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Margi Lennartsson Turner

Associate Professor of Horticulture, Coventry University

Margi Lennartsson Turner is Associate Professor at the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Coventry University, and her a research focus is on natural and social science aspects of organic gardening and community growing, and on the benefits of public engagement in horticulture for human health and wellbeing, for communities and for the environment.

After graduating from Wye College, University of London and then completing her Ph.D. at Bristol University, Lennartsson Turner worked at Garden Organic (the working name of Henry Doubleday Research Association) for almost 30 years, leading the organisation’s research, development and outreach activities. This involved many multidisciplinary research projects investigating a wide range of aspects related to organic horticulture production systems, working with organic gardeners and community growers in urban and rural areas, as well as with commercial organic fruit, vegetable and ornamental producers. Much of this research was of an applied nature using citizen science and participatory research and development approaches. Lennartsson Turner has taken an active role in the development of both national and EU organic horticulture standards and was a member of the UK Advisory Committee on Organic Standards (ACOS) between 2007-2011.

Lennartsson Turner has been an Honorary Research Fellow with Coventry University since 1990 and joined CAWR as an employee in 2016. Lennartsson Turner is currently leading a project evaluating the outcomes of a land-based practical skills and therapeutic educational programme for students with complex needs. She is also involved in projects investigating alternatives to peat in horticultural growing media and options for phasing-out the use of peat in horticulture. Lennartsson Turner is Editor of Biological Agriculture & Horticulture, an international journal for sustainable production systems.

Experience

  • –present
    Associate Professor, Coventry University

Education

  • 1987 
    Department of Botany, University of Bristol, PhD