Droevendaal Food Forest Project

Short introduction

The Droevendaal Food Forest is an experimental field of UNIFARM, Wageningen University and Research. The Food Forest, 1 ha, started in 2018 in an old fruit orchard, and now hosts a collection of over 350 plant species and 150 cultivars. Its design aims to test whether the system can provide a full diet for 10 people/hectare, while improving all ecosystems services and offering a livable income to a farmer.

Complex Agroforestry in the Netherlands

Complex agroforestry systems (CAS) are emerging as a novel land use system in the Netherlands, mainly under the popular name of food forests. CAS provide a multitude of edible products while mimicking the structure and functioning of natural forests, with a large diversity of trees, shrubs and plants, fulfilling different niches over time and mirroring the increased complexity typical of forest succession. Thereby, CAS follow theory on niche complementarity. CAS consist of at least three vertical vegetation layers grown in mixed or rowed patterns depending on their scale and use. Natural processes self-regulate the system, as opposed to relying on (chemical) inputs for fertilisation and biological control. Due to their functional complexity and relative wildness when compared to the predominantly homogenous Dutch land use, CAS have the potential to enhance biodiversity at field, farm and landscape level, both in urban and rural regions, providing year-round habitat and food for organisms belonging to all trophic levels..

Findings across temperate regions indicate that the majority of CAS perform well on provisioning healthy food, environmental services, and spaces for recreation, education, and community building6. However, evidence on the economic viability of CAS remains scarce because the majority of early adopters do not use their CAS for economic reasons or did not design these systems with the knowledge to integrate the required socio-economic and biophysical conditions7. To scale up and out, CAS need to go beyond the provision of social-cultural and environmental services and enhance their economic viability6. To explore the potential to utilise and professionalise the multi-functionality of CAS in diverging contexts, there is a need for scientific underpinning for the design, implementation and management of these systems8. Questions of species selection, arrangement and management for self-regulation of nutrient cycling, natural pest and disease control, (local) marketing, community involvement and harvesting efficiency need to be explored.

Project initiation

To tackle these challenges Kees van Veluw, a lecturer from the Farming Systems Ecology chair group, initiated the Droevendaal Food forest project at Unifarm, the organic learning and experimenting farm of Wageningen University. The Droevendaal Food forest is the oldest university food forest in the Netherlands and exemplifies the pioneering role of WUR in the transition towards regenerative agriculture.

Project Goals and coordination

Droevendaal aimed to be a food forest for students and the wider WUR community — a place for learning, research and experimentation, gathering, and inspiration, with the following objectives:

1. Serving as a living lab where students and researchers can access education, inspiration and research on complex agroforestry systems.
2. Enhancing all ecosystem services.
3. Producing a complete diet for 10 people/ha with minimal inputs
4. Generating a theoretical net income of €25,000 per year that corresponds to a fair labour effort of 1 fte.

With the retirement of Kees van Veluw in october 2024, the coordination of the Droevendaal food forest project shifted to the Forest Ecology and Forest Management (FEM) Chairgroup where Jordy van Eijk is employed for an Engineering Doctorate on Designing Complex Agroforestry Systems. The promoter of Jordy is FEM professor Frans Bongers.

Activities in the Droevendaal Food Forest

In the food forest, there are three categories of activities to pursue the project goals: research, education and outreach.

Research:

● Research through Design: The Droevendaal Food Forest was established to enhance understanding of food forest design in relation to specific project goals. This approach, known as "research through design," contributes to the knowledge base supporting the Engineering Doctorate of Jordy van Eijk on Complex Agroforestry Systems. To learn more about this new WUR trajectory and the applied design methods and outcomes, see the EngD program[1], EngD proposal[2] and Storymap[3])

●Monitoring: Since 2018, the Droevendaal FF has been part of the National Monitoring Program for Food Forests (Nationaal Monitoringsprogramma Voedselbosbouw). Each year, students conduct monitoring activities that include tracking plant and insect diversity, soil conditions, and harvest yields.

Education:

●Learning by Doing: The Droevendaal Food Forest (FF) is managed by students from various programs and associations, under supervision. The goal is to strengthen its educational role by creating a student community engaged in the food forest’s management, harvesting, design, and experimentation.

●Nature-Based Learning: Wageningen University (WUR) is increasingly interested in nature-based education. A nature-based teacher training is currently being developed in collaboration with the Teacher and Learning Centre. There is also interest in expanding outdoor learning spaces, with Professor Arnold Bregt expressing interest in creating an outdoor classroom in the food forest for WUR courses. The Forest Ecology and Management (FEM) group plans to collaborate with the Education and Learning Sciences chair group to explore this as part of a living lab for nature-based education.

●Course Visits and Programs: The Droevendaal FF regularly hosts visits from various WUR courses. Since 2018, an Ecoliteracy program has been run at the food forest in partnership with the Eureka School in Bennekom. The program, highly beneficial for both schoolchildren and WUR students, is being considered for continuation in collaboration with Wageningen Pre-University. FEM views this as an important societal service and a key educational outreach initiative.

Outreach:

●Public Engagement: The food forest coordinates excursions, symposia, and social-educational events, aligned with WUR’s commitment to social responsibility.

Maintenance:

●Ongoing Care: FEM is responsible for creating and implementing the food forest’s maintenance plan. Students participate in key maintenance activities as part of their learning, which include planting, pruning, mowing, weeding, mulching, irrigation, thinning, managing tree protectors, and harvesting produce. Unifarm handles infrastructural tasks, such as path maintenance and supporting the irrigation system.

Project Team
Dr. Madelon Lobeck (FEM, Project leader)
MSc. Jordy van Eijk (FEM, Day-to-day project coordinator)
MSc. Talis Bosma (Unifarm, Manager of the Droevendaal Experimental Farm)
MSc. Louise van der Stok (Education and Learning Sciences, education coordinator)
Prof. Frans Bongers (FEM, general coordination support) Leo Goudzwaard (FEM, maintenance coordination support)

Access, collaboration and contact
Visiting the Food Forest is only possible by appointment, or as part of WUR education. Access is forbidden for unauthorised persons.
For questions further questions, contact Jordy van Eijk: jordy.vaneijk@wur.nl

Partners and sponsors