Provisioning Cultural Ecosystem Services from Urban Green Infrastructure

Provisioning & Cultural Ecosystem Services from Urban Green Infrastructure: Foraging & Resilience Amongst Immigrants in New York City Marla R. Emery, Ph. D. Research Geographer USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station memery@fs. fed. us

Urban foraging in context • Urban ecosystem services • Immigrant foraging in NYC • • Species Spaces Knowledge Significance • Foraging UGI & P&CES • Future research opportunities Matthew Potteiger, Nepali Bhutanese gardeners, Syracuse, NY

Urban green infrastructure: Regulating & supporting ecosystem services

Provisioning + cultural ecosystem services from urban green infrastructure Matthew Potteiger, gardens, Syracuse, NY

Foraged species: Chinese/Chinese American • 44 + 39 plant materials & mushrooms Common name (English) Mulberry fruit Latin binomial Morus sp. Gingko fruit Dandelion greens Status 1 Use 2 H, W F, M Gingko biloba H F, M Taraxacum sp. W F, M H, W F, M Honeysuckle flower Lonicera sp. Spring onions Allium sp. W F Plantain Plantago sp. W F, M Purslane Portulaca sp. W F 1. H = Horticultural, N = Native, W = Weedy 2. F = Food, M = Medicine

Foraged Species: Mexican • 30 plant species (or complexes) & 2 mushroom species Common name (English) Latin binomial Status Use 1 Epazote Dysphania ambrosioides H, W F, M (Spear)mint Menta spp. H, W F, M Purslane Portulaca sp. W F Dandelion Taraxacum officinale W M Amaranthus spp. W F 1. H = Horticultural/Agricultural, N = Native, W = Weedy 2. F = Food, M = Medicine

Foraging spaces • Frequently visited locations • • • Parks Residences Campuses Public rights of way Vacant lots • Avoidance • Pesticides • Dog waste • Roadsides (sometimes) Bronx streetscape: Photo courtesy of David Goldemberg

Foraging knowledge Acquaint -ances Chinese/ Chinese American Mexican @ Books Digital Educators Family Observa- Television tion Tours Other 8 2 1 3 4 4 3* 2 1 2# 1 0 2 16 0 0 0 5+ * Older participants with no prior experience of foraging, beginning in New York City after retirement. + -- 5 participants stating knowing and using these plants is part of Mexican identity. # -- 2 learned from spouses, who learned through restaurant jobs. @ -- 11 report teaching their children; 4 teaching acquaintances

Foraging significance: Physical & emotional resilience • Food security • Food sovereignty • Happiness & purpose • Healthfulness/health support • Counter loneliness/sadness • Connections to plants & nature • Anxieties • Contamination • Breaking rules/sanctions

Provisioning & cultural ecosystem services from foraging & RESILIENCE Idiosyncratic & covariate Medicine Culturally appropriate Use values Physical & emotional Culinary Identity & security

Future research needs & opportunities • Valuing urban green infrastructure P&C ecosystem services • Risks & benefits of consuming foraged plants & fungi • Sustainable, equitable governance • Species • Spaces • Seasons • Edible (& medicinal) by design NYC street trees according to their Edibility Ratings (PFAF 2015).

Thank you! Marla R. Emery, Ph. D. memery@fs. fed. us Patrick T. Hurley, Ph. D. phurley@ursinus. edu For full-text publications, enter “Emery” into Search field @ http: //www. nrs. fed. us/pubs/