A Decade at Henfaes
The BFG project was started in 1998 on a quarter hectare field at the University of Wales, Bangor’s research farm in North West Wales. It’s been run entirely by volunteers from the local and student communities, and we’ve transformed the site enormously in this time. We’ve repaired traditional slate fencing and dry stone walls, installed footpaths suitable for wheel chairs, put in benches and arbours, raised beds, compost loos, herb spirals, and of course there’s the plants. We encourage biodiversity by creating habitat piles, having wild areas, encouraging native species, not being too ‘tidy’ and having a couple of ponds.
Over the last couple of years the BFG team has been developing our work in the community. We have frequent sessions with a group of adults with learning difficulties. They love coming to the garden and have really got a lot out of growing food. We also work with probationers who spend some of their community service with us, mostly doing green woodworking projects. Recently we’ve been working with young offenders too, who in some ways have been the most challenging. We have also run art workshops with kids, open days for the public, and occasional short courses. Through the wide ranging activities and the ethos underlining the BFG, we aim to develop the beneficiaries’ key skills in communication, teamwork and people skills, alongside care for the environment and sustainable lifestyles.
The great thing about forest gardening is the wide range of themes that it encompasses – fresh varied food, health, activity, countryside issues, climate change, biodiversity, agro-ecology, crafts, horticulture…… There’s something for everyone.
As we celebrate our 10th birthday, we’re planning to obtain funding for project development officer and admin officer posts, to expand to find a new site, progress our work in the community and spread the word.
We get together on site on the second Sunday of each month from 11.30am onwards. Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
Sustainable Solutions
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Millennium Development Goals all tackle the grand challenges of our time that require local small scale action. If we are to respond to these challenges, we need to find solutions that are easy and acceptable to all. Forest Gardening is one such solution.
Forest gardening involves growing a multi-storey arrangement of perennial and self seeding plants to provide food and other products. It is something that most people can do. It needn’t take much work, and can be adapted from a small back yard to several hectares. Forest Gardens may have intensively and extensively managed areas, and can be created at homes, schools, farms, parks and care homes.
Forest Gardening can contribute to ameliorating the issues with modern lifestyles that are making front-page news:
- Widen the variety of fresh food in the diet, especially berries, fruit and leaves.
- No packaging.
- No food miles.
- No fertilisers – nutrients are recycled by composting, using N fixers, hyperaccumulators and mycorrhizae to access more nutrients naturally.
- No pesticides – great biodiversity means that pest outbreaks are not so severe.
- Gardening encourages a more active lifestyle, which combats obesity and depression.
Environment Wales: Amgylchedd Cymru is a partnership initiative between the National Assembly for Wales and the voluntary sector which contributes to sustainable development by supporting voluntary action for protecting and improving the environment. |
‘The project has been funded by the Hanson Environment Fund – one of the largest set up under the landfill tax credit scheme.’ |
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University of Wales, Bangor |
The BFG Project is supported by The Permaculture Association (Britain) |
An Independent Group associated with BTCV, a registered charity. |
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