Imagine an abundant harvest of apples, pears, plums, hazelnuts, walnuts
and sweet chestnuts every year from your own community garden? Imagine the pleasure of walking through the leafy shade in summer and the fun of picking the harvest with your neighbours and friends in the autumn. Imagine your very own Garden of Eden, right in the heart of your local community.
Garden of Eden Projects Ireland is currently welcoming community partners to plant their own community-based Gardens of Eden around the country. If you think that your church, school, hospital, community centre or park would benefit from an edible garden of fruit trees, nut trees and fruit bushes, then contact the Garden of Eden Projects for more details of how to seek funding and get started.
The Garden of Eden Projects began in 2007 when the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Cork city invited Féidhlim Harty to present proposals to plant fruit and nut trees in the Meeting House grounds. They were successful in securing funding from Cork County Council and the Department of the Environment and Local Government under the Local Agenda 21 community funding programme.
Now, two years later, there are about 60 new trees waiting to bear their first fruit and nut harvest in the grounds of the meeting house. Since then, there have been more grant-assisted Garden of Eden projects planted in schools and community areas in Co. Clare. Since first setting up the project, many other groups from around Ireland have expressed an interest, so this year Garden of Eden Projects Ireland is broadening its net to welcome community participation nation-wide.
The project aims are to promote environmental sustainability and raise awareness of the potential for local food production. As well as lowering food miles on imports, the trees that are planted not only produce an annual harvest of fruit and nuts for the community, but also soak up carbon dioxide to help minimise the effects of climate change.
Fruit trees offer nectar to bees and other wildlife to support the local flora and fauna in the area. They even help with waste minimisation; food from the garden doesn’t come in plastic. One exciting feature of the Project is the ongoing co-operation with the Irish Seed Savers Association, who provide the native Irish apple varieties that are used, thus helping to preserve agricultural bio-diversity as well. Most of all, however, the project offers an invaluable community focus and an opportunity for people to get together in a fun and friendly setting.
Garden of Eden Projects Ireland is a community initiative of FH Wetland Systems Ltd. environmental consultancy in Ennis, Co. Clare.
If you would like to learn more about seeking funding to help kick-start your own Garden of Eden Project, contact Féidhlim Harty at [email protected] or 065-6797355 or visit the website www.wetlandsystems.ie/gardenofedenprojects.html for more details.