An incredible project will take shape soon in Iowa City:
A food forest is a gardening technique or land management system, which emulates a woodland ecosystem using edible trees, shrubs, and herbs. Fruit and nut trees make up the upper level, while berry shrubs, edible perennials, and annuals make up the lower levels. The Wetherby Park Edible Forest will combine aspects of native habitat rehabilitation with edible forest gardening.
Food in the Wetherby Food Forest:
Trees: apple, pear, plum, cherry, mulberry
Shrubs: hazelnut, serviceberry, aronia berry, beach plum, gooseberry, currant, honeyberry
Herbs: strawberry, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, chives, sorrel, lovage
The non-profit group Backyard Abundance is organizing a volunteer day on April 12 to prepare and mulch the future orchard site. Planting will begin in 2015. Backyard Abundance posted detailed design plans and plant lists here (pdf). Iowa City Parks and Recreation is partnering with Backyard Abundance on the edible forest, having previously worked with the group and other volunteers to establish an edible maze in the same park.
After the jump I’ve enclosed more about the new project, which aims to improve public health while using land sustainably and reducing the area’s carbon footprint.
For Iowans who would like to create similar projects in their communities, I highly recommend Darrin Nordahl’s book Public Produce. Nordahl formerly worked for the City of Davenport, where he promoted growing food in public spaces. The Cultivate Hope farm and urban agriculture education center in downtown Cedar Rapids would be a great source of advice and inspiration as well.
Goals of the Wetherby Edible Forest project:
The goal of the Wetherby Park Edible Forest is to bring the richly diverse community together by fostering an ecological-based approach to urban farming and land stewardship. By building a community around sharing food with the public we hope to be inclusive to all in need of food.
Together we can…
Decrease grocery bills: Baskets of delicious fresh food will be available for grazing and storing.
Increase health: Research shows that children (and adults) who grow fruits and vegetables are much more likely to eat them.
Increase self-reliance: Learning to grow food and increase environmental health reduces dependence upon distant people and organizations.
Increase habitat: Desired feathered and buzzing friends keep undesired pests in check.
Mitigate climate change: Unlike annual crops, perennial plants sequester large amounts of carbon which helps meet community sustainability goals.