Community orchard

Types of Community Orchards:
– Membership Orchards:
– Copley Orchard in Vancouver operates on a membership model with a $20 annual donation.
– Members enjoy the harvest and care for trees during stewardship days.
– Allotment Garden Orchards:
– Strathcona Community Orchard in Vancouver links to allotment gardens.
– Members pay for plot rights and attend mandatory work party days.
– Old versus New Orchards:
– Piper Orchard in Seattle was rescued from neglect by volunteers in 1983.
– Originally planted by A.W. Piper in the late 1800s.
– Permaculture Orchards:
– Beacon Food Forest in Seattle integrates permaculture concepts.
– Food forests aim to create ecosystems in harmony with nature.

Orchards and City Planning:
– The City of Calgary launched the Community Orchard Pilot project in 2009.
– Orchards in public spaces aim to encourage local food production and community involvement.

Advantages of Community Orchards:
– Researchers study the impact of community orchards on food security and the environment.
– Urban food forestry, including community orchards, is seen as contributing to sustainable city living.

Challenges Faced by Community Orchardists:
– Pest and disease problems can arise due to lack of organic fruit tree care knowledge.
– Decisions early on and care skills greatly impact the orchard’s success.
– Community resistance can occur in areas where residents oppose fruit tree planting in public spaces.

Community Orchards Around the World:
– The community orchard movement has been active in the UK since the 1990s.
– London Orchard Project works on planting new trees and restoring old orchards in London.
– Initiatives like Pick Your (City) Fruit in Lisbon and Varazdin, Croatia’s community orchard project are gaining traction.
– North American orchardists formed The Community Orchard Network in 2015 to share resources and knowledge to advance urban agroforestry.