NEWPORT NEW—The Newport News Green Foundation recently presented an update on the Sarfan Food Forest at the Discovery STEM Academy, located at 1712 Chestnut Ave. in Newport News, as well as via Zoom.
The independent nonprofit owns and maintains the five-acre plot in the Southeast Community intended to address food scarcity in the area and promote the environmental benefits of productive green spaces.
During the presentation, the foundation shared additional landscaping and design plans, including a pollinator meadow, a berry patch, an edible wetland, and a Tsenacommacah indigenous garden to accompany the fruit trees that were planted a year ago.
With land donated by the Sarfan family, the space is formally called the Meyer and Dorene Food Forest at Chestnut. Conceptually, food forests model the structure of a young green ecosystem by producing food in small green spaces and providing host environments for a variety of beneficial organisms. As the spaces mature, they also become dynamic areas to promote community connection and pride by offering opportunities to interact and connect with neighbors.
The Newport News Green Foundation is currently working with the Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center to develop a phased development/planting plan for the property. A community gathering was held in the summer of 2022 to allow citizens to provide feedback on the initial design.
