In an initiative led by Earthself Community Interest Company, with support from a UHI Inverness researcher, the first phase of Emiel’s Food Forest—one of Scotland’s first community food forests—has been successfully planted. Situated on 1.3 hectares along the shore of Loch Rannoch, Perthshire, this unique forest honours the memory of Aemilius Justin Matthias van Well, known affectionately as Emiel, reflecting his passion for sustainability and deep connection to nature. Emiel is the son of the landowner from Talladh-a-Bheithe Estates, who generously provided the land for this project.
A group of 40 people including Emiel's family, a team of tree planting experts and sixteen students from five universities across Scotland joined for a weekend of tree planting and storytelling from October 18th to 20th, 2024. Their skills and energy helped to establish Emiel’s Food Forest as a living model of how food forests can benefit biodiversity, climate resilience, and community well-being.
Emiel’s Food Forest is a partnership between the Institute for Biodiversity and Freshwater Conservation at UHI Inverness and Earthself, enabled by the Scottish Innovation Voucher Scheme managed by Interface. This initiative supports food forests as nature-based solutions aligned with Scotland's Biodiversity Strategy for 2045 and global Nature Positive goals.
Several pioneering businesses contributed to the first phase of the project, aligning with their own commitments to a nature-positive future. These businesses include Taiga Upland, RTS Forestry, Highland Game, Loch Rannoch Hotel and Estate, Frinova Woodlands, Own Your Step, Falling Leaf Clothing, Think Partnership, BMP Europe, Bidwells and Notch.
James Napier, founder of Notch and Emiel’s Food Forest Champion, shared, “Purposeful impact is at the core of all that Notch does. Supporting Emiel’s Food Forest, which blends habitat restoration with sustainable food production, aligns with our belief in addressing both the climate and nature crises. We’re proud to contribute to biodiversity gain and habitat creation with long-term impact.”
Dr Euan Bowditch, a researcher in forestry and social ecology at UHI Inverness, remarked, “The planting of Emiel’s Food Forest marks a critical step in demonstrating the benefits of these systems for biodiversity and communities. By reviving food forest practices in Scotland, we aim to reintroduce a resilient integrated land use model that fosters connections between people, land, and heritage.”
The first phase saw 125 Scottish Heritage fruit and nut trees planted, along with edible hedgerows along two perimeter fences with an initial understory of Blaeberry. Future phases will include pathways, long-term monitoring, cultivation of future stock, and the creation of a learning space for community and student engagement. Plans for the second phase include a student Food Forest Ambassador program and further community involvement, as well as developing criteria and indicators for monitoring.
Tabitha Jayne, Founding Director of Earthself, expressed her enthusiasm: “Emiel’s Food Forest exemplifies our commitment to nurturing Earth-connected businesses and communities. It stands as a living testament to our mission to foster nature-positive approaches by leading through action.”
Emiel’s Food Forest is poised to inspire a movement of food forests across Scotland, with plans for expansion in the coming years and connecting with similar initiatives across the landscape to create a Knowledge Exchange Hub. Through this initiative, Earthself and UHI Inverness aim to create a sustainable legacy, strengthening Scotland’s commitment to biodiversity and environmental stewardship.
For further information or to support Emiel’s Food Forest, please contact:
- Tabitha Jayne, Founding Director, Earthself: tabi@earthself.org
- Dr Euan Bowditch, Researcher, UHI Inverness: [euan.bowditch.ic@uhi.ac.uk]