Schijndel
Schijndel
Schijndel, Brabant
20 hectare (16 + 4 hectare)
Wouter van Eck and Evelyn Derksen
Groen Ontwikkelfonds Brabant and HAS green academy
First planting: 2019
Development and exploitation of a large-scale food forest
In 2017, the Foodforest Foundation approached Groen Ontwikkelfonds Brabant with the proposal to develop and exploit a large-scale food forest as part of the (future) Entrepreneurial Nature Network Brabant. In May 2018, the foundation, Groen Ontwikkelfonds Brabant and HAS green academy signed an agreement. All partners share the ambition to demonstrate that a business-like development and exploitation of a large-scale food forest can provide for a profitable revenue model and contribute to a vital nature with a rich biodiversity.
A volunteer lends a hand during the planting days in Food Forest Schijndel - photos: Rebke Klokke
Since the final design of the food forest was completed, planting has been underway. During the first planting season in 2018-2019, the edges of the food forest were planted. The second season in 2019-2020 started with a planting day at location "Hardekamp", with the help of more than 200 elementary school students from the area. This was an initiative of the "Vitam Doet Goed" Foundation, with the aim to teach children all about healthy food. Corporate caterer Vitam is a strategic partner of the Food Forest Foundation. The publicly accessible, educational part of location Hardekamp, the so-called "Vitaminibos", was also planted in Winter 2019-2020. The design was created by members of the core team of volunteers of Food Forest Schijndel, under guidance of landscape designer Evelyn Derksen. At the same location three production hectares have been planted with about two thousand edible trees and shrubs. Location Boschweg is almost completely planted with more than 2,500 shrubs and trees.
Impression of of a planting weekend during Winter 2019 in Schijndel
In the 2020-2021 planting season, six production hectares were planted with about 2,600 edible trees and shrubs: with nut trees - the common walnut, Japanese walnut and white walnut - pluots, apricots and almonds. Pruning was also done in several rows and hedges, in places where shrubs and trees did not survive the extreme drought of 2018, 2019 and 2020. Unfortunately, there was wome damage caused by deers and therefore, tree protection was applied in several places. At the Boschweg site, nearly six hundred shrubs and trees were planted. Some of the plantings included previously undeliverable species, such as Amorpha Fruticosa, Hibiscus Syriacus and Viburnum Setigerum and Toona Sin. Rows that were not fully planted in 2019 and 2020, were also completed. A portion of the site on Bosch Road was not accessible this planting season due to the exuberant pioneer vegetation; a survey was conducted here in spring 2022.
During the 2022-2023 planting season, five planting weekends were scheduled during which many volunteers planted over 1,600 plants and trees. As a result, the portion of the food forest planted with edible species increased by 2.5 acres to 11 acres. The kick-off of the planting season was at the plot on Boschweg, where a large number of missing rows were planted.
During the 2021-2022 planting season
The exploitation of a large-scale food forest can provide a good revenue model and contribute to a vital natural environment with high biodiversity
During the remaining weekends, three large sections on the plot at Hardekamp were integrally planted. Here, in contrast to previously planted plots, more "traditional" species were planted, such as apple, pear, plum and nut trees and a wide assortment of different berries. An additional wind hedge was also planted in the northeast corner of the plot at Hardekamp. In 2022, extra attention was paid to protecting the young plantings from voracious damage by wildlife.
Volunteers at work in Food Forest Schijndel, December 2022
Now that the first plantings have been allowed to grow for several years, this is beginning to show in the field. In more and more places, plants are cautiously poking their "crown" above the pioneer vegetation. Still, it remains to be seen whether all planted trees and shrubs will be able to stand up to the lush pioneers. Especially in the plot on Boschweg, there is a lot of pressure from goldenrod, which makes it difficult for the planted species. Like every year, the entire food forest will be surveyed at the end of March 2023 to assess how the already planted plots are doing and where plants that have fallen out need to be pruned. This pruning will be included in the 2023-2024 planting season.
In 2022, the Municipality of Meijerijstad finally granted the environmental permit for this project. This means that in Summer 2023, nature-friendly banks and a wide pond/trash strip can be dug to boost the biodiversity of both plots. The released soil will be used to raise parts of the sites slightly to create "dry feet" for a number of species, such as walnut trees. The ambition is to fully plant the remaining 4.5 hectares of Food Forest Schijndel in the next two planting seasons.
