URBAN FARMING – THE ECOLOGICAL, SPATIAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS OF URBAN LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION

Subject and purpose of work: The subject of the study is urban farming and examples of urban gardens built in selected cities in North America and Europe. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of urban farming on urban landscape. Materials and methods: A case study – analysis of the ecological, spatial and social aspects of selected examples. Results: The idea of urban farming is gaining popularity and every year there are more urban gardens in cities in North America and Europe. There are several dozen urban gardens in Poland. Their structure is diversified so as to meet the needs of local communities. The character and scale of urban farming is diversified. These gardens satisfy aesthetic, scenic, ecological, social and even economic needs of small communities. They enrich the urban landscape with new, seasonally changeable enclaves of utility and aesthetic greenery. Conclusions: Urban farming is an ecological, social and spatial factor and a favourable alternative to urban landscape transformations. The development of urban farming should be successively supported by local authorities