‘Edible forest garden’ crops up along Cincinnati’s Mill Creek

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

Berry bushes and squash vines, apple and pear saplings, and inches-high corn plants growing now are envisioned to blossom into an “edible forest garden” in urban Cincinnati for the benefit of joggers, bicyclists, hikers and those who simply want to relax along a waterway.

Community forest and gardening efforts have been popping up across the country, from Seattle to Pittsburgh, including other urban gardens in this city along the Ohio River. But this new project combines the goals of providing a new source of fresh fruit and vegetables for city dwellers with a long-term effort to renew the river, which has been polluted for decades.

“Basically, we are transforming what this river corridor looks like. We’re giving the river a green edge and making it more inviting for people,” said Robin Corathers, an environmental planner and the executive director of Groundwork Cincinnati, a community-based nonprofit.

The ambitious “Healthy People, Healthy River” project incorporates nutrition, recreation, education and artwork — along with major environmental cleanup. A 28-mile greenway trail is planned in the Mill Creek watershed, which runs from the Ohio River through Cincinnati and into its northern suburbs. The watershed has long been a receptacle for industrial waste, raw sewage, residential stormwater runoff and other pollutants. Mill Creek restoration has been underway for two decades, and the edible forest garden is a way to heighten public interest in it, Carothers said.

Fresh, healthy food from the garden is intended to go to people who live within walking distance and aren’t near a major grocery store, and to food pantries. It’s also hoped the fresh produce will be boost anti-obesity efforts and help attract people to the area for exercise, learning and leisure. The site will include ground vegetation and a tree canopy.

Student volunteers are helping to teach local youths more about the area’s history, as well as the environment, nutrition and horticulture.