Governance models and the socio-ecological role of community gardens in post-socialist Krakow

[en] Community gardens are increasingly recognized as critical nodes for socio-ecological learning and innovation, particularly in post-socialist cities navigating historical legacies and contemporary urban challenges. This study investigates how governance models-bottom-up, top-down, and hybrid-influence the inclusivity, ecological adaptability, and long-term sustainability of community gardens in Krakow, Poland. Drawing on qualitative research conducted across three distinct sites-a grassroots initiative (Salwator), a municipally-led project (Pychogród), and a hybrid model (Jagiellonian University Campus)-this paper explores the interplay between governance arrangements and socio-ecological outcomes. Ethnographic observations, semi-structured interviews, co-design workshops, and action research were employed to capture governance dynamics and the evolving role of gardens as transformative infrastructures. Findings reveal that grassroots initiatives foster strong community ownership and flexible ecological practices, yet face challenges related to resource instability and volunteer fatigue. Conversely, top-down models provide structural security and institutional support but risk alienating participants by limiting local agency. Hybrid approaches, exemplified by the Jagiellonian University Campus garden, blend institutional legitimacy with participatory processes, fostering inclusive decision-making and ecological experimentation, although they grapple with sustaining engagement amidst transient populations. The results underscore the necessity of adaptive governance frameworks that balance institutional support with community agency, particularly in post-socialist urban contexts characterized by fragmented social trust and uneven civic engagement. By conceptualizing community gardens as socio-ecological infrastructures, this study contributes to understanding how urban food systems can integrate sustainability goals with local cultural and environmental specificities. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and practitioners aiming to harness the transformative potential of community gardens to address broader sustainability challenges. transitions in a post-socialist context. Krakow, a historically significant and rapidly evolving city in southern Poland, offers a compelling site for exploring this inquiry. More than three decades after the collapse of state socialism, the city's urban fabric remains shaped by centralized planning legacies, shifting demographic profiles, and evolving imaginaries of public space (Hirt, 2012; Ferenčuhová, 2016). Within this transitional environment, community gardening has evolved beyond subsistence-oriented allotments. Today, such gardens are increasingly understood as socio-ecological infrastructures, settings where citizens, institutions, and policies converge to negotiate inclusion, ecological adaptability, and long-term sustainability (Barthel, Parker and Ernstson, 2015; Mokras-Grabowska, 2021). While community gardens are well established as sites of food

Disciplines :

Human geography & demography

Author, co-author :

Teoule, Fanny

Language :

English

Title :

Governance models and the socio-ecological role of community gardens in post-socialist Krakow

Publication date :

16 August 2025

Journal title :

Regional Science Policy & Practice

ISSN :

1757-7802

Publisher :

Elsevier BV

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

100243

Peer reviewed :

Peer reviewed

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S1757780225000733?httpAccept=text/xml

Research unit :

Architectural and Urban Engineering

Research institute :

Risques
Numediart

Funders :

Jagiellonian University in Kraków

Available on ORBi UMONS :

since 07 May 2026

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