Urban foraging (journal)

Urban foraging: a ubiquitous human practice but overlooked by urban planners, policy and research

Although hardly noticed or formally recognised, urban foraging probably occurs in all urban settings around the world. The authors draw from research in India, South Africa, Sweden, and the US to demonstrate the ubiquity and varied nature of urban foraging. They distil seven themes that characterise urban foraging. The species used and the local practices vary between contexts, and are in constant flux as urban ecological and social settings change. This requires that urban foragers are knowledgeable about diverse species, harvest locations, and rights of access, and that their practices are adaptable to changing contexts. Most cities have some forms of regulations that prohibit or discourage urban foraging, but a few important exceptions that can provide prototypes and lessons for other cities.