What is a Food Forest?

Israel-based ReForest brings together practical ecology, sustainable agriculture, education and community people who promote the field of food forestry in the public and private sectors. The approach combines ecological restoration and conservation, organic food growing and landscape design. 

The design methodology grew out of the world of permaculture, which deals with understanding and imitating ecosystems from observing and integrating ancient indigenous agricultural practices.

This is a holistic approach that addresses the complexity of the systems that exist today, and the interactions between the living beings in the system – from the understanding that everything is connected to everything. Ecological planning takes into account the needs of all those who are part of the system – people, plants, animals, soil.

LyOr Rabinowiz, Co-founder, ReForest says, “A Food Forest is an intentionally designed biodiverse ecosystem that mimics a natural forest and provides food, fibre, medicine, and other useful benefits to people, animals, and the Planet. Food forestry is definitely part of the solution to Climate Change.”

How does a Food Forest mimic nature?

In designing a food forest and how to maintain it, reForest uses patterns that exist in natural ecosystems. For example:

Closed loop nutrient cycle: There is no waste in nature. Every component of the ecosystem has a role and importance. In addition, in order to maintain soil fertility over time, we strive to recycle the nutrients within the system itself, allowing them to become available again for the plants. This creates a closed loop cycle that creates a sustainable system.

Water Conservation: The basis for life lies in the availability of water. In the State of Israel, we must place special emphasis on the issue of water and ensure that there is an intelligent and proper use of the rainwater that falls in a small number of events during the winter. Landscape water management is an integral part of food forest design and thus food forests help to restore the water cycle and preserve moisture in the soil.

Soil building: In a food forest we want to build soil, as it is built in nature, layer upon layer of organic matter which decomposes and returns to the soil by microorganisms. This creates a layer of living and breathing soil that ensures fertility and health that only increases over the years. In addition, when the soil is biologically balanced the resistance to pests and diseases improves immeasurably.

Vegetation planning in guilds and strata: As in nature, in food forests we use a large variety of plants from different botanical families. The combination of plants creates durability and health since every plant has a role, just like organs in the body. There are plants whose job is to improve the soil, others whose job it is to attract pollinators or natural predators to pests, those whose purpose is to create niches for animals, and more. Combining native plants, fruit trees, spice shrubs, medicinal plants, and perennials alongside annuals. In addition, the planting is in layers of vegetation, just like in a natural forest.

Speaking on the deforestation scene in Israel and how the government is trying to curb it, LyOr says, “In Israel over the last 20 years the rate of deforestation is about 8.5% and is due to urbanisation. Beyond the deforestation though, there is significant loss of agricultural land and other open spaces also due to urbanisation.”

Benefits of a Food Forest

In a food forest, people can enjoy a variety of foods that grow throughout the year in a natural way, without sprays and chemical fertilisers. They can feel that they are in nature, and enjoy everything it has to offer, even if they are in the middle of a city. It is also a space that invites people to meet and create together and allows children experiences that were once taken for granted and are now becoming a reality.

Examples of Food Forests

There are many food forests around the world, some very ancient and some new. Dozens of food forests have sprung up in the country in the last ten years, both in private agricultural areas and in public areas in cities and towns.

The first food forest to be established is the Kidron Food Forest, which was established as a centre for the research and development of Mediterranean food forestry by Hadas Hochberg (another Co -founder at ReForest) and Saar Ostreicher, in the fall of 2011.

Economic models of Food Forests

Food  forests are a unique platform for various business initiatives in the fields of education, tourism, leisure and recreation. In addition, ReForest believes that the profitable commercial models of food forestry, called agroforestry can be produced here as well. Agroforestry which uses the same principles of food forestry but is intended for the purposes of commercial production.

ReForest invests efforts in the development of these models that rely on successful trials that exist around the world and in Israel and grows experimental sites for this purpose.

The keyword is Regenerative

LyOr thinks that regenerative agroforestry is part of the solution to reforestation. “There is not one specific solution to reforestation. In some places, agroforestry makes sense, but in other places, ecological restoration with native plants would make more sense. We need to shift the way we do agriculture throughout the world. It is not necessary for agriculture to be destructive as it is today in many places. The way we grow food is not only destroying the Planet, it is also impacting our health and causing illness,” he says.

He continues, “If we shift to regenerative agriculture, of which agroforestry is one type of this kind of agriculture, we can grow food in a way that regenerates planetary health as well as our health. Regenerative agriculture and agroforestry are methods to farm with nature instead of against it. Moreover, farmers that work with nature, will be more resilient to Climate Change.”

LyOr explains that Food Forest design is holistic and centred on the principles of regenerative land management which takes into consideration water cycle management, soil health, biodiversity, habitat, as well as regenerative agriculture, to name a few.

He says, “Forests are ecosystems that help maintain healthy natural water cycles, can actually help create rain, sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and of course produce the oxygen we breathe. At ReForest, our mission is to create regenerative landscape, farming, and community systems that care for both people and planet, and address issues of food security, environmental degradation, and climate change. We offer design, consulting, and implementation services in food forestry/agroforestry as well as provide community building and educational programming.”

The difference between an orchard and a Food Forest

Many people wonder what the difference is between a Food Forest and an orchard. An orchard depicts a plot of land on which fruit trees are planted – usually in rows. Food forestry, on the other hand, describes an entire ecosystem, of which the fruit trees are only a part.

A significant part though, but that’s not all. ReForest looks at every area within an ecological view so it can incorporate within the food forest, plants from different families that have a role in the health and sustainability of the system. If you have an orchard of fruit trees and you are interested in turning it into a Food Forest, ReForest can help you!

Food Forests on private agricultural land

In the State of Israel in recent years there has been a real crisis in the world of agriculture. Israeli agriculture, which once supported thousands of families, is eroding and many families are abandoning agriculture. And yet, the agricultural lands remain in their possession.

On the other hand, the population density is increasing and the load on the reserves is increasing. Therefore, the establishment of a Food Forest on agricultural land provides a solution to the growing need in quiet, natural and pleasant green corners. Farm owners can use their private food forest for personal, business or community purposes.

Community Food Forests

City residents seek to enjoy all the benefits that urban life offers them and minimise the disadvantages. Access to nature, a healthy lifestyle and community life are leading and important values ​​for which we want to find the best solution. Every urban community needs open spaces which can be a growth engine for the community.  “Community Food Forest” is an innovative landscape design of open public areas in the city, which combines nature, agriculture, education, and community and is an integral part of the urban forest fabric.

• Strengthens the satisfaction, trust and partnership between the residents and the local authority.
• Increases community resilience.
• Creates an entrepreneurial platform for residents in the areas of community, health and sustainability.
• Improves the quality of life in the neighbourhood and even increases its real estate value.
• Constitutes a quality extracurricular learning space for local educational institutions.
• Educates the residents in food growing, practical ecology and sustainability

How much does it cost to set up a Food Forest?

The price of a Food Forest is determined by very many parameters, each of which greatly affects the scope of the project budget. For example: the price of a seedling of a mature fruit tree can cost several hundred shekels while a young seedling costs several tens of shekels. When multiplied by a few hundred seedlings it creates a huge difference in price. Also other elements that are incorporated in a Food Forest like trails, seating areas and shade structures can also greatly affect the price.

Elements that exist (almost) in any Food Forest and their cost varies taking into account:

• Earthworks for the conservation of rainwater
• Irrigation system for trees (at least for the first years)
• Seedlings and seeds
• Compost
• Mulch
• Pathway construction
• Materials for seating areas.