The history of allotment areas in 20th century Sweden and their role in maintaining ecosystem services in urban areas

Abstract

During the 20th century the use of allotment areas in major urban areas in Sweden has gone through several periods of crises and revitalizations. I will review these periods of ups and downs and discuss economic and social drivers linked to each specific period.Today, there is an increasing interest in allotment areas and their role in maintaining biodiversity in increasingly exploited and fragmented urban areas.I will give specific examples from our own studies of allotment areas and their management in the Stockholm metropolitan area.