<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Recent effects of globalization, urbanization and climate change have resulted in an increasing interest in the quality of life in cities and seeking pathways for its improvement. At the same time, there are changes in society and lifestyles that may challenge or facilitate these pathways. Community gardens (CGs) represent an effort to provide more sustainable urban economies, while reflecting on the public demand for cultivation of own crops. However, members of CGs may not perceive all the benefits that CGs provide for their surroundings. Using two case studied from Czechia (CG Kuchyňka and CG Vidimova in Prague) the aim of this paper is a comparison of the benefits perceived by community garden members and the evaluated net social benefits of community gardens in cities for all local residents. Through a questionnaire survey, the paper answers the research question of the benefits of community gardens perceived by community garden members. An economic assessment based on cost-benefit analysis was made to answer the question of the value of the net social benefits of community gardens in cities. Our comparison shows that the net social benefits are higher than perceived by their members. Net present benefits of EUR 31 550 for CG Kuchyňka and EUR 1 175 for CG Vidimova were quantified in a 50-year horizon. This economic analysis should contribute to greater support for community gardens by city governments and spatial planners.</p></abstract>

Recent effects of globalization, urbanization and climate change have resulted in an increasing interest in the quality of life in cities and seeking pathways for its improvement. At the same time, there are changes in society and lifestyles that may challenge or facilitate these pathways. Community gardens (CGs) represent an effort to provide more sustainable urban economies, while reflecting on the public demand for cultivation of own crops. However, members of CGs may not perceive all the benefits that CGs provide for their surroundings. Using two case studied from Czechia (CG Kuchyňka and CG Vidimova in Prague) the aim of this paper is a comparison of the benefits perceived by community garden members and the evaluated net social benefits of community gardens in cities for all local residents. Through a questionnaire survey, the paper answers the research question of the benefits of community gardens perceived by community garden members. An economic assessment based on cost-benefit analysis was made to answer the question of the value of the net social benefits of community gardens in cities. Our comparison shows that the net social benefits are higher than perceived by their members. Net present benefits of EUR 31 550 for CG Kuchyňka and EUR 1 175 for CG Vidimova were quantified in a 50-year horizon. This economic analysis should contribute to greater support for community gardens by city governments and spatial planners.

Improving the quality of life in cities using community gardens: from benefits for members to benefits for all local residents

Institute for Economic and Environmental Policy, Faculty of Social and Economic Studies

Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem

GeoScape

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Recent effects of globalization, urbanization and climate change have resulted in an increasing interest in the quality of life in cities and seeking pathways...

Improving the quality of life in cities using community gardens: from benefits for members to benefits for all local residents

Published Online: Jul 02, 2019

Page range: 68 - 78

Received: Mar 12, 2019

Accepted: Jun 07, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/geosc-2019-0005

Keywords
Community garden, Cost benefit analysis, Ecosystem services, Spatial planning, Czechia

© 2019 Lenka Dubová et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Improving the quality of life in cities using community gardens: from benefits for members to benefits for all local residents

Published Online: Jul 02, 2019

Page range: 68 - 78

Received: Mar 12, 2019

Accepted: Jun 07, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/geosc-2019-0005

KeywordsCommunity garden, Cost benefit analysis, Ecosystem services, Spatial planning, Czechia

© 2019 Lenka Dubová et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Community garden, Cost benefit analysis, Ecosystem services, Spatial planning, Czechia