Community groups and schools from Cardiff have been planting their own fruit trees across the city.
A total of 47 fruit trees were planted in community spaces around the city as part of the Orchard Cardiff project.
The initiative, organised by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and Cardiff Transition project, promotes sustainability by encouraging people to grow food locally.
Cardiff Council’s parks department provided the equipment needed for the tree planting, with 39 community groups and schools taking part.
Executive member for Sport Leisure & Culture, Councillor Nigel Howells, planted the first tree at Riverside Community Garden.
He said: “The planting was a huge success and I was pleased to be personally involved in such a worthwhile project. Community groups will be adopting the trees they have planted, with all the fruit produced harvested and enjoyed locally.”
Community gardening and urban food growing is increasing in popularity as people find out more about climate change, the decrease in fossil fuels and the importance of ‘food miles’.
Katie Jones, Wales Coordinator for the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, said: “We are very grateful for Cardiff Council’s help with the Orchard Cardiff project. We are encouraging communities to work together to do something positive and practical about climate change. It is also providing people with the skills and knowledge to be able to plant and maintain their fruit trees, as well as enhancing biodiversity across the city as Cardiff ‘turns from grey to green’ and becomes literally one orchard spread out across the city.”
She added: “Orchard Cardiff will bring communities together to learn about planting and maintaining fruit trees in the city and give people access to fresh fruit right on their doorstep.”
