The February sessions of the ECO HUB Sidmouth will be focussing on ‘local food’ – with lots more info at Events – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth
The month will round off with the fabulous Six Inches of Soil film being shown at the Radway Cinema – together with a Q&A from local farmers – on Sunday 2nd March.
The two sessions at the ECO HUB will feature the Sidmouth Community Food Forest – at the Tourist Info Centre on Saturday 8th February and at the Library on Saturday22nd February, both between 11am and 1pm.
As asked – and answered – by joint founder of the project, Stefan Drew:
What Are The Benefits of a Food Forest?
Here are some benefits of food forests:
- Produce Food With Zero Food Miles: A food forest in your garden means no food miles. And the food is a fresh as it is possible to be. Imagine picking herbs, veg or fruit and eating them minutes later .. how fresh is that?
- Biodiversity: Food forests are incredibly diverse ecosystems, supporting a wide range of plant and animal life. This biodiversity contributes to a healthier environment and greater resilience to pests and diseases.
- Improved mental and physical health: Food forests act like a gym membership without the membership fee expense. Just go along when it suits you and have a gentle or vigorous workout.
- Soil health: The deep root systems of trees and other plants in a food forest improve soil structure, increase water retention, and enhance nutrient cycling. This leads to healthier soil, which benefits all the plants in the forest.
- Water conservation: Food forests can help to reduce water runoff and improve water infiltration, which can help to conserve water resources.
- Climate change mitigation: Food forests can help to mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Trees and other plants in a food forest absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, and this carbon is stored in their biomass.
- Community building: Food forests can provide opportunities for community members to come together to learn about gardening, share skills, build relationships and combat loneliness.
- Brings Families Together: Food forests are ageless. Family members of any age can take part, from toddlers to grandparents our food forest is somewhere where families can spend time together. .
- Economic development: Food forests can provide a source of income for local farmers and businesses.
- Food security: Food forests can help to ensure food security for local communities by providing a reliable source of nutritious food.
- Education: Food forests can be used as outdoor classrooms to teach people about ecology, gardening, and sustainable living.
- Reduced carbon footprint: Because we have reduced food miles and our plants has sequestered carbon dioxide we have potentially reduced our carbon footprint.
Overall, food forests offer a wide range of benefits for both people and the planet. They are a sustainable and resilient way to produce food, improve environmental health, and build stronger communities. We know this from our experience gained when running the Sid Valley Food Forest.
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Photos by Food Forest co-founder Tess Bisson – pictured above.
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