Just nu undervisar jag främst på kursen/programmet Hållbar samhällsutveckling (HSU) 30hp från 2020, tidigare 60hp mellan åren 2002-2019. Programmet började som ett unikt samarbete mellan elva institutioner, och jag var med och utvecklad det från grunden. Jag är både programansvarig och kursansvarig för delkursen Hållbar konsumtion 7,5hp, samt undervisar om urban ekologi i delkursen Ekosystemtjänstförvaltning 7,5hp, var därtill kursansvarig för Miljökommunikation 7,5hp under ca 10 år. Jag handleder även examensarbeten på kandidat- och mastersnivå.

Sedan 1999 har jag bidragit till utveckling av ungefär 15 utbildningar/kurser på olika institutioner på Stockholms universitet. Dessa har varit orienteringskurser, kurser och program på grund- och avancerad nivå och på doktorandnivå. Samtliga har innehållit teman från miljövetenskap och/eller hållbar utveckling, och i princip alla kurser har varit tvärvetenskapliga i någon bemärkelse. Mina bidrag till dessa kurser har varit alltifrån idémässiga eller till utformandet av hela moment/kurser eller ibland till att fungera som kurs- eller programansvarig.

Jag är intresserad av samspelet mellan människa, natur och samhälle och är därför intresserad av tvärvetenskap inom miljö- och hållbarhetsområdet. Tvärvetenskap kan vara dels forskning och undervisning som spänner över discipliner och gränserna för natur- och samhällsvetenskap och humaniora. Men jag är också intresserad av transdisciplinär forskning, i bemärkelsen gränsöverskridande forskning som inbegriper samverkan mellan forskare och andra aktörer, se t ex Bennich et al (2020). Jag medverkade i ett större sådant projekt ”Hållbar livsmedelsproduktion i Sverige - att odla och äta från perenna system”, vilket leddes av docent Johanna Björklund, Örebro universitet och Karin Eksvärd, Inspire&Action Research AB, www.oru.se/forskning/forskningsprojekt/fp/?rdb=p768. Projektet var av pilotkaraktär och gick ut på att pröva moderna former av agroforestry på 12 gårdar i Sverige. Det pågick mellan åren 2012-16 och inbegrep samverkan mellan forskare och odlare, se Björklund et al (2018), Schaffer et al (2019).

Frågor som rör hållbar livsmedelsförsörjning och särskilt med inriktning mot agroforestry är mitt huvudintresse och likaså ämnet för mitt pågående avhandlingsprojekt på Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU) med titeln: “Agroforestry systems in Sweden: multifunctionality and transition towards sustainability” Disputationsdatum: under senare delen av 2024 eller vintern 2025, Skogsmästarskolan, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SLU). Jag bedriver även odling med sådan inriktning på eget småbruk i Bergslagen. Är också en av två svenska delegater för European Agroforestry Federation (EURAF) som inbegriper ett kontinuerligt kunskapsutbytet mellan agroforestry-experter i Europa, vilka verkar för att lyfta fram agroforestrys roll och betydelse för en rad samhällsutmaningar som minskad biologisk mångfald, klimatförändringar, och för sociokulturella frågor som landsbygdsutveckling och biologiskt kulturarv.

Ett annat forskningsintresse är natur och grönområdens sociala och ekologiska betydelse i städer. Mellan åren 2020-23 medverkade jag som forskare om 20% i projektet “Blue-green infrastructure for social cohesion: urban and peri-urban public places and spaces, in the eyes of new-Swedes” finansierat av Formas, vid Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (SLU), Skinnskatteberg. Projektet leddes av docent Marine Elbakidze, Skogsmästarskolan, SLU, och Ivan Franko universitet i Lviv, Ukraina. Se publikationer Elbakidze et al (2022), Dawson et al (2023), Dawson et al (2024).

Mina till synes olika intressen för både urban natur, människor och matförsörjning sammanstrålar i fenomenet stadsodling, se Milestad et al (2020) som behandlar mer högteknologisk inomhusodling. Lägger man till dimensionen agroforestry till stadsodling hamnar man i området urban skogsträdgårdsodling (eller urban food forest), se Stoltz & Schaffer (2018). Inom området urban agroforestry har jag ett pågående forskningssamarbete med Marco Focacci, University of Florens, Italien.

