Steven Newman: Forest Gardens in the UK

Forest garden in the UK context: A garden consisting of at least 3 layers (tree, shrub and ground) with up to 80 species including trees that could produce good quality timber as a by product of nut production designed primarily for food production, with the potential to support a family of up to 10 people on an area of half a hectare.

• "Forest garden villages"

Why should grow a forest garden?

• Functional symbiosis makes maximum use of growing space and growing time with no dependence on fossil fuels
• More food per unit area close to the home
• Greenhouse gases removed to help humans and wildlife
• Family indebtedness reduced
• Wellbeing increased through more friendships and contacts

Provocative targets (in less than 5 years)

1. 70 adults have adequate food energy per ha
2. The number of friends and useful advisors that a person has access to without cost. Doubled
3. Total income per hectare per adult from the garden minus costs greater than the minimum wage 8.91 GBP per hour which is 17.143 GBP per year based on 52 weeks of 37 hours
4. 50% cost reduction on family food purchases
5. Level of family indebtedness reduced by at least 50%

• At least one Carbon Negative Forest Garden Village

• Potatoes increase earthworms
• Why farmers are not trying more?
• No communication with the permaculture community
• Making a forest garden is all mistakes, farmers don't really want to experiment and reveal they make mistakes
• Mulberry (mûrier)
• Not easy to transport