Food Forest

Our First Food Forest at Estero Park! Tony came up with the plans for this and has done amazing work with other Eco Vista volunteers in collaboration with the IV Recreation and Parks District. It has fruit trees and understory that is all edible, native, medicinal and/or utilizing permaculture techniques like plants that fix nitrogen from the air.

Instagrams @ecovistacommunity and @islavistafoodforest is a great place to see updates, and you can DM us or email ecovistacommunity@gmail.com to find out how to volunteer or tour the space.

This Food Forest is planted in memory of our dear friend MB who inspired us all to serve the community and the environment with gentle loving kindness.

late Spring 2021, the red clover ground cover is a great way to attract pollinators, fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil (a vital nutrient for plants), and break down the mulch.
From late winter 2021

this is what the space looked like before Jan 2021

Tony, IVRPD staff Luis, Carlos, and Kimberly, and Ash (photographer) meet on Jan 8 2021 to prepare the Food Forest site!
IVRPD staff and Eco Vista friends including Carlos, Henry, Ted, Em, Tony, and Ash (photographer), sheet mulch the site on Jan 9 2021. Sheet mulch means putting layers of cardboard, organic matter, soil, mycorrhizal fungi inoculate and other soil amendments, and mulch to snuff out invasive grass and build nutritious soil.
Tony, with mycorrhizal fungi inoculate, came up with the Food Forest proposal and has led the implementation of this Food Forest. Tony is passionate about fighting climate change and food insecurity with urban Food Forests. When not out planting trees you can find them exploring parks and trails, playing harp or guitar under a tree, and reading permaculture books.
Luis digs where a tree will be planted on Jan 9 2021. Luis has helped throughout the process facilitate communication between IVRPD and Eco Vista.
Carlos, from IVRPD’s grounds crew, seen here digging, has helped with the Food Forest as well as with the upkeep of all of IV Parks. In his spare time, Carlos runs a foundation that gets hospital supplies to low income communities in Mexico.
IVRPD staff planting a citrus tree
Ash, left, has helped Tony, right, on the Food Forest journey on the ground, with photographic documentation, moral support and more. Here pictured with two citrus trees.
Ash and Tony plant the first of the yarrow. Yarrow is an amazing medicinal plant with blood clotting properties. It can be used to stop the bleeding on cuts and nose bleeds. Ash once used it to immediately stop the bleeding after roughhousing with a playful pup. It is very strong medicine, do not consume internally before doing thorough research.

August 2021, We now have 4 varieties of yarrow in this beautiful butterfly garden, the pollinators love it!

planting Bacon Avo late Spring 2021

on a windy day in June 2021