9 April 2019, Dampol Elementary School, Plaridel, Bulacan.  Following the first Food Forest and Bio-Intensive Garden sponsored by ASPEN Philippines, Inc. last 29th of March 2019 at Dampol Elementary School, FEED received another sponsorship from the Tides organization, for the enhancement of its edible gardens with more climate smart crops to secure a food secure campus for its 580 pupils.

An additional 500 native Philippine vegetable cuttings and seeds were planted in both the nursery seedling trays as well as directly into the School’s vegetable plots; while 12 new fruit bearing trees were added to the perimeter of the school.

The Training of Trainers session focused more on the kids who were present from early morning 7AM, to experience particularly seed extraction and germination or growing plants from seeds; as well as a monitoring session covering the first planting with ASPEN mentioned earlier.

Additional spades, hand shovels, hand rakes and plot nettings were donated to enable the gardeners and students to continued to plant and harvest year round.

Updated After Pics of the FOOD FOREST & Bio-Intensive Garden, 17 May 2019

About FOOD Forests and Bio-Intensive Gardens

FOOD forest gardening is a low-maintenance sustainable plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans. Combined with the Bio-Intensive Garden (BIG)* approach, the aim is to eventually develop the school grounds into a fully sustainable food garden/forest.

In response to the 1984 economic crisis in the Philippines, the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) developed a bio-intensive gardening program in the Province of Negros Occidental to increase food availability for Negros islanders.

Two years after bio-intensive gardening was introduced in 1986, the rate of malnutrition had dropped from 40% to 25%.

Bio-intensive gardening aims to rebuild and maintain soil fertility through nutrient cycling, diversified cropping and deep-bed preparation on small-scale plots (200-500 sq. feet). Bio-intensive gardens contain a diverse range of indigenous crops which minimizes the opportunities for pest outbreaks and preserves indigenous seed varieties. Families with these gardens can save cash that they would normally spend on food or non-food essentials for the family. Bio-intensive gardens may also produce enough food for families to sell the surplus and still meet their own nutritional needs.

Source: journeytoforever.org/iirr.html

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New findings suggest trees are ‘our most powerful weapon in the fight against climate change’, says scientist

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/forests-climate-change-co2-greenhouse-gases-trillion-trees-global-warming-a8782071.html?fbclid=IwAR27_mMO23TEBduO1sj_Q7ffjbSv3Ovq2lVGmXOtk-Ci6yTQ_uiykeoGly0

“Replenishing the world’s forests on a grand scale would suck enough carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to cancel out a decade of human emissions, according to an ambitious new study.

Scientists have established there is room for an additional 1.2 trillion trees to grow in parks, woods and abandoned land across the planet.

If such a goal were accomplished, ecologist Dr Thomas Crowther said it would outstrip every other method for tackling climate change – from building wind turbines to vegetarian diets.

Lack of accurate information meant for years experts severely underestimated the number of trees on Earth.

Combining data from ground-based surveys and satellites, Dr Crowther and his colleagues arrived at a figure of three trillion – over seven times more than a previous Nasa estimate.

The same approach, using machine learning and AI to analyse the enormous data set, allowed the researchers to predict the number of trees that could feasibly be planted in empty patches around the world.

Dr Crowther said undervaluing trees means scientists have also been massively underestimating the potential for forests to combat climate change.

Project Drawdown, a group that compares the merits of different emission-cutting techniques, currently places onshore wind power and improved recycling of fridges and air conditioners at the top of its list.

If rolled out on a realistic scale, each of these techniques would cut over 80 gigatons of emissions, while growing forests languishes in 15th place with a saving of just 18 gigatons.”

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FEED runs a number of Students and Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE); Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – such as mangrove planting for coastal protection or ridge reforestation plantings; One Child, One Tree; Bio-Intensive Gardens (BIG) for nutrition in public elementary schools and other spaces; Climate Change Survival 101 and other LIVING LEGACY programs – customised environmental engagement activities for individuals and organisations interested in contributing to climate change adaptation efforts and greening critical areas such as watersheds, ridges, and reefs that all require rehabilitation.

Tree-Planting with FEED: Video 

Check out the video journey by Clueless Commuter who planted with us last 24th of June 2017 to get a good idea of how FEED plantings go: https://youtu.be/KROn4rjVqBg

Contact us at FEED for more details, to join our regular activities or to design your own CSR Program: info@feed.org.ph or call/text +63 (0)917 552 4722.

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