Denver’s Food Forests Provide Free Fruit While Greening the Environment

Thinking back to techniques she had learned at the Denver Permaculture Guild, Appel Lipsius decided to build a system of food forests throughout the Denver area. These dense, layered plantings incorporate fruit-bearing trees with other perennials to mimic natural forests.

Now, DUG oversees 26 food forests, with 600 or so fruit and nut trees and 600 berry bushes.

While urban trees are recognized for their multiple benefits, including cooling and carbon drawdown, “there are not a lot of players in Denver, or even in most cities around the country, who are focused on food trees,” Appel Lipsius said. “We were able to step into this space to help build and bolster the canopy while adding food-producing perennials.”