The Future of the National Forest Gardening Scheme: Next steps
We have made great strides over the last few years, bringing forest gardening to many many people. It no longer feels like a niche activity, which is a great success! However, our small group of directors is finding it increasingly challenging to meet the administration needs of an independent National Forest Gardening Scheme e.g. running the website, sorting out the accounts etc. Earlier this year we dissolved the Community Interest Company and closed the bank account. The small amount of funds were given to the Permaculture Association, in line with our Articles of Association. We would like to be able to move forwards, and feel we need a fresh start to be able to focus on delivering the objectives of the NFGS.
To promote and advance Forest Gardening in the UK and beyond
To inspire communities with a fresh approach to growing and eating
To protect and enhance accessible green space
To do this in a way that improves soil health, uses resources responsibly and efficiently, and increases biodiversity.
To explore the impact of forest gardens, and how they are gardened, on well-being
To explore the potential of these spaces as outdoor classrooms
To provide a model for community action that advances Sustainable Development Goals
To contribute to wider debates around practices that support greater food sovereignty
With this in mind we have been looking for an umbrella organisation that aligns with our objectives, which could support us with their infrastructure. An organisation where the NFGS could sit as a work stream.
This year the Permaculture Association is focusing on Forest Gardening and we have tentatively approached them to explore the possibility of an 18 month trial period as one of their work streams. We would aim to retain loomio, our facebook page, and the content of the website. We would also envisage being able to continue with our story harvesting project which has been our focus for this year.
Before we take this work forwards we would appreciate the input of you, our members. We would welcome your feedback and comments on the proposal and also any alternative suggestions. Please post here.
We will also be having an open discussion meeting on zoom at 8pm for an hour on Monday 20th September. The link will be posted here.
Jane Acton Tue 22 Oct 2024 7:20PM
🙂 it was really good to meet you Jane and good to be here! Thanks for telling me about this group. We're doing quantitative biodiversity monitoring on our site and conducting asset based community development among local farmers. I really hope we can share and learn through this group
Jane Lesley Morris Thu 17 Oct 2024 11:48AM
Greetings all! I hope this Forum like the website will soon take on new life.
We all know that Forest Gardens have great potential in all sorts of spaces. I believe that is especially in public and community grounds and in fringes of parks, reserves, forests and farms. I am advocating that next week at a primarily research-focussed conference on ‘Cultivating Wisdom: Agroecology Innovation from Experts in the Field’ as they are under-researched in temperate climates. Are any of you [other than Tomas who I look forward to seeing!] going to be there?
If not please share your thoughts with us beforehand or ASAP afterwards. I hope we’ll explore some of the following in order to develop ours & Permaculture Association roles:
Interpretation, education and engagement with social prescribing, growth of routes into employment/enterprise and means of making a living from Forest Gardening
Citizen science, BeeWalks/other monitoring of pollinators and soil/wildlife
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Forest Gardens’ Feasibility in mosaics of habitats in/near new development and in land/nature recovery especially Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
-> What support from residents’ associations, politicians and planners?
-> How to measure Biodiversity?
Comparative studies for transition to agroecology and food-secure and climate-resilient futures as recommended by Ponton & Remiarz https://www.permaculture.org.uk/research/forest-garden-research
-> How to compare Birchfields Park’s with Forest Gardens elsewhere?
-> How to optimise yields? Via best means of storage, processing and preservation of foods? & via best species for varying climates; climbers/Best mulches and ground cover...
Participatory R&D, Appreciative Inquiry and Asset-Based Community Development to strengthen local ownership and inter-connections
Training and other Organisational Development to improve grounds management and relationships between enterprises, landowners, housing/service providers, communities and the public and nature/wildlife (especially bee-friendly planting for early pollen & nectar all year round)
Knowledge transfer partnerships to promote Forest Gardens in ‘amenity horticulture’ and all kinds of grounds and public spaces.
Jane Lesley Morris Mon 31 Jul 2023 3:10PM
Thanks Tomas,
I hope to speak with Richard today & Nickie will talk with him about such matters tomorrow. I have started checking which links work in the parts of most interest to me, including the work we did on Principles of Forest Gardening for public and community spaces. The links to the PAB site there still work, ie www.permaculture.org.uk/research/forest-garden-research
knowledgebase.permaculture.org.uk/practical-solutions/forest-gardens
At the time we finalised that work, some colleagues were concerned that we keep connections with all such allied approaches, but I am not sure if that Land Trust used these principles now promoted by Agroecology Europe:
Agroecology Land Trust www.agroecology.co.uk/agroecology-principles DID NOT WORK but
Agroecology Europe https://www.agroecology-europe.org/our-approach/principles/ Does.
