Planting stock from different continents and through various biotopes and climate zones

Food forest Houtrak is located between Amsterdam and Haarlem, not far away from Halfweg and Spaarnwoude. Within a larger recreational area, the State Forestry Administration decided to lease 6.5 hectares to the Food Forestry Foundation in 2017, with the aim to develop a food forest. It is one of 25 pilot projects that are part of the National Monitoring Program of the Green Deal Food Forests. Energy supplier Greenchoice provided a grant to make the realization possible. Converting a barren grassland into a thriving food forest results in more biodiversity and the sequestration of a lot of carbon in forest and soil. The planting and management of the food forest will be carried out in collaboration with a local core group of volunteers. Houtrak will be a publicly accessible site, with plenty of space along the paths for education. For instance, a walking trail has been created that leads visitors past planting material from different continents and through various biotopes and climate zones.

Converting a barren grassland into a food forest leads to more biodiversity and carbon sequestration in forest and soil

In a more remote area, priority is given to give nature rest and (to periodic) harvesting. The first planting on this former grassy plain took place in 2017. Several thousand trees and shrubs were planted in 2018 and 2019. Due to the pandemic, only internal activities were undertaken in 2020. The core group planted willows in Spring, worked on a website and planted bushes and trees in Autumn for a series of food forest videos by Greenchoice.