Edible Landscapes Consultants is dedicated to empowing the community to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Community action for sustainability

The last decade has seen an escalation of community concern, demonstrated by increasing numbers of individuals and groups taking action to live more sustainability; in particular, undertaking the positive and directed actions of growing healthy organic food as well as building local communities.

Around the region, more and more people are now composting waste, feeding worm farms, keeping chooks, sharing produce and experiences with friends and neighbours. And more people are joining community gardens or exploring how to set one up.

When you ask people why, the reasons are many - global warming; environmental degradation; isolation and alienation; rising food costs; reducing carbon footprints of food miles; fertiliser and pesticides; whole family involvement in eating and growing healthy food; taking back control of food supplies resulting from poor urban planning and supermarket monopolies; meeting new people; belonging to a community; fun; pleasure; education... the list goes on. But their reasons are passionate, and pressing.

The aims and outcomes of home and community vegetable gardens fit well (like those of farmers markets) with those of Council, overlapping a number of portfolios - planning and environment, sustainability and community services. To empower people to come together and learn to ‘grow their own' is surely a cost effective and powerful way to help deliver the Sunshine Coast Regional Council's vision: To be Australia's most sustainable region - vibrant, green, diverse.

But it takes a lot of trial and error for interested individuals and community groups to go down this track, starting from scratch. If they, individually or collectively, cannot marshal necessary fundamental skills (e.g. planning, fundraising, project management, policy and process, communication) they will flounder.

Our services

Edible Landscapes is a coalition of consultants with expertise in organic gardening, permaculture, community development, communication and environmental education. We offer a wide variety of consultancy services tailored to client needs and visions including:

For householders

Our focus is to help empower people to take sustainable and rewarding action in their own homes, streets and communities.
Residential vegetable garden setups - including design; installation; ongoing maintenance; advice and education - for raised tank gardens, no-dig mandala gardens and retro-fitting existing gardens.
Permaculture support systems advice and setups - including worm farms; composting systems; chicken keeping; water & irrigation; fruit and nut trees;
natural pest management; seed raising and saving; cooking with sub-tropical vegetables; one on one education sessions.
Acreage garden setups including design; installation; ongoing maintenance; advice and education for permaculture systems; keeping animals; food forest development.

For Councils

Policy advice regarding Community Garden placement, development and ongoing management.
Assistance for Council working with community groups to realise their community garden aspirations.
Assistance and advice for developers working with Council to create community gardens in their development plans.

For community groups and developing community gardens

Empowering workshop facilitation based around the Veggie Village - visit veggievillage.com.au
model including: starting a community garden; designing your garden; growing communities; growing funds by grant writing and sponsors; marketing and media skills; ‘The Engine Room' - policies, procedures, records and communication; ongoing planning.
Garden development and advice including project management; infrastructure installation;
Council & Government liaison; evaluation; troubleshooting.

Community Garden Presentation - The Edible Landscapes team can come to your area and inspire your community to become involved in starting a community garden. View our presentation online, download [13Mb], contact Bruce Molloy (07) 5448 3769 or Lin Martin on 07 5471 3624 or email lin.martin@bigpond.com.au

Contact:

Bruce Molloy, Director
07 5448 3769
bruce@ediblelandscapes.com.au

Lin Martin, Associate
07 5471 3624
lin.martin@bigpond.com.au