Rural Community Gardens: The Case of Jurovski Dol in Slovenske gorice

Authors

Ana Vovk
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
Danijel Davidović
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.4.2026.8

Synopsis

Community gardens, traditionally associated with urban environments, are increasingly emerging in rural areas, where they play a vital role in promoting sustainable lifestyles and improving quality of life. Their contribution goes beyond food production, as they positively impact social cohesion, environmental sustainability, economic resilience, and public health. The paper includes a case of good practice: an initiative by investors in a new residential neighborhood in Jurovski Dol (northeastern Slovenia), where the plan also includes the establishment of rural urban gardens. For the planning of rural community gardens, we use the PermaPlan tool, which integrates LIDAR data with permaculture practices. The findings confirm that community gardens in rural areas represent a holistic solution to many modern challenges and hold significant potential for long-term integration into rural development policies.

Author Biographies

Ana Vovk, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Ana Vovk je redna profesorica na Oddelku za geografijo na Filozofski fakulteti Univerze v Mariboru in je mednarodno priznana strokovnjakinja za trajnostnost, permakulturo in celostno samooskrbo. Njeno raziskovalno delo vključuje ekosistemske rešitve za podnebne spremembe, varstvo tal in vodnih virov. Kot vodja projektov v Mednarodnem centru za ekoremediacije razvija inovativne modele trajnostnega življenja ter sodeluje z občinami pri uvajanju naravnih načinov upravljanja prostora.

Maribor, Slovenija. E-pošta: ana.vovk@um.si

Danijel Davidović, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Danijel Davidović je asistent na Oddelku za geografijo na Filozofski fakulteti Univerze v Mariboru in doktorski študent geografije. Njegovo raziskovalno delo je usmerjeno v geografske informacijske sisteme, daljinsko zaznavanje in analizo prostorskih sprememb. Ukvarja se predvsem z rabo tal, vegetacijsko dinamiko in prostorskimi procesi na zavarovanih območjih.

Maribor, Slovenija. E-pošta: danijel.davidovic@um.si

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Podeželje

Pages

227-246

Published

April 16, 2026

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Copyright (c) 2026 University of Maribor Press

How to Cite

Vovk, A., & Davidović, D. (2026). Rural Community Gardens: The Case of Jurovski Dol in Slovenske gorice. In U. Horvat, E. Konečnik Kotnik, & I. Žiberna (Eds.), & (Ed.), Podeželje (pp. 227-246). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.4.2026.8