Abstract
A common reason for rural demographic change is peri-urban or peri-metropolitan in-migration. This pattern inevitably causes the loss of farmland on the edge of the city. Agricultural land reduction in this spatial context has received attention from a large body of international literature. The focus of this chapter is the strategic value, in productive terms, that fringe farmland represents as a foodbowl for the metropolis. The central aim of this work is to review recent arguments being claimed for the necessity to manage agricultural areas located in or near to metropolitan areas, applying some of the ideas developed in a European setting to an Australian case study. Innovative schemes are presented, considering productive possibilities in peri-urban contexts and recent planning and management tools to ensure their longevity. A peri-urban agricultural-based case study located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) is analysed. This case, Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park (BLAP ), is an internationally recognised example of peri-urban agricultural space planning and management dedicated to the preservation and conservation of agricultural land. The lessons from BLAP could be applied elsewhere and in this chapter we consider the possibilities for the strategic preservation of a highly productive locality on the fringes of Perth , Western Australia’s capital city.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Demographic Change in Australia's Rural Landscapes |
| Subtitle of host publication | Implications for Society and the Environment |
| Editors | Gary W. Luck, Rosemary Black , Digby Race |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Pages | 125-152 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-90-481-9654-8 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-90-481-9652-4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |