A ‘Food & Forest’ Collection Permaculture has finally arrived at Viles Arboretum. hanks to the support of our donors Tand the efforts of the Weber family, we are pleased to share that the Food and Forest Collection is nearing completion! Started in 2016, this collection utilizes a concept designed to mimic some elements of a natural ecosystem in order to provide so damp. The second is to provide visual interest and shade. The a self-sustaining source of food for people, birds and pollinators, as third is to produce stem clippings that can be used as mulch or to well as habitat for wildlife. make fences and sculptures, all while providing habitat for birds, The Food & Forest Collection is a one acre demonstration plot and an early season pollen source for insects. designed using permaculture principles to integrate trees, shrubs, At maturity, the Food and Forest Collection will provide a perennials and annuals into a “food forest” (Eliades, 2016). A food great deal of food for humans. Fruit, nuts, berries, and many other forest is a designed, multi-story food producing landscape which plants of medicinal and nutritional value will supply a sustainable, mimics a natural woodland. The approach takes into account perennial source of sustenance. Certain species of plants will make the whole ecosystem when designing for food production, by nitrogen available for other plants. Trees and shrubs will provide harnessing the assets of a landscape such as aspect, topography cover and nesting habitat for birds, and nectar for insects. Birds, in and water (Mollison, 1988). The design is based on a philosophy turn, will keep the insect populations in check. In nature, there is that seeks to grow food in ways that do not require fertilizer or no waste; everything has a use. artificial pest control by mimicking patterns and relationships Viles Arboretum wants to inspire people with the possibilities of found in nature. Each plant is placed in a spot that meets its local sustainable food production, educate our community about light, water and soil requirements thus eliminating the need for how it can be done and encourage people to replicate this system in irrigation. Each layer of the food forest is planted so as to utilize their yards and in public spaces. We aim to show that providing food all available space for food production, from the forest floor to for ourselves does not have to and should not deprive other living the canopy. It is therefore a viable method of food production for things of food and shelter. The Food and Forest Collection will serve those with small, forest- as the site of numerous community collaborations and educational edge lots, as a great deal of opportunities. Viles Arboretum has a reputation as a destination for food can be produced in learning, respite and connection with the outdoors. This, along with a small space, with careful its history as a farm, makes it an ideal location for this project. planning (Fukuoka, 1978). Most of the plants here are 1. Eliades, Angelo. “Why Food Forests?” perennials which means The Permaculture Research Institute. they will come back year N.p., 03 June 2016. Web. 29 Aug. after year, which will allow 2020. for natural succession 2. Mollison, Bill. Permaculture: A (secondary growth) to Designers’ Manual. Tyalgum: Tagari It took a tractor trailer truck worth of wood chips to take place. Understory Publ., 1988. Print. mulch this new collection. plants will be the initial 3. Paul Skiera. “How Stacking primary sources of food, Functions Can Improve Yields and to be replaced in time by shrubs and then trees, as they mature to Reduce Work.” Regenerative. N.p., 06 bearing age. Nov. 2014. Web. Permaculture is based on a number of principles. One is called 4. Fukuoka, Masanobu. One-Straw stacking functions. This means that every element from plant Revolution. Rodale Press, 1978. choice and the presence of a pond to structures and pathways have multiple functions in the landscape (Skiera, 2014). A fine Suggested Reading: example of stacking functions is one of our most popular features, Masanobu Fukuoka’s, the willow tunnel. The willows in the willow tunnel have many purposes. One is to absorb some of the water that makes this area “One-Straw Revolution” Promoting the knowledge, appreciation and conservation of AUTUMN 2020 Maine’s trees and our natural world for people for all ages by NEWSLETTER offering opportunities for education, recreation, and inspiration. New Faces Botanical Profile: Mycorrhizal Fungi Viles Arboretum Welcomes a New 90% of all plants rely these on microscopic networks (and Expanded) Team! For this edition of our newsletter, our botanical profile takes a closer look at an organism, or a family of organisms, that aren’t necessarily f you have visited the Arboretum recently, you may have noticed considered plants. If you are even a passive consumer of food/ag/horticulture pop culture, you’ve likely heard reference to ‘Mycorrhizal Fungi.’ Ithere’s been a lot of improvements to our Grounds and Visitors To understand the relationship between fungi and plants, a ‘deep dive’ into our planet’s rich natural history is necessary. Center. With support from the Betterment Fund, we were able “Fungi were some of the first complex life forms on land, mining rocks for mineral nourishment slowly turning them into what would to hire two Seasonal Land Stewards to join our new Executive become soil. In the Late Ordovician era (450 million years ago), they formed a symbiotic relationship with liverworts, the earliest plants Director and Office Manager this past July. (CBC, 2012).” In just a few weeks, this team has accomplished so much, including New interpretive signage, a fresh coat of paint for our Visitors Center, clearing of all trails, and understory management Executive Director Ryan Martin presenting to a group from MIKA karate camp in our Heritage Orchard, Green Ash Collection, Hardwood Collections, American Chestnut Collection and many other locations on a more consistent basis. Our goal is simple - an improved experience for our Visitors. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor and if you see any of the staff working at the Ginger Mesko Arboretum, make sure to say hello and let us know what you think! Office Manager Ginger is a graduate of Indiana Landon R. Knittweis University of Pennsylvania with Land Steward a Bachelor’s Degree In established and undisturbed soils, Landon is these mycorrhizal fungi create vast in Anthropology as Michael Phillips, author of The Apple a recreation underground networks that interlock well as a Masters Grower, The Holistic Orchard, and others, professional with vascular plants (in some cases over many Certificate in bases a good deal of his approach on nearly a decade These fungi provided the key miles) optimizing nutrient uptake and Wilderness the creation, and maintenance, of the of experience in macronutrients for aquatic and marine preventing the incursion of disease. Management from mycelium networks. His books have landscaping, outdoor plants and allowed, over millions of years, How can a horticulturalist take the University of gained a great deal of attention from the recreation, and these plants to slowly begin the transition advantage of this symbiotic relationship? Montana. She fruit tree cultivator community. “Fungal youth environmental to the shores of early earth. At this time, “Microbiologist David Douds of the has worked for consciousness will help you become a education. A most of the planet’s early atmosphere was USDA’s Agricultural Research Service has the National Park better earth steward. Exploring the science former intern with nitrogen-based, but as the transition to been studying that question for 35 years. Service, managing of these symbiotic fungi in layman’s terms the Maine Coast land became widespread a large terrestrial His studies show that fungal inoculants portions of the sets the stage for practical applications Heritage Trust, biomass was established. This laid the can increase the yields of many vegetable Green and Yampa Rivers in Colorado and Utah and as a across the landscape. The real impetus Landon has worked groundwork (pun intended) for a massive and field crops, including leeks, peppers, Park Guide curating the collection for the Flight 93 National behind gardening with mulches, digging as an educator for increase in atmospheric oxygen and the potatoes, strawberries, sweet potatoes and Memorial. with broadforks, shallow cultivation, Camp Mechuwana, further evolution of plants and animals. tomatoes (Mother Earth News, 2014).” forest-edge orcharding, no-till farming, Portland Parks and low-impact forestry, and “everything Recreation, and permaculture” is to disturb the soil as Songo Locks School. Ryan P. Martin little as possible. This in turn allows the fungal dynamic to thrive. Virtue lies in Executive doing less so as not to screw things up, a Director tenet that I suspect most of us can handle Lauren Kircheis Ryan is a graduate (Mycorrhizal Planet, 2018).’ of Green Mountain Land Steward College with a 1. “Fungi Are Responsible For Life On Land As We Know It - The Nature of Lauren is a recent Master’s Degree Things: Science, Wildlife and Technology.” graduate of Unity in Sustainable CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, www.cbc. College with a Food Systems and ca/natureofthings/m_features/fungi-are- degree in Wildlife the University of responsible-for-life-on-land-as-we-know-it. Biology. Maine at Machias 2012. She has previous with a degree in 2. “Hidden Partners: Mycorrhizal Fungi and experience Environmental Plants.” NYBG.org, sciweb.nybg.org/science2/ as a Wildlife Studies. Among hcol/mycorrhizae.asp.html. 2003. Management Area other pursuits, Ryan 3. Ogden Publications, Inc. “Mycorrhizal Intern with Maine has worked as a Fungi.” Mother Earth News, www. Department of Science Teacher with motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ Fast forward forward to today, and the evidence of this transition can be seen in the gardening-techniques/mycorrhizal-fungi- Inland Fisheries MidCoast School subsurface interactions between vascular plants and fungi, where approximately 90% zm0z14aszkin.