A number of WI members have now completed this course, and there is an added incentive in the shape of an invitation for those who have gained their certificate to join a fully funded workshop and visit offered by partners such as the Westcountry Rivers Trust or Falmouth Forest Garden. On the 14th June, six of us (including three WI members) joined an exclusive workshop and tour at the Forest Garden just outside Falmouth. A forest garden aims to build food resilience against climate shocks, and the owner Simon Miles gave a fascinating talk, complete with tasters, on the variety of edible plants available to us, both native and non-native, as well as their nutritional and medicinal properties. The talk was followed by a guided walk around the garden, which contained clumps of free standing fruit and nut trees, but also foraging strips. These are lines of planting containing many layers of plants that support each other, from shade-loving berries at the base through larger fruit-bearing shrubs and finally full sized trees.The strips allow for easy picking. Mature alders offer a framework for climbing plants such as kiwi and vine, and a bee hive replicating a tree hive ensures a flourishing supply of pollinators, for providing which service the bees keep all their honey for themselves.
You don’t need to complete a Climate Vision course to book a tour at the Forest Garden, you can book online at www.theforestgarden.co.uk. However, if you are looking for ways to build resilence in your local community then the two courses, both fully funded, complement each other brilliantly and you will come away with plenty of new ideas to share. Check out the Climate Vision website at climatevision.co.uk.