Dessa intressen sammanstrålade i sommarkursen Stadsodling- planering, miljö och hälsa 7,5 hp, som gavs 2012-19 på Institutionen för naturgeografi och som utöver teori även inbegrep tillämpad skogsträdgårdsodling (agroforestry) på campusområdet. Trädgården och jag har även medverkat i det Vinnovafinansierade forskningsprojektet Restorativa arbetsplatser sedan 2019, projektledare Erik Skärbäck, SLU, som i korthet handlar om naturens betydelse för människors hälsa. Skogsträdgården på campus finns kvar men sommarkursen har paus. Jag är öppen för nya idéer och för ny användning av platsen!

Läs mer om min forskning
 

Publikationer

De fyra markerade publikationerna nedan * ingår i doktorsavhandlingen

Foccaci Marco, Schaffer, C. Exploration of the functions and potentials of urban forest gardens in Sweden. (in manuscript 2024)

Elbakidze, M., Dawson, L., Yamelynets, T., L. K., Johansson, K. E., & Schaffer, C. Urban greenspace to support social integration of immigrants? Case studies across Sweden. (in manuscript 2024)

Dawson, L., Elbakidze, M., Yamelynets, T., van Ermel, L. K., Johansson, K. E., & Schaffer, C. (2024). Urban greenspace for social integration: Which types of greenspace do new-Swedes prefer and why? Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 95, 128310.

*Schaffer, C. Elbakidze, M., & Björklund, J. (2024). Motivation and perception of farmers on the benefits and challenges of agroforestry in Sweden (Northern Europe). Agroforestry Systems, 98(4), 939-958.

Dawson, L., Elbakidze, M., van Ermel, L. K., Olsson, U., Ongena, Y. P., Schaffer, C., & Johansson, K. E. (2023). Why don’t we go outside?–Perceived constraints for users of urban greenspace in Sweden. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 82, 127865.

Elbakidze, M., Dawson, L., Milberg, P., Mikusiński, G., Hedblom, M., Kruhlov, I., ...Schaffer, C.... & Grodzynskyi, M. (2022). Multiple factors shape the interaction of people with urban greenspace: Sweden as a case study. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 74, 127672

Bennich T., Maneas G., Maniatakou S., Piemontese L., Schaffer C., Schellens M., Österlin C., (2020) "Scoping for transdisciplinary research projects for sustainability" International Social Science Journal

Milestad, R., Carlsson-Kanyama, A., & Schaffer, C. (2020). The Högdalen urban farm: a real case assessment of sustainability attributes. Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, 1-15.

*Schaffer, C., Eksvärd, K., & Björklund, J. (2019). Can Agroforestry Grow beyond Its Niche and Contribute to a Transition towards Sustainable Agriculture in Sweden?. Sustainability, 11(13), 3522.

*Stoltz, J., & Schaffer, C. (2018). Salutogenic Affordances and Sustainability: Multiple Benefits with Edible Forest Gardens in Urban Green Spaces. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2344.

*Björklund, J., Eksvärd, K., & Schaffer, C. (2018) Exploring the potential of edible forest gardens: experiences from a participatory action research project in Sweden. Agroforestry Systems, 1-12.

Konferensartiklar

Schaffer, C. (2016) The potential of edible forest gardening in urban areas – a case study from Stockholm, Sweden. In The 3rd European Agroforestry Conference 23-25 May 2016, Montpellier, France (pp. 139-141).

Björklund, J., Eksvärd, K., & Schaffer, C. Sustainable food production in Sweden-to grow and eat from perennial intercropping systems-results from a participatory learning and action research project. In The 3rd European Agroforestry Conference 23-25 May 2016, Montpellier, France

Björklund, J., Eksvärd, K., & Schaffer, C. (2014). Assessing ecosystem services in perennial intercropping systems: participatory action research in Swedish modern agroforestry. In The 11th European IFSA Group Symposium, 1-4 April 2014, Berlin, Germany (pp. 112-113).

Muntliga presentationer på vetenskapliga konferenser

Schaffer Christina, Foccaci Marco (2024) Exploration of the functions and potentials of urban forest gardens in Sweden, at the 7th European Agroforestry Conference, 27-31st May 2024 Brno, Czech Republic.

