Edible Forest Gardens are perennial polycultures of useful plants, cultivated in a multi-layered, forest-type environment modeled after natural ecosystems. These gardens require little maintenance and are high-yielding with a variety of products, such as food plants, medicinals, fertilizer, and more.

Residential and Dining Services is working to include more edible landscaping throughout the grounds of the housing area. This is being done in partnership with volunteers, residents, and the student worker program. Many fruit trees and shrubs have been installed next to the RAD Facilities workshop in the MODs. The forested area next to the Housing Community Center has been enhanced with many edible species. The diverse understory is planted with both native and non-native perennials that were chosen to work with the site dynamics, including hydrology, light availability, and soil type.

Check out this brochure about the edible forest garden by the HCC.
(designed by Abigail Marshall, former RAD Sustainability Coordinator)

Watch a video documentary of the installation of the garden in spring 2009!
(produced by Phred Swain-Sugarman)

Watch Part 2 and Part 3 on YouTube!

Map of species by the HCC.

Future workshops will continue to provide learning opportunities for students to learn about and care for the space.
A great web resource to learn more is Dave Jacke's Edible Forest Garden Website.

Contact RadSustainability@evergreen.edu for more information.