Stratford hopes project bears fruit
The Town of Stratford has planted the seeds of a project that it hopes in the future will bear plenty of fruit for the community.
With the help of Tree Canada and the Stratford Area Watershed Improvement Group, the town recently planted 20 fruit trees as part of a community edible orchard at the Fullerton’s Creek Conservation Park.
“The whole idea is to create local sources of food and to also get the community engaged by helping to take care of the orchard and to benefit from the fruit,” said Stratford Mayor Steve Ogden, who added the project received valuable financial assistance from The Brick.
Ogden said the project started with a conversation between the town’s environmental sustainability coordinator, Maddy Crowell, and Tree Canada, which has a program designed to promote the planting of edible trees in communities.
“It's a good recreational thing,” said Ogden. “It looks nice and contributes to carbon sequestration. There’s a whole lot of environmental and social benefits from the program.”
Ogden was among those who took part in the recent planting of the apple, plum and cherry trees.
“It was a learning experience for everyone who participated.”
He said when the trees become more mature and are able to yield fruit, members of the public will be able to pick the fruit. Any fruit that is left over could go to local groups for fundraising or to local food banks.
“It’s another source of food for the community.
That food will always be there at a certain time of year. In the late summer or fall, food will be there for future generations for many years to come.”
Co-ordinator Emily Vanlderstine said the watershed group is happy with the orchard’s location.
“We love when the town does things like this, especially in that area,” said Vanlderstine.
“Our group is trying to make sure it stays as natural as possible.”
She said the group is hoping the orchard can draw more people to the area and that it will educate them on the natural environment “that we’re lucky to have” in the Stratford area.