The Research

In the last decade, urban agriculture projects—from community gardens to orchard recovery projects—have taken hold globally. Using Baltimore and Copenhagen as case studies, international studies major Maria Garcia is studying how the communities of these cities work with—or change—their municipal policies to expand their access to land for sustainable projects. Garcia will also examine how food security and a sustainable mentality affect how involved the government is with infusing urban agriculture into their respective, concrete landscapes.

In Her Own Words 

“In a recent class, we spoke about how an ecological framework, which looks at factors such as public policy, the community, and individuals, contributes to person-to-environment relationships. Prior to this research, I thought that solutions to the issues we face as a society—both domestically and globally—could only come from public policy. My research showed me that other actions, especially those at the community level, are also important in addressing social issues.”

Adviser: Adam Sheingate, Associate Professor, Political Science