Developing Strategies to Increase Biodiversity and Native Plants in Urban Agriculture to Mitigate Climate Change

Abstract

Record ID: 105

Program Affiliation: Capstone

Presentation Type: Video

Abstract: Current climate trends have a major impact on crop success. Climate change causes issues with growing seasons and precipitation. This has large impacts on the success of farming in urban areas and rural areas, which can dissuade people from pursuing work in gardens or urban farming and impact food security. I looked at current methods of urban farming and how they are impacted by or contributing to climate change and crop failure and what methods could be adjusted or changed to mitigate these effects. I researched native Ohio plants that are edible and how to increase the use of these and biodiversity in gardening and urban farming, as well as how garden locations and indoor farming could help mitigate changing climate and increase urban agriculture's success. Promoting rooftop gardens and increasing knowledge about native plants would help farmers combat climate change and success in farming in urban areas. Rooftop gardens are important for battling heat island effect caused by climate change and increasing local, accessible food. promoting native edible plants in urban agriculture would help this. Native plants improve the biodiversity of pollinators and other animals and require less maintenance. These could help mitigate climate change consequences and provide food security. This would contribute to other areas of the Green Cincinnati Plan and would create agriculture jobs in Cincinnati. Some next steps could include increasing funding and incentives for biodiverse, native plants in gardening, and for use of controlled environment agriculture or similar methods of urban farming.