Food forests: A management guide for communities

Site selection, development plan, choice of plant species, budget, work organization and citizen participation: this book provides the tools to develop collective food forests in our communities.

How can we easily and abundantly grow healthy fruits and vegetables for a local community? And how can we do so in an environmentally friendly and resilient way, while also strengthening cultural ties, promoting education in sustainable agriculture, and maintaining biodiversity? The answer lies in multi-layered agroforestry systems, better known in Quebec as "food forests." Self-regulating like a natural forest and requiring minimal maintenance, these systems are valuable allies in the ongoing agroecological revolution.

In this guide, Caroline Dufour-L'Arrivée leverages her expertise to equip and support communities wishing to establish food forests in their environment, whether urban, rural, municipal, school, or institutional. In addition to offering numerous tips on plant selection and agricultural techniques, this guide:

• explains the concept of "food forest" and its importance;
• shares the experience gained by thirteen model and pioneering initiatives in Quebec in the form of detailed and illustrated portraits;
• shows how this type of development allows communities to rebuild links and develop their resilience;
• identifies the fundamental elements that must be taken into account to successfully carry out a collective food forest project;
• offers a step-by-step working method to help structure the implementation processes of this type of project and monitor their progress.

Citizens are increasingly expressing their desire to develop a new, healthy, and sustainable agriculture that is less labor-intensive and creates multifunctional green spaces. This guide will certainly meet their need for support in their collective project.

Illustrated by Mélika Bazin

Author: Caroline Dufour – The Arrival
Publication date: November 4, 2024
Publisher: ECOSOCIETE
Pages: 300
ISBN: 9782898570339
Format: printed paperback book
Illustrations: 178 color photographs, 71 illustrations
Dimensions: 21.6 cm x 21.6 cm