From concrete to green canopy: exploring urban food forests

Walking through Amsterdam's streets, I often find myself wondering about the possibilities hiding in plain sight. While food forests and agroforestry systems are gaining momentum across rural Europe, there's an equally exciting movement happening within our cities. Every unused space, from forgotten corners to bare walls, holds potential for urban food forestry.

The concept isn't entirely new. Traditional agroforestry systems have existed for centuries across the globe, combining trees, crops, and ecological principles in sophisticated ways. Now, this ancient wisdom is being rediscovered and adapted for our modern challenges. Food forests aren't just about growing food—they're about reimagining our relationship with urban ecosystems. Picture your favourite park, but where every plant has a purpose, feeding both people and supporting local wildlife. Unlike high-maintenance traditional gardens that need constant attention, food forests become more self-sustaining over time, mimicking natural forest systems.

Food forests represent the complete opposite of our industrial agricultural model. Instead of large-scale monocrops requiring pesticides, they create diverse ecosystems offering fresh, local, organic produce. A forest doesn't need irrigation, artificial fertilizers, or pesticides—it maintains its own closed cycle. Food forests enhance soil health, have significant water retention capacity, store carbon, increase biodiversity, and produce oxygen. Moreover, they create connections within neighbourhoods and offer incredible educational opportunities, especially for schools where they can transform playgrounds into living classrooms.

Amsterdam's growing movement

Across every corner of Amsterdam, food forest initiatives are taking root, from the outskirts to the city centre. In the west, MijnStadstuin hosts Voedselbos Amsterdam, while in North, CSA Stadstuinderij NoordOogst has transformed 2000m² of former sports grounds into a thriving food forest. Anna's Tuin en Ruigte adds green to the Science Park in East Amsterdam, and in the Amsterdamse Bos, a 15,000m² food forest combines agriculture with animal husbandry through 'silvopasture' plots grazed by goats. See below for links to their websites.

One project that particularly caught my attention is Stichting Amstergaard's work in the historic center. Their innovative approach using hexagonal planters crafted from repurposed local wood shows how urban food forests can adapt to even the most space-constrained environments. As Mariken, one of Amstergaard's founders, wisely notes: "Greening a city can be done quickly, but the art lies in keeping it green." Her observation about perennial vegetation having deeper roots, helping them survive urban drought conditions without relying on increasingly scarce tap water, really resonates with the food forest philosophy.

One of the street planting polycultures created by Mariken de Goede, Stichting Amstergaard
Below: project Ruijtergaard on De Ruijterkade near central station

The layers of a food forest: urban edition

The magic happens when we start thinking in layers - just like nature does. In our compact city spaces, we're challenged to explore how to stack plants from ground level all the way up to the sky. Here's how these layers work in an urban setting:

1. Canopy layer: Dwarf fruit trees or espaliered trees that maximize vertical space while producing abundant harvests.

2. Understory layer: Berry bushes, currants, and smaller fruit-producing shrubs that thrive in partial shade and create rich, productive mid-levels.

3. Vertical layer: Vines transform walls, fences, and urban structures into living, edible landscapes. Kiwi berries, grape varieties, passion fruit, climbing beans, hop, and trailing nasturtiums create green screens and living architecture. For inspiration, check out the Municipality of Amsterdam's guide to climbing plants (in Dutch).

4. Herbaceous layer: Perennial vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers that not only provide food but also attract pollinators and beneficial insects.

5. Ground cover: Low-growing plants that protect soil, suppress weeds, and often provide additional edible or medicinal yields.

6. Root layer: Underground edibles like Jerusalem artichokes, ground nuts, and other soil-building plants that work silently beneath the surface.

Climate Heroes in Disguise

These mini forests are actually secret superheroes in our stone-filled city. When heavy Amsterdam rains come pouring down, they act like giant sponges, soaking up water that would otherwise flood our streets. During scorching summer days, they create their own natural air conditioning system. They're not just food production sites - they're climate adaptation tools.

The opportunities for creating food forests are everywhere in our city - from school playgrounds to street corners, from canal banks to building facades. The Municipality of Amsterdam even offers an online map where citizens can adopt tree bases, transforming them into mini-ecosystems for bees, butterflies, and birds. Even shady spots hold potential - in a forest, many plants naturally thrive in the shade of trees. North-facing walls, often considered challenging growing spaces, can support fruit plants that appreciate cool, moist conditions.

While space in the city is limited, the impact is enormous. Through experiencing food forests we strengthen the connection between city and countryside, between consumer and product, and between people and nature. The existing food forests and edible green spaces in and around the city are essential in telling this story.

Join the Movement

Whether you have a balcony, a small garden, access to a community plot, or want to adopt a tree, you can be part of this growing movement. If you're curious about starting your own edible ecosystem, there are many ways to learn and connect. We regularly organize workshops where participants explore the principles of ecological design and learn how to create living systems that provide food, beauty, and environmental value. We think carefully about the social aspects too, fostering neighbourhood connections and helping you find your unique food forest story.

Nature is the best teacher, and understanding her language is a journey we can share together. Join us for our upcoming Urban Food Forest workshop on Sunday, February 23rd. We will be at Stadsboerderij Osdorp where we are building a mini-food forest. You can find all workshop dates on our calendar.