Creating edible paths by planting edible plants and fruit trees along the trails
Text and images by Frits Ahlefeldt - Hiking.org
Research project about combining hiking trails and paths with growing wild food, berries, fruits and other edible species.
We can create a whole new kind of walking paths by combining the paths with public areas with fruits, vegetables and other species. It will both make the trails more attractive and the walking experience more varied throughout the year.
At the same time creating these food trails can help to strengthen local communities and bring people together to live in more sustainable ways - they can even help make us more resilient against climate change and support local biodiversity
Edible trails and local communities
Local communities used to share huge areas, that was often named "the commons" Areas where people could find and pick wild fruits, nuts, vegetables, fungi and other tasty wild foods. It was a place where all in the local community worked together to help secure and strengthen both their community, their relations and their food security
How to build edible trails - inspiration
A large number of projects from all óver the world has joined in and are now creating edible trails in a wide range of environment. Building on ancient traditions and combining it with new digital apps, GPS systems and other ways to innovate ways to help us reconnect to the landscapes around us
Strengthening local food resources
Growing local foods is not only a very giving way to build local communities, it can also help secure food in times of crises. And also help us learn how to rely on local food, if more global systems of food production and distribution should become challenged. Or a drop in food availability make the prices rise
Food trails can help us face climate change
Climate change is a challenge on both local, regional and global scales. And by creating better options and cultures around local eating and local walking we can both diminish our dependency on fossil fuels, cars and long distance travel - and strengthen local traditions and food security
Strengthen local biodiversity with food trails
We can help improve the survival chances of local animal and plant species by creating foot and food paths, that can double as green corridors, connecting fragmented nature areas and also helping us to learn more about local wildlife and connect better to nature around us
Edible trails and health
Finding and harvesting local organic food sources will both help us get in better shape, relate to the nature around us in more dimensions and will also make us both healthier and live longer. It is more than win-win - it is supporting life to support life. Creating good circles of thrive.
Children and edible trails
Children can learn about the environment in unique and caring ways by taking part in the activities around edible trails. They can also be together with friends, family and see their parents work and relate to other people in ways that used to be some of the best moments we shared. But now is something we need to recreate the chances for our kids to experience
Schools, learning and growing food along trails
Local schools, kindergardens, universities and highschools can be taught important skills out along the trails. Students can both learn a lot about psychology, community-building, resource management, learning theory and also learn about both health, nutrition, and wildlife, ecology, soil importance and farming techniques. Simply by joining in as care-takers of wild lands and edible trails
Building paths to well-being
We are properly more challenged on loneliness, depression, and fear than ever before in human history. More and more of us feel stressed, alone and lost with anybody around to smile to or care for. Building trails together and growing food together is one of the best and most successful ways to help us avoid becoming lost in our individual small worlds