Progress

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On behalf of Stichting Naserena, we’ve started a very special project: the creation of a food forest. But what exactly is a food forest? A food forest is a human-designed ecosystem that mimics the structure and functions of a natural forest, but with the purpose of producing food, wood, herbs, and other useful products. Instead of working the land intensively with heavy machinery, artificial fertilizers, and pesticides, a food forest is all about collaborating with nature.

A food forest consists of multiple layers: from tall trees to low shrubs, ground covers, climbers, and even the root layer is utilized. Each plant, tree, or shrub serves several purposes. Some produce fruits or nuts, others attract insects or enrich the soil with nitrogen. The result is a system where biodiversity thrives, soil quality improves, and water is better retained. In the long term, a food forest becomes resilient and self-sustaining, contributing to a healthy relationship between humans and nature.

”Many thanks to everyone who contributed through the “Donate a Tree” campaign and with the help of friends and volunteers, Stichting Naserena has successfully planted 52 trees, 32 shrubs, and 235 plants.

Planting a food forest is more than placing a few fruit trees next to each other. The design is the result of extensive research and planning. Every element in the system supports the others. The food forest designed by Stichting Naserena draws inspiration from both permaculture and syntropic agriculture. This means that rows of trees were planted with alternating functions. In between these rows, vegetables are grown, making smart use of the shade provided by the trees. This helps keep the soil cooler and more moist—especially important in the dry climate of Matarraña.

The design features a carefully balanced mix of fruit trees and support trees. For every two fruit trees, one support tree has been planted. Among the fruit trees are varieties such as Níspero Europea (Medlar), Níspero Japonesa (Loquat), Nectarine, Pear, Fuji Apple, Golden Apple, Peach, Apricot, Mulberry, Plum, Olive, and Almond. These trees offer a rich harvest of flavors and nutrients.

The support trees form the foundation of the ecosystem. Trees such as Carob, Mimosa, Prosopis alba, Jujube, False Pepper Tree, Leucaena leucocephala, Italian Alder, Black Locust, and Pauwlonia (Empress Tree) have been planted. Each of these has unique traits: some are nitrogen fixers, others provide rapid biomass or attract beneficial insects. Together, they create the perfect conditions for the fruit trees to thrive.

The shrubs and herb layer also play an important role. Between the trees, fruit-bearing bushes such as berries and raspberries have been planted, along with plants that attract insects, repel pests, or cover the soil. Think of lavender, thyme, clover, and calendula. These plants bloom at the same time as certain trees, helping attract pollinators at the right moment. Others provide natural pest control or improve soil fertility.

And this is only the beginning…
The food forest will continue to expand in the future, also to show its different stages of development. Would you like to support us? Donate a tree today or become a friend of the foundation!