Nature-friendly food growing on campus
The University of Edinburgh has several food growing projects led by staff and students, including the Kings Buildings Permaculture Garden student society.
Sustainable Food Grant
- New fruit trees and herb planters have been funded for accommodation sites.
- The Kings Building Permaculture Garden society has received funding to train three students in permaculture methods.
Food growing projects
Join the Kings Buildings Permaculture Garden society
The word permaculture is a conjunction of the words permanence and culture. The term was coined by Mollison and Holmgren in Australia in the 1970s but the concept runs much deeper throughout Indigenous histories around the world.
Essentially, permaculture is to act in a way that would be viable for at least 10,000 years into the future – that is to say, to act in a way that ensures the indefinite persistence of our socio-ecosystems.
As humanity navigates this critical period, the permacultural philosophy/technique is crucial now more than ever before. The KB Permaculture Garden is a space for students and community members to practice and learn about permaculture.
The society mainly aims to foster permacultural thinking in the minds of future changemakers. By sharing skills and knowledge, they hope to create an immensely positive impact via the ripple effect.
The society also aims to provide a space for well-being and communion with nature. This outdoor creative space provides a refreshing complement to the busy digital lives of scholars. Having fun, making friends, being creative, enjoying the outdoors, and getting some exercise are the secondary, but important, goals of the society.
Easter Bush vegetable allotments
24 vegetable plots are maintained by staff and students at the Easter Bush campus with a communal area open for all to lend a hand. Volunteers are always welcome to help with plots (plot buddy system) and ideas for the communal area (e.g. shed maintenance, herb garden, path upkeep).
Pollock Halls and Kings Buildings orchards
One of the orchards has around 30 apple and plum trees. The trees were donated by Coffee Conscious, the University's 100% Fairtrade coffee supplier, and planted with support from Scottish Fruit Trees.