The Campus Food Forest was unveiled at Parkland College’s Trades and Technology Centre.
Applied Research Coordinator Greg Tomcala notes there are a number of shrubs and trees planted in the forest, including sour cherries, apple trees and Saskatoon berry bushes.
The food from the plants will benefit anyone who chooses to take advantage of them, particularly food-insecure students attending programs at the college.
While the shrubs will begin producing fruit in a year, the trees may take 3-5 years to become established.
The forest hasn’t come without its challenges.
Tomcala notes that establishing it in this climate isn’t easy, and of course there are the pests in wildlife (such as rabbits and deer), who feed on the plants.