A food forest is the oldest form of agriculture (> 60,000 years) traditionally applied all over the world including Europe. Urban food forests in public spaces have been implemented in the Netherlands by the Urbaniahoeve Foundation since 2010 (Foodscape Schilderswijk).

VBAZO connects more than 70 locals, of all ages and backgrounds from Amsterdam Zuidoost’s K-district. VBAZO offers the opportunity to participate as citizens in shaping your environment in an ecological way. You can also meet neighbors by picking organic and free foods together, such as fruits, flowers, edible wild plants, nuts and more. This activity makes the neighborhood safer, creates a feeling of ownership amongst residents, and this helps increase social cohesion. In this way, locals can also learn about nature, plants, the living soil, insects, birds, and small mammals, and how they depend on each other in our own ‘backyard’.

Increasing biodiversity in an urban environment through the addition of a more varied range of plants, allows for more meadow flowers — whose seeds are already present in the ground requires a less intensive management form known as ‘phased mowing’. Phased mowing allows for more insects — the food of songbirds — the food of birds of prey — who also eat mice and rats. VBAZO also connects other Amsterdam green zones, such as Bijlmerweide, Brasa park, Gaasperpark and Bijlmerpark (now Nelson Mandela park), allowing small mammals such as hedgehogs to move in a reasonably safe manner from one place to another, and providing food and habitat.

Amsterdam’s City Works Department and their contractors take care of the heavy work of VBAZO: carrying out the phased mowing, tree maintenance etc… Involved locals harvest and plant, and observe where there is too much or too little of something, where there are dangerous plants or too many saplings. Everyone is welcome: from young to old, from athlete to disabled. Contact us at info@urbaniahoeve.nl or visit the VBAZO facebook page.