Fallen Fruit and Alternative Foodways: An Analysis of Urban Foraging Communities and the Fight for Food Justice

Abstract

The frameworks of political ecology and food justice guide my inquiry into the sociopolitical dynamics between urban food gatherers, urban vegetation management employees, and City of Eugene officials. Fostering community resilience, improving household food security, and mitigating environmental damage are the primary factors motivating Eugene residents to forage for and grow food in urban green spaces. Environmental hazards, interpersonal conflicts with landowners, and time constraints are the most significant challenges to individuals and organizations wishing to procure more of their food from the urban environment. Additionally, City of Eugene employees and public figures identify differing urban green space management paradigms and operational logistics as barriers to their full support of urban food production efforts. However, there is general consensus amongst urban harvesters, gardeners, and City employees that as Eugene enters its next stage of development, an emphasis on more accessible food systems and improved community food security is critical. The sociopolitical climate in Eugene is currently uniquely receptive to community input regarding the management of urban green space, as the decades-old Urban Forest Management Plan comes under revision and River Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods develop a new Neighborhood Plan. The rising threat of a global food security crisis is compelling this community to respond with innovative and collaborative visions for a resilient local food system. While serious limitations and considerations must be addressed before successfully implementing any solutions, initiatives that entail education about alternative foodways and collaborative development of re-localized food systems have the potential to transform Eugene into a city at the leading edge of community food security planning.