation

“…Several studies showed that species diversity in a homestead garden can range from less than five [9][10][11][12] to more than 100 [13][14][15]. In Bangladesh, various studies, for example, [3,7,9,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] explore the floristic composition (mainly trees) in the homestead gardens; homestead agroforestry system by [24][25][26]; homestead plantation and traditional uses by [27,28]; quantitative structure and silvicultural management by [29][30][31]; production and services by [32,33].…”

Tools and Methods for Data Collection in Ethnobotanical Studies of Homegardens

“…Much ethnobotanical research on homegardens is still carried out among the indigenous peoples of the tropical developing world (see Millat-e-Mustafa 1996 for a review of homegarden research). This research has led to interesting results and new insights into the composition, management, and importance of these agroecosystems for subsistence and cash income, the application of tradi-To enhance ethnobotanical research on homegardens and to encourage a discussion of scientific methodology, we present here the tools and methods we have used to collect data while studying homegardens of Ch'ol and Tzeltal migrants of Lowland Chiapas in Mexico (Vogl 1998;Vogl, VoglLukasser, and Caballero 2002) and of Eastern Tyrolean farmers in Austria Vogl-Lukasser, Vogl, and BolharNordenkampf 2002;Vogl and Vogl-Lukasser 2004), and in Kalimantan, Indonesia (Puri 1997(Puri , 2001Sheil et al 2002).…”

The Turnip (<i>Brassica rapa</i> L. subsp. <i>rapa</i>) in Eastern Tyrol (Lienz district; Austria)

“…The study of the turnip began with the broader ethnobotanical study between 1997 and 1998 where 196 home gardens on farms from 12 communities in Eastern Tyrol were investigated (Vogl et al 2004, Vogl & Vogl-Lukasser 2003, Vogl-Lukasser & Vogl 2002, 2005. In this inventory, 16 women farmers were found who grew turnip either in their gardens or as field vegetable in arable plots near their homesteads.…”