Designing and Maintaining Edible Ecosystems

Discover how to design, establish and maintain edible ecosystems that mimic the structure and function of natural forests. Explore different plant materials that include: medicinal herbs, perennial vegetables, fruits and berries and their role in increasing biodiversity, nutrient accumulation, habitat for beneficial insects and nitrogen fixation. More broadly at an agricultural scale, we’ll examine sites established in perennial polycultures, enterprises established in these systems and the possibility of moving agriculture from sustainable to regenerative. Meghan Giroux is the owner and director of Vermont Edible Landscapes, a land planning business specializing in the development of agro-ecosystems. Native to Vermont, Meghan is deeply passionate about her home state, working alongside landowners and farmers to protect and enhance its natural resources.