300 acres
Food Forest & Orchards
A magical space where fruits, nuts and berries are grown.
300 ac
Planted area
7
Canopy layers
80+
Perennial species
May–Oct
Harvest window
Mission
Plant a forest you can eat — a permanent, layered ecosystem that produces food for generations while sequestering carbon.
The Food Forest District layers fruit and nut trees, berry shrubs, perennial herbs and groundcover into a single self-reinforcing ecosystem. Unlike annual cropping, it grows more productive every year as canopies close and soil life deepens.
Winding trails, orchard clearings and interpretive stations make it the most beloved walking landscape in the Bio-Park — an orchard designed as much for wonder as for yield.
Inside the district
What's being built here.
Orchard blocks
Apple, pear, plum and cherry blocks in heritage and modern varieties.
Nut groves
Chestnut, hazelnut and walnut groves establishing a long-horizon Canadian nut industry.
Berry understory
Haskap, currant, raspberry and elderberry beneath the canopy, open for u-pick.
Innovation highlights
- Multi-layer perennial polyculture design
- Carbon sequestration measurement
- Pollinator and beneficial insect habitat
- Water retention swales and keyline design
- Heritage variety preservation
- Agroforestry research plots
Opportunities
- Orchard and grove operator partnerships
- Value-added fruit and nut processing
- Agroforestry research funding
- Guided harvest tourism
Partners we're seeking
- Agroforestry researchers
- Heritage seed keepers
- Beekeepers
- Conservation authorities