Schaffer Christina (2019) Experiences from a participatory action research project on agroforestry in Sweden, at the International Transdisciplinarity Conference 2019, “Joining forces for changes” 10th -13th September 2019,  University of Gothenburg, Sweden, organized by the Network for Transdisciplinary Research td-net together with the University of Gothenburg School of Global Studies and Mistra Urban Futures

Schaffer Christina, Stoltz Jonathan (2017) Food provision, stress-restoration and socio-economic integration: The potential of multiple benefits from well designed urban green areas  7th Nordic Geographers Meeting, 18th-21st June 2017, Stockholm, Sweden

Schaffer, Christina (2016) The potential of edible forest gardens in urban areas. Multifunctional landscapes for food security, livelihoods and the environment. Young Researchers Meeting. 7th -8th June Gothenburg 2016, Sweden

Schaffer, Christina (2013) Challenges for food production in a changing climate- focus on agroforestry and ecosystem services. Czech Globe, Nov 14th 2013, Brno, Czech Republic

Orru Anna Maria, Schaffer Christina (2013) Alternative Foodscapes: The potential of food in sustainable urban development through an increase in organoleptic quality and social cohesion. At The IV EUGEO Congress Conference, 5-7 Sept 2013, Rome Italy

Rapporter

Dawson, L., Elbakidze, M., *Schaffer, C., *Johansson, K. E., Yamelynets, T Preferenser och uppfattningar om urbana grönområden hos utrikesfödda i Örebro stad (prel titel) (2024-25).

Rapport på svenska specialskriven för Örebro kommun baserad på resultaten från det nationella forskningsprojektet “Blue-green infrastructure for social cohesion: urban and peri-urban public places and spaces, in the eyes of new-Swedes” (2020-23). Forskargruppens två svenskspråkiga skribenter är dess huvudförfattare, se markering*. Avslut och inlämning vinter 2024-25.

Bennich T., Maneas G., Maniatakou S., Piemontese L., Schaffer C., Schellens M., Österlin C., (2019) Transdisciplinary Research (TDR) for Sustainability Sciences. Department for Physical Geography, Stockholm University

Eksvärd, K., J. Björklund, M. Danielsson, J. Eksvärd, E. Hansdotter, J. Holmdahl, A. Jansson, O. Kjellberg, P. Klingberg, A. Korhonen, C. Schaffer, K. Sjelin, T. Stjerndahl, M. Thernsjö, A. Tivell, S. Velander Vretare, and H. von Bothmer. (2016). Mångfunktionella lokala odlingssystem Etablering av modern agroforestry i Sverige 2012 - 2016. Örebro Universitet & Inspire Action & Research AB. Länk läs mer här 

Wrenfelt P. (red) (2011) ”Biodiversitet som verktyg i Stadsutveckling- en studie av ekosystemtjänster i urban miljö och planeringsverktyg ,för att utveckla dessa med erfarenheter från fyra städer” Mitt bidrag är ett kapitel om urbana ekosystemtjänster samt en analys av de befintliga planeringsverktyg av dessa, för det Vinnova-finansierade projektet ”C/O City

Presentationer vid andra konferenser (i urval)

• Presentation av min studie om lantbrukare i Sveriges syn på agroforestry, konferens Agroforestry Sverige, SLU Alnarp (okt 2022)
• Om hållbarhetsstudier och arbetslivet för studievägledare i Sverige, nationell konferens, online (okt 2022)
• Presentation om tvärvetenskaplig utbildning samt panelist på Hållbarhetsforum, konferens, Stockholms universitet (våren 2021)
• Föredrag om agroforestry i Sverige “Levande landskap med alternativa produktionssystem” utbildningsdag anordnad av Länsstyrelsen i Uppsala (nov 2020)
• Värd för panel och session om urban agroforestry i samband med Agroforestry Sveriges konferens SLU Alnarp (nov 2017)
• Har som representant för Sverige presenterat agroforestry i Sverige på de europeiska konferenserna arrangerade av EURAF i Montpeiller, Frankrike (2015) och i Nijmegen, Nederländerna (2017).
• Inbjuden talare om agroforestry till “Chechz Globe” Global Change Research Centre in Brno, Tjeckien, samt om stadsodling på Masarykova univerzita, Brno, Tjeckien (Nov 2013)

I urval från Stockholms universitets publikationsdatabas

• Motivation and perception of farmers on the benefits and challenges of agroforestry in Sweden (Northern Europe)