Richard Urbanski Wed 26 Jul 2023 3:51PM
@Jane Lesley MorrisThanks Jane, I'm free 31st July and probably late afternoon/eve 1st Aug to meet up via Zoom to discuss developing the site. I have family commitments and will be away on the 2nd & 3rd. Please drop me a line with a Zoom link or suggested times and contacts or I can mail you directly with a meeting Link. We can look at closer integration with the PA site and I'm happy to offer instruction/training with existing NFGS site admins if needed. Also happy to chat before the 31st if that's convenient.
Tomas Remiarz Wed 26 Jul 2023 10:45AM
Hi Jane,
I know that the Pc Association are currently redoing their website. This would be a good moment to approach them about integrating some of the valuable enduring NFGS material into that site. Let me know if you wnat help with discussing this and I'd be happy to get involved with the process.
Jane Lesley Morris Tue 25 Jul 2023 9:06PM
Dear Richard
I am sorry you have been unwell & really appreciate your response, thank you It is sad that you don’t feel you can take on the full responsibility for managing the NFGS site, but it would be great if you can help with updating and perhaps show one/more of us how to do some more!
I will respond more fully by email (I found your address from follow up to 2019 NFGS AGM in Manchester). I hope you talk with Nickie/us soon & that we find a way forward for saving the site & developing the stories.
Very best wishes to you & your associates in Applewood and Cultural Emergence
Nickie Bartlett / Jakeman Sat 22 Jul 2023 12:20PM
@Richard Urbanski This is great news. Do you have anytime available for a chat the evenings of the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of August?
Richard Urbanski Thu 20 Jul 2023 5:20PM
Hi,
I’m responding to Jane’s post on Loomio regarding help with the NFGS website. I’ve been a bit of a low profile member of NFGS over the past few years and unable to participate fully because of illness. I do run a few websites for Permaculture projects (Applewood Permaculture & Cultural Emergence sites) and have a background in film production but decided to stop most of my voluntary work, spending my limited time & energy on my present commitments. Sadly, I don’t feel I can take on full responsibility of managing the NFGS site but it would be good to have a chat to see if I can help in any way as part of a comms team. I’m particularly interested in the stories initiative and would dearly like to see the site continue and develop as a valuable resource. It feels the site can be continues as a low maintenance one in its present setup if domain management & hosting is provided at low cost and perhaps keep it independent but connected to the Permaculture Association. I’d be happy to have a chat with you explore possibilities, if that would help.
Best regards,
Richard
Jane Lesley Morris Wed 19 Jul 2023 9:16PM
We few who aim to retain the National Forest Gardening Scheme are busy folk with little spare energy currently no technical skills. HELP is needed!
The Scheme's greatest work is in the content of the website National Forest Gardening Scheme but we are not able to maintain it without (a) volunteer(s). Could you remove unnecessary history, update the site and add for example the newest Forest Garden stories or new learning from community forest gardening?
Also website will need donations of £42 for its continuation for another year by mid August, very SOON!
If we can't maintain the website, we may transfer the information to (an)other organisation(s) for example into the PAB website. NFGS funds went to PAB - here is part of their website What is a forest garden? | Permaculture Association
Jane Lesley Morris · Fri 25 Oct 2024 10:49PM
Yes it was good to meet you & Holly; also to see Tomas Remiarz & Rachel Hammond again. NFGS story-telling and learning (led by Nickie & Jude) could also build on Tomas & Karina’s research for PAB. Tomas & I agreed it could be good to look at overlap of the qualitative research each organisation is interested in. We thought particularly Participatory R&D around Forest Gardens’ impacts on communities and on biodiversity.
As suggested on my poster at the event, this could be through Asset-Based Community Development around forest gardens, in their planning and reviews. I hope such 'Appreciative Inquiry' could be matched by Organisational Development in Local Government and Public services especially Housing Providers. This could help maximise local food growing opportunities and improve grounds management and relationships between enterprises, landowners, service providers, communities and the public and nature/wildlife. Developments and new housing initiatives with enforced Biodiversity Net Gain could necessitate Forest Gardens in all sorts of spaces to create mosaics of varied habitats and to contrast with Miyuwaki mini-forests; also 'Knowledge-transfer partnerships' to promote Forest Gardens in ‘amenity horticulture’ and all kinds of grounds and public spaces.
What do you all think?