Chapter Two: Issues and Strategies in Forest Garden Design and Management-Overview

Question 1

What are the 3 goals of Forest Gardening?

Answer 1

1. High Diverse Yields; 2. Maximum self-maintenance, minimum cost; 3. Maximum ecological health.

Question 2

What is the central ecosystem dynamic required to meet the three goals of Forest Gardening?

Answer 2

Overyielding polycultures

Question 3

What are the 7 ecosystem dynamics that will generate the 3 goals of Forest Gardening?

Answer 3

1. Self renewing fertility; 2. Sustainable water demand; 3. Minimal herbivory; 4. Overyielding polycultures; 5. Healthy plants; 6. Directed succession; 7. Minimal competition

Question 4

What type of strategies for meeting the goals of FG are most preferred?

Answer 4

Ecosystem design strategies.

Question 5

What type of strategies for meeting the goals of FG are least preferred?

Answer 5

Maintenance strategies.

Question 6

What are the four groups of Design Elements used to achieve the ecosystem dynamics and thus the goals of FG’s?

Answer 6

1. Existing site conditions; 2. Desired ecosystem components; 3. Ecosystem patterning; 4. Management activities.

Question 7

List the 9 proposed elements of ‘existing site conditions’ considered in FG.

Answer 7

1. Climate
2. Landform
3. Water
4. Access and Circulation
5. Vegetation and wildlife
6. Microclimates
7. Buildings and infrastructure
8. Zones of use
9. Soil fertility

Question 8

List the 5 proposed elements of ‘desired ecosystem components’ considered in FG.

Answer 8

1. Compositional and functional diversity
2. Organisms, species and varieties
3. Habitat elements
4. Nutrients
5. Infrastructure elements

Question 9

List the 6 proposed elements of ‘ecosystem patterning’ considered in FG.

Answer 9

1. Structural diversity
2. Site preparation
3. Spacing
4. Distribution
5. Sequencing
6. Disturbance regime

Question 10

List the 7 proposed elements of ‘management activities’ considered in FG.

Answer 10

1. Monitoring
2. Deliberate site and niche availability
3. Directed species availability
4. Facilitated species performance
5. Maintenance
6. Harvesting
7. Coeveolution

Question 11

List issues faced by ‘typical’ gardeners.

Answer 11

fertilising
soil fertility
weed control
pest control
disease control
plant spacing
what to plant
where to plant
when to plant
how to plant
growing healthy plants
watering and irrigation
harvesting
maximising yields
minimising labour and costs

Question 12

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of fertilising?

Answer 12

-self-renewing fertility

Question 13

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of soil fertility?

Answer 13

• self-renewing fertility
• healthy plants
• sustainable water demand

Question 14

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of weed control?

Answer 14

• minimal competition

- directed succession

Question 15

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of pest and disease control?

Answer 15

-minimal herbivory

Question 16

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of plant spacing?

Answer 16

• healthy plants
• minimal competition
• minimal herbivory
• directed succession

Question 17

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of what to plant?

Answer 17

-all ecosystem dynamics and desired conditions

Question 18

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of when to plant?

Answer 18

• minimal competition

- directed succession

Question 19

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of where to plant?

Answer 19

• self-renewing fertility
• sustainable water demand
• minimal herbivory
• minimal competition
• directed succession
• high, diverse yields
• maximum self-maintenance & minimum cost

Question 20

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of how to plant?

Answer 20

-healthy plants

Question 21

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of growing healthy plants?

Answer 21

• healthy plants
• self-renewing fertility
• sustainable water demand
• minimal herbivory
• minimal competition

Question 22

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of watering and irrigation?

Answer 22

-sustainable water demand

Question 23

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of harvesting?

Answer 23

• overyielding polycultures
• high, diverse yields
• maximum self-maintenance & minimum costs

Question 24

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of maximising yields?

Answer 24

• overyielding polycultures

- high, diverse yields

Question 25

What ecosystem dynamic/s and/or desired condition/s do FG’s use to attend to the issue of minimising labour and costs?

Answer 25

-maximum self-maintenance & minimum costs