Metrics framework to measure the benefits of urban agriculture

I think this graphic is really cool. It's a framework that lists the various benefits from urban agriculture.

(Although some people aren't going to care whether or not people get physical exercise growing food locally, they are going to be motivated by price.  E.g., it's really hard for me to pay $2.50 or more per pound for apples or $5 for two pounds of potatoes grown locally, when I know I can buy them for significantly less at certain supermarkets.)

The Metrics Framwork was created by the Design Trust for Public Space (list of projects) in association with their work with the Five Borough Farm in New York City.

According to this blog entry, Five Borough Farm is beginning to gather data for measurements of the various elements of the framework.

The resources page at Five Borough Farm provides documents defining the indicator measurements as well as an annotated metrics bibliography.  The resource page lists other interesting urban agriculture and sustainability studies relevant to NYC, plus reports from Boston and New York City.

A book, Five Borough Farm: Seeding the Future of Urban Agriculture in New York City, has been produced by the project, also by the Design Trust for Public Space, surveying the state of urban agriculture in New York City

(It reminds me a bit of the book Edible City, published as part of the UTOpia book series on Toronto issues, by Coach House Books.)

They have also made the book available as a free pdf download.