  2024. Christina Schaffer, Marine Elbakidze, Johanna Björklund. Agroforestry Systems 98 (4), 939-958

  Artikel

  Agroforestry systems provide multiple benefits for human wellbeing and biodiversity; however, their diversity and spatial distribution has sharply declined across Europe. This study focuses on agroforestry farms in Sweden. The aim of the study was to explore farmers' motivations to start agroforestry, what benefits farmers attributed to their agroforestry farms and perceived challenges to practising agroforestry in Sweden. In total, 13 farms that practise various agroforestry forms were selected as case studies. A focus group, semi-structured interviews and field observations were used for data collection. We identified four types of agroforestry systems such as silvopasture, silvoarable, forest farming and forest gardens established on different land such as forested or agricultural land. All studied agroforestry farms were small but had complex spatial and temporal arrangements of crops, trees and animals, which were crucial to generating multiple benefits. Our results show that the multifunctionality of agroforestry systems resulted from farmers' desire to design such systems. Farmers' intentions to get foods and materials from their farms were always intentionally unified with multiple ecosystem services. We argue that agroforestry farmers are designers of multifunctional landscapes, as they deliberately organised their farming activities to get a bundle of ecosystem services belonging to all four categories-provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural. However, the complexity of agroforestry management, lack of technologies suitable for small-scale agroforestry farms, limited plant materials (including seedlings) and limited knowledge about how to do agroforestry challenged the scaling up of agroforestry practices.

  Läs mer om Motivation and perception of farmers on the benefits and challenges of agroforestry in Sweden (Northern Europe)

• Urban greenspace for social integration: Which types of greenspace do new-Swedes prefer and why?

  2024. Lucas Dawson (et al.). Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 95

  Artikel

  Urban greenspace (UGS) is a key public resource offering a broad range of nature-based solutions and is increasingly looked to as a potential arena to promote social integration in Europe’s increasingly multicultural urban and peri-urban areas. However, relatively little research has explored the preferences and perceptions of immigrants in relation to UGS, especially in European contexts. Without such knowledge, planners risk entrenching planning structures that inadvertently result in segregation and environmental injustice. Using survey and participatory mapping methods with 261 immigrants in eight sampled settlements across Sweden, this study explores which types of UGS foreign-born immigrants in Sweden (i.e., new-Swedes) prefer and why. We found that new-Swedes are frequent users of a wide spectrum of UGS types, with the most preferred types including forests, large parks and lakes. The majority of respondents were satisfied with the quality (73%), availability (68%) and accessibility (76%) of UGS in their hometowns. Our regression analysis identified 51 key factors that had a meaningful effect on preferences for different types of UGS. Key factors were distributed relatively evenly across blocks of predictor variables concerning characteristics of UGS, socio-demographic factors, activity preferences, and perceptions. Our results indicate that new-Swedes’ UGS preferences are broadly comparable with those of the general population in Sweden. We found little evidence to suggest that ethnocultural factors played a major role in the preferences of our respondents. Furthermore, our results suggest that nature-connectedness might be an important determinant of new-Swedes’ UGS preferences. Based on these findings, we highlight several opportunities to further develop UGS strategies to support different dimensions of social integration, e.g., using popular UGS as interactive spaces for cultural learning, as a platform for intercultural contacts and for maintaining cultural traditions, and to contribute towards a greater sense of social membership in their new country. A crucial implication of our study is that the use of UGS to support social integration may further contribute to the increasing complexity of the UGS planning and management challenge. This implies the need for a systems perspective in UGS research, policy-making, planning and management to consider UGS as part of an integrated urban social-ecological system and to coordinate measures across sectors.

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• Why don't we go outside? - Perceived constraints for users of urban greenspace in Sweden

