Urban Allotment Gardens in Europe

Although urban allotment gardening dates back to the nineteenth century, it has recently undergone a renaissance of interest and popularity. This is the result of greater concern over urban greenspace, food security and quality of life. This book presents a comprehensive, research-based overview of the various features, benefits and values associated with urban allotment gardening in Europe.

The book is based on a European COST Action project, which brings together researchers and practitioners from all over Europe for the first detailed exploration of the subject on a continent-wide scale. It assesses the policy, planning and design aspects, as well as the social and ecological benefits of urban allotment gardening. Through an examination of the wide range of different traditions and practices across Europe, it brings together the most recent research to discuss the latest evolutions of urban allotment gardening and to help raise awareness and fill knowledge gaps.

The book provides a multidisciplinary perspective, including insights from horticulture and soil science, ecology, sociology, urban geography, landscape, planning and design. The themes are underpinned by case studies from 26 European countries which supply a wide range of examples to illustrate different key issues.

Simon Bell is a professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia, and Associate Director of the OPENspace Research Centre, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, UK.

Runrid Fox-Kaemper is head of the research area "Built Environment" at the ILS Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development at Aachen, Germany.

Nazila Keshavarz is a research associate at the ILS Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development at Aachen, Germany.

Matthias Drilling is Head of the Institute for Social Planning and Urban Development at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland.

Mary Benson is a sociologist and social researcher in the Department of Sociology and Politics at National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM).

Annette Voigt is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the research group Urban and Landscape Ecology in the Department of Geography and Geology, University Salzburg, Austria.

Silvio Caputo is a practicing architect and a lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, UK.