Applying a Socio-Ecological Justice Framework for Researching Ecosystem Services in Segregated Chicago

Chicago is global city faced with solving the legacy of environmental harms while adapting to climate change. Urban agriculture has several social, economic and environmental benefits but the system’s ability to be a nature-based solution for the complex inequities experienced by African Americans in segregated Chicago is less understood. I applied a mixed methods approach (i.e., survey tool, spatial analysis, stable isotope analysis and biological indicators) to investigate the risks and resources of Chicago’s urban agricultural industry using a justice lens. As this work is highly interdisciplinary, I begin by presenting a socio-ecological justice model to demonstrate the utility of applying a justice lens. I follow up with presenting the benefits of relevant research and guiding Earth Stewardship Principles for practicing action ecology. I used a mixed methods approach (i.e., survey tool, spatial analysis, stable isotope analysis and biological indicators) to investigate the state of Chicago’s urban agricultural industry risks and resources considering climate change using the socio ecological justice model. I assessed the state of urban agricultural research and found that despite there being several ecological studies on Chicago food systems much of the work has lacked a justice lens. Furthermore, I identified intentional avoidance of low-income study sites indicating a need for more inclusive experimental design. The Growing in Chicago Survey found growers rely on learning from the internet how to grow food as well as season extension and water contamination prevention practices are less used. Spatial data for gardens was highly unreliable resulting in my using city owned vacant lots to explore distribution of traffic emissions risks and accessibility to garden resources. I found that 70% of city vacant lots are within 200 m of a major street and exposure to traffic emissions. Radishes (Raphnus sativus) were used as biological indicators of ground level O3 and found carbon isotopic values indicative of environmental stress in both a controlled garden experiment and analysis of store-bought radishes. Findings suggest greater needs of understanding air pollution risks on crop yield and quality across the city. Finally, I summarize urban agriculture ordinances that govern community and commercial food production in Chicago.