A hands-on gardening and sustainability event at Florida Gulf Coast University's Food Forest gave students a chance to reconnect with the land and learn specific and essential agricultural practices.
Officially titled the FGCU Food Forest Maintenance & Gardening Event, it was sponsored by the FGCU Food Forest and the Environmental Sustainability Office.
At the recent gathering, students were encouraged to roll up their sleeves and get involved in maintaining the university’s lush edible garden, which boasts over 80 species of tropical fruit trees, herbs, and medicinal plants. The site is tucked away in a woodsy area on the south side of the campus just off the main FGCU Boulevard and adjacent to the Kleist Health Education Center.
The power of permaculture
Vincent Watson, an event coordinator, emphasized the importance of simply engaging with nature.
“The main goal is just to get people outside, working with their hands,” Watson said. “I try to teach some aspects of permaculture, but I’m not preaching it. I’m just showing how the food forest operates and how to contribute.”
Permaculture, Watson explained, is a regenerative form of agriculture that mimics natural ecosystems. “Instead of a monoculture system, you have many species of plants and animals working together,” he said. “It’s a microcosm that represents the macrocosm. It creates biodiversity, boosts fruit yields, and is something that should be implemented everywhere.”
Though Watson hopes students take away an appreciation for sustainable farming, he says the core value of the event is simpler: “The point is just to get people outside enjoying being in nature. That’s where it all starts.”
Lucian Bathgate, a senior and student volunteer at the event, shared those sentiments. He said his interest in the Food Forest was one of the reasons he transferred to FGCU in the first place.
“I thought it was really cool that FGCU had a food forest,” Bathgate said. “Now I’m finally taking the gardening class with Alex Nakash this semester, and one of our final projects is volunteering here outside of class.”
Bathgate said one surprising thing he learned in the course is how resilient soil can be. “Most soil, no matter how poor it seems, does have the nutrients needed to grow plants,” he said. “It’s just about making those nutrients bioavailable, and you can do that by adding compost to build up the soil’s microbiome.”
Bathgate said participating in the event helps him feel more connected to the environment. “It feels great. That’s the whole point, right?” he said. “People forget that we’re part of the environment. But we are.”
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.