Rest Point Food Forest
Restoring land & water 🌱
Reconnecting people with nature 🌺
Growing a biodiverse food forest🌳
Bairrada, Central Portugal🌍
Our story
We are transforming 2 hectares of abandoned land into a diverse food forest and demonstration site, rooted in syntropic agroforestry, miyawaki reforestation and permaculture principles.We are two people with a deep passion for the land and everything that grows. We bring different but complementary skills to the project: Anne Bouwmeester, an agroforestry engineer and researcher, brings scientific knowledge and experience in agroforestry, while Itzik Rokach brings practical expertise in earthworks, land restoration and agricultural machinery. Together, we are learning, experimenting and working to bring the land back to life.See our crowdfunding video to learn more about why we are doing this:
The Land
Nestled in a fertile valley, close to a small river and abundant in water, the land has been abandoned for more than 15 years.It floods in winter and compacts in summer. Yet, signs of renewal are present: willow, poplar, elderberry, grasses, and wild herbs have begun the work of ecological succession.Our vision is to build on this existing ecology and transform the land into a diverse, resilient food forest — producing fruits, nuts, berries and herbs while creating space for wildlife.
Restoring waterBlocked irrigation channels will be restored to guide winter water towards the river and fill a 700 m² retention pond with a natural water-filtering system.
Restoring soilWe will gradually convert compacted soil into fungal-dominated forest soil using circular, low-input methods designed to increase organic matter, improve water retention and store carbon in both soil and biomass.
Growing a living ecosystemThe waterlogged land, currently dominated by pioneer species, will become a multi-layered ecosystem containing over 18 varieties of fruit and nut trees, 6 berry varieties and a rich understory of Mediterranean aromatic herbs. Following permaculture zoning principles, the design will also leave space for the wildlife already present: including genets, badgers, squirrels, foxes and mongooses.The borders will become a reforested wildlife buffer zone, planted with ecologically valuable native species.Within five years, we aim to establish more than 80 species of trees, shrubs and perennial crops, creating a diverse and thriving ecosystem from land that was once abandoned.
The visionRest Point is about more than restoring one piece of land. We want it to become a living classroom where people can recharge, reconnect with nature and learn about growing food.We hope to inspire young farmers and others who want to reconnect with the land, and demonstrate that ecological restoration and rural livelihoods can go hand in hand.In a region increasingly shaped by land abandonment and intensive monocultures, Rest Point aims to show what a small-scale, diverse and financially viable Mediterranean agroforestry system could look like.
Workshops
Miyawaki Reforestation WorkshopJoin us us this autumn a workshop on the Miyawaki reforestation method, we will plant the first part of our reforested wildlife buffer, using native species and focusing on ´edible´ species that do well in this area, like sweet chestnut, hazelnut and bay leaf. We´re organizing this in collaboration with our amazing neighbouring project Espaco Educampo. You´re very welcome to take part! It will be an amazing day of learning and planting including vegetarian lunch and dinner by the fire.Our 1-Day Workshop (EN)
🗓️ Sunday, 15th of November | 📍 Grou (Anadia)
👨🌾 Trainers: Anne Bouwmeester & Itzik Rokach
🗣️ Language: English | 🪴 Soil: Sandy clay loam2-day workshop at Espaco Educampo (PT)
🗓️ 24 e 25 de Outubro | 📍 Espaço Educampo, Pereiro (Anadia)
👨🌾 Formador: Diogo Oliveira Mendes (@verdesmundus)
🗣️ Língua: Português | 🪴 Solo: Argiloso
Uma imersão completa de 2 dias onde vamos criar juntos uma mini floresta de ~50m². Teoria e prática entrelaçadas, ambiente comunitário, opção de campismo no local e refeições incluídas!More info and registration click here.
Join us
Is your business interested in supporting regenerative agriculture and climate-resilient landscapes?From €500 per year, you can become a Rest Point Food Forest Friend. Your contribution will help us restore the land’s natural water systems and build a thriving, resilient food forest.As a Rest Point Food Forest Friend, your business will:🌳 Have +100 trees planted in your business’s name every year
💚 Receive a Rest Point Food Forest Friend logo to use on your website and communications
🌱 Receive updates on the development and impact of the food forestInterested in supporting us? Get in touch!