  2023. Lucas Dawson (et al.). Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 82

  Artikel

  Urban greenspace (UGS) is important for human wellbeing, particularly physical and mental health, and is claimed to support social cohesion. However, the expansion and densification of urban centres in recent decades has occurred largely at the expense of UGS. This risks its attractiveness for users. Although recent research has identified various factors that influence the use of UGS in different contexts, few studies have taken an explicit, bottom-up approach to understand which factors constrain willingness to use it. This study analyses responses from an online survey in Sweden (N = 2806) to identify the main constraints to UGS usage, and for whom these are constraints. Respondents could select from 22 different types of constraints – relating to incivilities, management, accessibility and availability, safety, and personal issues. Respondents could also provide comments to identify additional constraints. Incivilities were the most perceived problem. For example, litter was selected by 53% of respondents, while vandalism was selected by 24%. At the same time, many respondents perceived few or no constraints – 59% stated that nothing prevented them from using UGS, while 35% stated that they saw no problems. Safety-related and accessibility/availability constraints were not strongly identified although many respondents commented that UGS in Sweden is inadequate given the large number of users, and that the UGS that people want to use the most is often inaccessible without a car. Multiple binary logistic regression was used to investigate relationships between perceptions of constraints and fourteen predictor variables. Odds ratios were used to determine whether significant (p < 0.05) relationships were meaningful. Our findings show that different groups have starkly divergent perceptions of constraints relating to UGS. Several key factors – including age, self-reported nature-connectedness, distance to UGS, and frequency of use – were associated with a heightened likelihood of perceiving different groups of constraints. However, relationships between constraints and factors relating to environmental justice were not straightforward. These findings indicate the complexity of UGS planning challenges relating to densification, the New Urban Agenda and promotion of societal benefits, and a need to further integrate multiple user perspectives, especially of younger adults and infrequent users.

  Läs mer om Why don't we go outside? - Perceived constraints for users of urban greenspace in Sweden

• Multiple factors shape the interaction of people with urban greenspace: Sweden as a case study

  2022. Marine Elbakidze (et al.). Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 74

  Artikel

  This study identifies and analyses multiple factors that impact people's interactions with urban greenspace in Sweden. An unrestricted, self-selected online survey was used to collect the data. The survey questions were related to individual characteristics of respondents, including socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported nature connectedness, and self-reported constraints to greenspace usage; perceived characteristics of urban greenspace, including its availability, quality, and accessibility, and benefits and problems; and preferences of respondents regarding types of urban greenspace and activities. Additionally, several spatially explicit variables were included in the analysis. A total of 2806 respondents from 208 (of 290) municipalities completed the survey. Our findings indicate that greenspace users are highly heterogeneous and utilise diverse green spaces along the urban-peri-urban gradient for various benefits. The statistical analyses identified 61 explanatory variables that affect the frequency of interactions with urban greenspace. In addition, we identify key factors that shape critical differences between frequent and infrequent urban users, such as nature connectedness, perceptions of urban greenspace functions, and their perceived accessibility. Our results highlight the complex challenge facing urban planners and managers of green spaces, who have to consider and integrate a vast array of factors influencing the willingness of increasingly diverse urban populations to interact with greenspace.

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• The Hogdalen urban farm: a real case assessment of sustainability attributes

  2020. Rebecka Milestad, Annika Carlsson-Kanyama, Christina Schaffer. Food Security 12, 1461-1475

  Artikel

  While urban indoor farming is a fairly new phenomenon, there is a growing interest from producers, authorities and consumers alike. However, many assumptions are made, and expectations held, about urban indoor farming from a sustainability, food production and food provisioning point of view. These assumptions and expectations need to be tested and assessed. This study assessed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a number of social aspects of a newly established indoor urban farm in Stockholm. The farm was the result of a project created by commercial, civil society and municipal actors with the aim to make use of unused urban space, create jobs and produce food. While lettuce grown on the indoor farm emitted more GHG than lettuce cultivated outdoors in Sweden, it was more climate friendly than imported lettuce in our comparison. Furthermore, the indoor farm created value for the actors involved and for the city district, albeit on a small scale. Many of the positive environmental and social features owed to the small scale of the indoor farm and the context in which it developed. Thus, when evaluating production systems like this one, we need to be cautious and refrain from extrapolating the results.

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• Can Agroforestry Grow beyond Its Niche and Contribute to a Transition towards Sustainable Agriculture in Sweden?

  2019. Christina Schaffer, Karin Eksvärd, Johanna Björklund. Sustainability 11 (13)

  Artikel

  Agroforestry is thought to be an approach that could support agriculture in the transition from a system with sustainability problems to one containing regenerative activities contributing to viable ecosystems and, therefore, sustainability solutions. A transdisciplinary and participatory action research (PAR) group that included farmers approached the development of temperate agroforestry systems in the modern agricultural setting of Sweden through practical experience on 12 farms for collective analysis. The objective was to research potential systems such as edible forest gardens, silvopasture and silvoarable systems to discuss their use and effects as well as scaling possibilities. Knowledge and experiences of challenges and solutions related to the development of agroforestry were identified at both niche and regime levels.

