Dissertation Research: Food System Localization and Community Sustainability

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Food systems research highlights the links between human decisions and behaviors and the environment. At every stage of the food system (production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste) the system touches both social and biophysical components of the ecosystem. Concerns about the environmental and social effects of the global food system, which is based on intensification and specialization of production and distancing of production and consumption, have lead to calls for production of a greater proportion of food within or close to the community in which it will be consumed. However, little research has explored the environmental and social outcomes of food system localization. The goal of this project is to explore the connections between food systems and linked social and ecological systems in the context of food system localization efforts. The community of Fairbanks, Alaska has been engaged in local food production efforts such as community gardens, small farms, and a farmer's market for many years, making it an ideal site to study the effects of attempts to localize a food system. This project tests the hypotheses that local food production reduces the distance food travels into a community ("food miles"); localization efforts improve access to and affordability of food within a community; and local food production increases regional biodiversity. Energy requirements to supply food to the community will be based on calculation of food miles for a selection of local and imported foods. Analysis of local food accessibility and affordability in Fairbanks will be conducted through the creation of a food asset map using a geographic information system (GIS). Interviews with local gardeners and farmers will provide information on the total amount of food produced locally and farming and gardening methods. The effect of increased agricultural lands on biodiversity will be assessed through a survey of bird species diversity and abundance across land-use types (forest, agricultural, and urban). This interdisciplinary approach will build an integrated picture of the role food system localization might play in community sustainability.Information collected from this study on the strengths and weaknesses of local food production will be particularly instructive to the many rural Alaskan communities seeking ways to localize and stabilize their food systems. Communities throughout North American will also benefit from the wealth of knowledge, experience, and data available in Fairbanks as they design sustainable food systems. This project will advance our understanding of the outcomes of environmental decision-making at community and global scales. Because environmental decisions are often made in a state of uncertainty and complexity, strategies intended to improve one part of a system can have unintended consequences on other system components. Understanding the links between intent and outcome will help us to better anticipate the outcomes of our environmental decisions as well as help communities build effective, sustainable food systems.