//UrbanFarmAc,onPlanfortheAtlantaBeltLine AlysaMoore,DepartmentofEnvironmentalHealth,RollinsSchoolofPublicHealth,EmoryUniversity

FieldAdvisor:BethMcMillan,DirectorofPlanningandCommunityEngagementforAtlantaBeltLine,Inc.

Projectobjec,vesThisworkseekstodevelopandunderstandtheu3lityofan

integratedandholis3curbanfarmac3onplanfortheAtlantaBeltLine.Combiningareviewofcasestudiesandbestprac3ceswithinterviews

withmajorstakeholders,recommenda3onsaremadeforcapitalizingonAtlanta’suniquelandscapeandopportuni3es.

UrbanagricultureinAtlanta

•  Urbanagricultureisexperiencingasignificantincreaseinsupportinrecentyears.§  Mid-2014:Newzoningordinances

areapprovedtoallowurbangardensandmarketgardens

§  Late2015:ThefirstDirectorofUrbanAgricultureisappointedwithintheMayor’sOfficeofSustainability

•  Addi3onally,theAtlantaBeltLine’sfirstpilotfarmbeganinearly2015.

Frameworks•  Alterna3vefoodnetwork(AFN)

§  Focusesonbringinglocalandsustainablyfooddirectlytoconsumers

•  Communitysupportedagriculture(CSA)§  Allowsconsumerstopurchaseshares

inafarmthaten3tlethemtoapor3onofthefarmer’sproduct

•  Communitygardens•  Farm-to-schoolprogramming

§  Lunchroomsgetfreshproducefromlocalfarmsorgardensattheschool.Thismodelusuallyhasastrongnutri3oneduca3oncomponent

•  FarmersMarkets

FoodaccessinAtlanta•  AtlantaishometotheworstincomeinequalityintheUnitedStates,furtherexacerba3ngpooraccess.

•  Manypopula3onsinAtlantaaredispropor3onatelyaffected,including:§  Low-incomepopula3ons§  Theelderly§  Thoseusingan3-retroviraltherapy

Casestudies•  Farmlandconserva3onandbuildinganAFNinBarcelona,Spain

§  Usingstate-mediatedplanningmeasures,afarmlandzonewascreated.AFNsdevelopedasaconsequenceareac3veinmetroBarcelona,withproductsbeingeligibleforspecialFRESClabeling,amarke3ngcampaigndesignedtohighlightfresh,localproducts.

•  AwarenessofurbanagricultureinSavannah,GA§  Limitedabilitytoadver3seandlackofstronglocalleadershipleadtoa

lackofpublicawarenessofurbanagricultureprogramsinSavannah.•  UrbanagricultureinCuba

§  Byprovidingland,educa3onandtraining,andresources,urbanfarmersarecapableoftruesubsistencefarming.

•  TheemergenceandfutureofurbanagricultureinSydney,Australia§  Grassrootsgroups,withthesupportofthegovernmentandother

funders,developedapowerfulgrouptorepresenttheinterestsoflocalfood.Addi3onallong-termoutreachandplanninginvestmentsfromthegovernmenthaveleadtoincreaseda[en3ontourbanagriculture.

InterviewsInformalinterviewswereconductedinordertogainamorenuancedunderstandingofthecurrentstateofurbanagricultureinAtlanta.•  Intervieweesinclude:

§  RashidNuri,CEOofTrulyLivingWell§  MaryYe[er,manageroftheGreen

MarketatPiedmontPark§  MarioCambardella,DirectorofUrban

AgriculturefortheCityofAtlanta§  AliceRolls,Execu3veDirectorofGeorgia

Organics§  MindyGoldstein,DirectoroftheTurner

EnvironmentalLawClinic§  AndreaNessandAndyFriedberg,

FarmersatAlumaFarm§  MeghanInjachock,LandscapeArchitect

atAtlantaBeltLine,Inc.

Recommenda,ons•  Standbehindandcoordinate

effortswithFoodWellAlliance§  Pursuemee3ngswithpoten3al

partnersiden3fied•  CreateaBeltLinebrandingscheme•  Establishalandtrustin

conjunc3onwiththeCityofAtlanta§  Focusonundevelopable

floodplainparcels•  Framefutureagricultureeffortsas

civicagriculture•  Analyzepoten3alincen3ve

programsforac3vegardensinsidetheBeltLineoverlay§  Encouragedeveloperstouse

gardensasanamenity

Acknowledgements:SpecialthanksBethMcMillan,NathanSoldat,Lynne[eReidandallthestaffatAtlantaBeltLine,Inc.Thisprojectalsocouldnothaveoccurredwithoutthewillingpar3cipa3onoftheintervieweeswhosharedtheir3meandexper3se.

PhotosfromAtlantaBeltLine,Inc.andtheArthurBlankFounda3on