Project Director

Barbosa, Jose

Department Examiner

Hunt, Nyssa; Walsh, Darrell

Department

Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

Food insecurity and limited access to fresh nutritious food in Chattanooga is a prevalent issue, primarily among lower socioeconomic households, and can put strain on overall well-being. This study aimed to identify suitable vacant parcels in Chattanooga where urban gardens could be developed using a GIS-based spatial analysis. Spatial data involving vacant parcels, slope, zoning, and proximity to grocery stores was cross referenced with socioeconomic data focused on poverty rates, vehicle ownership, and mean household income to identify the most suitable sites in areas of greatest need. Sites identified as suitable through GIS were then visited to verify their suitability. Of all the sites included in the composite index, 31 potential sites were identified through the spatial analysis, of which 16 (51.6%) were found to be viable after field verification. The results suggest that urban garden implementation at verified sites could help improve food access and support overall well-being within communities.

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

5-2026

Subject

Community gardens--Tennessee--Chattanooga; Food security--Tennessee; Geographic information systems

Keyword

Urban Gardening; Food Deserts; GIS;

Discipline

Sustainability

Document Type

Theses

Extent

33 unnumbered leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Date Available

4-27-2026

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