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• Exploring the potential of edible forest gardens: experiences from a participatory action research project in Sweden

  2019. Johanna Björklund, Karin Eksvärd, Christina Schaffer. Agroforestry Systems 93 (3), 1107-1118

  Artikel

  To meet the environmental challenges that are presently confronting society, the narrow focus on agricultural production needs to be altered to one that places equal value on the generation of crucial ecosystem services. Current research shows that perennial intercropping systems such as agroforestry may be a feasible alternative. Based on studies during the establishment of edible forest gardens in 12 participating farms in Sweden, this paper explores the potential of utilizing multi-strata designs for food production in temperate, high-income countries. Design and species composition of such gardens, types of food they provide, and how they would best fit into the present landscape are discussed. Factors for success and major problems related to the establishment are shared. Potential benefits were found to be closely related to a thorough analysis of the social and ecological contexts before establishment. Characteristics of the site and goals of the garden need to guide species and design choices. If forest garden approaches to food production should contribute to more than local self-sufficiency, the gardens need to increase in scale. Marginal lands and transitions areas between different land uses may be appropriate. Large knowledge gaps concerning potential production, social and economic benefits, and agronomic issues were identified.

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• Salutogenic Affordances and Sustainability: Multiple Benefits With Edible Forest Gardens in Urban Green Spaces

  2018. Jonathan Stoltz, Christina Schaffer. Frontiers in Psychology 9

  Artikel

  With increased urbanization, ecological challenges such as climate change and loss of biodiversity, and stress-related disorders globally posing a major threat to public health and wellbeing, the development of efficient multiple-use strategies for urban green spaces and infrastructures is of great importance. In addition to benefits such as climate and water regulation, food production, and biodiversity conservation, green spaces and features have been associated with various health and wellbeing outcomes from a psychological perspective. Research suggests links between exposure to green environmental qualities and restoration from psycho-physiological stress and attention fatigue, promotion of physical activity, increased neighborhood satisfaction and even reduced mortality. Especially strong associations have been observed in urban and socio-economically challenged areas. Usually such salutogenic, i.e., health-promoting, effects are explained through theories related to the notion of biophilia, i.e., the idea that humans share innate tendencies to attend to natural environments and features that have been beneficial during evolution. This paper assumes an ecological approach to perception and behavior to be fruitful in order to analyze the salutogenic potential of environments such as urban green spaces and to step beyond the green vs. gray dichotomy that has been prevalent through much of the research on health-promoting environments. Through an analysis of environmental affordances for certain perceived qualities such an approach is explored through a proposed concept for urban green space use and management, the edible forest garden. Such gardens, based on agroecological principles, have emerged as one of the most promising models regarding ecologically sustainable food production. In addition to potential contributions of importance for urban sustainability and biodiversity, we argue that the inclusion of edible forest gardens in urban green spaces - today globally dominated by lawns - also potentially could reinforce several affordances of salutogenic importance, both in terms of, e.g., social cohesion but also in regard to restoration from psycho-physiological stress and attention fatigue. Increased opportunities for contact with nature and processes of food production may also reinforce pro-environmental behaviors in the population and thus also affect long-term sustainability.

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• Assessing ecosystem services in perennial intercropping systems – participatory action research in Swedish modern agroforestry

  2014. Johanna Björklund, Karin Eksvärd, Christina Schaffer. Farming systems facing global challenges: Capacities and strategies, 1950-1959

  Konferens

  The focus of this paper is on how to assess ecosystem services in complex agroforestry systems using a case of edible forest gardens. Benefits of doing these assessments in a participatory learning and action research (PLAR) context are elaborated, as well as difficulties and questions that this has raised. The PLAR group comprised farmers on 13 smallholdings, researchers and a facilitator, which through collaboration and participatory methods have developed a general design of a forest garden, 60 m2 in size and established it on all 13 participating farms. Important values of the work are that ecosystem services are related to specific local contexts and that methodology for multi-criteria assessments of the generation of ecosystem services on a farm scale are being developed. Farmers engaged in formulating research questions, development of field trial designs, sampling and analysis of results improves the relevance and quality of the research as well as advance the adoption of new knowledge.

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Visa alla publikationer av Christina Schaffer vid Stockholms universitet