An Urban Food Forest

 

For a long time I have wondered why more street trees and park trees are not edible plants. I recently discovered that the city of Manchester is developing program of planting fruit and nut trees in its parks. It is easy to see the downside: rotting fruit, health and safety issues, falling fruit, bat and bird dropping on cars, footpaths, people’s heads, litigation, pests and diseases infecting local farms/gardens, and the list goes on. But – what a wonderful idea. I hope it works.

This is happening locally, too. The Byron Shire Council has replaced ornamental plant outside the Mullumbimby Council chambers with a variety of edible plants – including lemongrass, tamarillos, pawpaw and citrus. Plants have been chosen that are low maintenance, suit a subtropical climate, promote landscape aesthetics and have a low environmental weed potential. I hope other councils follow suit.