Sponsor
Funding was provided under the American Recovery Act by the USDA-Forest Service, PNW Research Station under JVA #: PNW 10 JV 11260489-024 and through follow-on funding through Contract AG- 046W-P-12-0054.
Published In
Urban Forestry & Urban Greening
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2017
Subjects
Environmental management -- Washington -- Seattle, Ecosystem services, Urban ecology, Restoration ecology
Abstract
Our research seeks to expand the concept of urban environmental stewardship to include the everyday stewardship practices of urban nontimber forest products foragers. Ethnographic data from 58 urban foragers and 18 land stewards in the city of Seattle (USA) revealed that foragers reported using a variety of practices to enhance and minimize negative desirable species and their habitats. Many of these practices were identical to those practiced by restoration volunteers in formal programs and align with Seattle Parks Department management objectives. Foragers actively sought to learn more about what practices are sustainable; many mentored others in sustainable harvesting practices. Most foragers emphasized the importance of treating plants and their environment with respect. The land stewards voiced some concerns about foraging in city parks, but most were cautiously supportive of opening up the parks to foragers. The study results suggest that an opportunity exists for park managers to develop alliances with foragers so as to leverage foragers’ everyday stewardship practices and accomplish some of their park restoration objectives. Doing so will require park managers to acknowledge the positive contributions that humans can to make novel ecosystems and foragers to develop or strengthen selfregulation norms.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1016/j.ufug.2017.10.005
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/23689
Citation Details
McLain, R., Poe, M. R., Urgenson, L. S., Blahna, D. J., & Buttolph, L. P. (2017). Urban non-timber forest products stewardship practices among foragers in Seattle, washington (USA). Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2836-42.
Description
This work was authored as part of the Contributor's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
© 2017 Elsevier GmbH.