Project Overview
Information Products
Commodities
- Fruits: paw-paws, peaches
- Additional Plants: native plants
Practices
- Crop Production: forest farming, forestry
- Education and Training: youth education
- Farm Business Management: feasibility study
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, wildlife
- Production Systems: holistic management, organic agriculture, permaculture
- Soil Management: organic matter, soil analysis
- Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, community development, food access and security, food hubs, food sovereignty, infrastructure analysis, quality of life, sustainability measures, urban agriculture
Abstract:
Asibara Forest aims to educate youth on sustainable agriculture practices by creating urban food forests as an outdoor classroom. This approach enables children to learn about biodiversity, food sovereignty, and environmental stewardship in a hands-on setting, fostering a connection with nature. By nurturing this early interest, we aspire to produce environmentally conscious citizens and increase representation in STEM and conservation careers. This holistic method not only promotes ecological conservation but also generates employment opportunities, strengthens social bonds, and improves physical and mental well-being. Additionally, it empowers communities with knowledge and resources essential for sustainable living and enhanced quality of life.
What We Taught and Educational Approach:
Asibara Forest actively engaged youth in sustainable agriculture through hands-on projects in our urban food forested classroom and career pathway sessions. Outreach efforts included newsletters during our Sensory Sundays programming, sustainability tips on social media, and posts showcasing student learning and community events. Students and the community planned and cultivated a large rain garden with native plants. We hosted several community clean-ups, field days, tours, homeschool sessions, playdates, workshops, and our annual Harvest Festival, fostering both environmental stewardship and community involvement.
Conclusions and Adoption:
Asibara Forest has yielded promising results in terms of youth engagement, knowledge development, and community impact. Through hands-on involvement in the urban food forest cultivation and career pathway sessions, youth gained essential skills and a deeper understanding of sustainable agriculture. Our approach, rooted in exploration and experimentation, helped students develop practical skills in gardening, composting, and ecosystem management. Additionally, their attitudes toward sustainability were positively impacted, with many students expressing a greater sense of responsibility for the environment and an increased interest in sustainable practices.
For the Asibara Forest project, we developed a set of curricula and lesson plans based on hands-on, experiential learning to engage youth in sustainable agriculture. While we are not traditional educators, our lesson plans were created collaboratively, drawing from our community’s strengths and incorporating the expertise of local farmers, environmentalists, conservationists and most importantly our participating families. These plans were designed to be flexible, adaptable, and rooted in real-world applications.
Project objectives:
- Facilitate the engagement of 25 children in urban communities in sustainable agriculture education by establishing an urban food forested classroom, students will help with design/development through build-out and maintenance.
- Implement two experiential learning projects that educate children about biodiversity, food sovereignty, and the importance of sustainable living. These projects will involve hands-on activities including planning, planting, nurturing, and harvesting in our urban food forest.
- Organize two field trips to local organic farms and conservation projects, and invite farmers, grocers, and chefs to share their experiences and introduce children to career opportunities in sustainable agriculture.