Urban environments increasingly require nature-based strategies that enhance ecological resilience, socio-cultural value, and outdoor thermal comfort. This study evaluates the feasibility of edible parks as multifunctional edible green infrastructure using a six‑month seasonal microclimatic simulation (April to September), which represents a clear departure from the typical single‑day or “hottest‑day” analyses. Focusing on Tabriz, a cold semi‑arid Global South city, the research addresses a major geographical and climatic gap in microclimate and nature-based solutions scholarship. A mixed‑methods framework integrates ENVI-met and RayMan modelling with a perceptual survey of 384 residents assessing place attachment, nature connectedness, and pro‑environmental behaviour. Four vegetation scenarios were developed based on socio-cultural preferences and local agroecological knowledge and were evaluated using a tripartite lens encompassing biophysical performance, cultural integration, and adaptive spatial logic. Seasonal simulations demonstrate that integrated tree–crop systems improve outdoor thermal comfort, reducing PET by up to 7.4°C, while survey results reveal strong cultural attachment to the site and support for edible‑park interventions. By coupling socio‑cultural insights with longitudinal microclimatic dynamics, this study advances a holistic socio‑ecological paradigm for edible‑park planning in underrepresented climatic regions. Findings contribute to climate‑responsive and culturally resonant urban greening strategies in cold, dry cities of the Global South.
nobar et al. (Mon,) studied this question.