Photography by Logan Pugh
The Castanea Edible Forest Garden is a living representation of permaculture ideas and serves as a food forest for all living communities! Castanea features many edible perennial plants, including pawpaws, mulberries, plums, persimmons, raspberries, strawberries, passionfruit and chestnuts, that will support our local community and provide students with opportunities to connect with nature for decades to come.
Where is Castanea Garden located?
Castanea Forest Garden is located adjacent to the Sam Millar Facilities Complex. It is on the side of the building which faces the Kimmel Arena and Parking Deck.
How do I get involved?
Throughout the school year and the summer term, Garden Managers hold open Garden Workdays that will be posted on the SEC Gardens Instagram page.
What is the garden’s history?
On March 24, 2012, 23 students, faculty, and community members came together to plant the first edible forest garden in the UNC school system. The garden has over 20 species of fruit, nut, berry, and food plants.
The club committed to expanding the permaculture movement at UNC Asheville as an effort to address the pressing environmental issues of climate change, food access, biodiversity loss, and anthropocentric disconnection from the land that created us.
The Edible Forest Garden Club also focused on being a cooperative learning-teaching group of students. Their goal was to spread the knowledge of how easy it is to utilize plant species for food and nourishment through demonstrations on campus.
The management of the garden was passed on to the SEC as a way to continue student interest and involvement even after club members graduated.
The Edible Forest Garden Club’s Community Garden was funded through the SEC’s Green Grants program.