Imagine a future where every town on the Vineyard has a public space filled with berry bushes, fruit trees, and perennial vegetables — a lush, living food system that’s as functional as it is beautiful. Thanks to the MV Food Forest Toolkit, that vision is getting real.
What Is the Food Forest Toolkit?
The toolkit offers a practical guide for creating public, perennial food forests — landscapes designed to mimic natural forests but built to produce food year-round. Developed in partnership with ecological designer Mary Sage Napolitan, this toolkit lays out everything from how to choose the right site to what plants to use and how to sustain the space long-term.
Why It Matters for the Vineyard
Because we’re an island, Martha’s Vineyard faces unique risks: severe storms, supply-chain disruptions, and food-insecurity issues. A network of food forests would help strengthen local food systems, making us more self-reliant even when climate impacts threaten traditional supply lines. Unlike row crops, perennial food forests are deeply rooted and can handle drought, intense weather, and low-maintenance growing.
Connection to the Vineyard Way Climate Action Plan
This effort is firmly rooted in The Vineyard Way Climate Action Plan. Specifically, it supports the Food Security goal to establish perennial food production spaces in public areas across all six towns. By doing so, we’re not only producing food—but also building climate resilience. Food forests sequester carbon, support biodiversity, and reduce the need for energy-intensive agricultural inputs.
On-the-Ground Progress
Aquinnah is already leading the way! Thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts MVP program, a detailed design for a food forest at the town center is in motion — complete with recommended plants, a planting layout, and a long-term maintenance plan. Meanwhile, potential food forest sites have been identified across the Island — and the toolkit includes maps, accessibility criteria, and planting options for all towns.
Why This Matters
- Equity & Access: Public food forests mean everyone — residents, students, elders — can harvest food, not just buy it.
- Climate Action: These forests absorb carbon, stabilize soil, and weather storms better than many other systems.
- Education: Projects like the food forest at the Charter School are already teaching students about climate-forward gardening and ecosystem design.
- Long-Term Sustainability: Because food forests are perennial, they require less maintenance over time and produce food year after year.
Explore the Toolkit
Interested in helping make a food forest happen in your town? Advocate for food forests in public spaces at your next town meeting. Dive into the full MV Food Forest Toolkit, view maps of potential food forest sites, and discover how you can help shape this growing movement: https://thevineyardway.org/mv-food-forest-toolkit/
