An Urban Agroforestry Demonstration Project on Chicago’s West Side
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ag•ro•for•est•ry: is an integrative, sustainable land use system which combines the growing of trees and crops to optimize production, bio-diversity and profitability |
OAI, Inc. has partnered with Cob Connection, a local urban agriculture and food justice organization, to develop a unique green jobs training program on Chicago’s west side.
A community in need
The west side of Chicago is an urban heat island, whose residents lack affordable access to healthy food. This underserved community of color suffers from alarmingly high unemployment, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes and have not been educated about the benefits that environmental engagement can bring.
What we plan on doing
The Communitree project will hire and train 10 adults with multiple barriers
including ex-offenders in the techniques of urban agriculture and urban
forestry.
The aim of this project is simple:
Organic Food + Trees + People = Healthier Communities.
They will learn to grow food and fruit/nut bearing and shade trees on empty
city lots, using urban agriculture and forestry methods while simultaneously
learning income diversification by selling food and trees at farmer’s markets
and to local restaurants.
Incorporating Design and Sustainability
CommuniTree partners Design Collaboratives and students of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago have contributed their design expertise and creative talents to help design and fabricate infrastructure elements which include a hoop house, and a modular vertical farming and water collection system that are made of recycled and sustainable materials.
Community Benefits
CommuniTree produces food for the local food pantry to create food security, local residents learn urban agriculture and how to distribute and sell produce to farmers’ markets and restaurants while increasing the tree canopy through sales and donated planting in the community.
Project replicability and sustainability
CommuniTree supports local economic development through microenterprise and workforce development while building healthy communities that are investing in themselves. The next level of sustainability and long term community health lies in developing policy that preserves 10% of land for food production in Chicago.