About
The Newport News Green Foundation acquired a 5.02-acre parcel of land in the Southeast Community in 2020. The Property and Resource Committees of the Foundation committed to developing this property into the peninsula’s very first Food Forest.
Donated by the Sarfan Family, the space will be called the Mayer and Dorene Food Forest at Chestnut and is intended to address food scarcity in the area as well as promote the environmental benefits of productive green space.
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The Sarfan Food Forest is the first food forest on the Peninsula.
The Sarfan Food Forest will become the third largest food forest in the country upon completion.
13,359 trees need to be planted to establish an equitable tree canopy in Newport News (source: American Forests Tree Equity Score)
Why a Food Forest?
Conceptually, food forests model the structure of a young ecosystem by producing food in small green spaces and providing host environments for a variety of beneficial organisms. However, 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 Foundation worked with the Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center to develop a phased development/planting plan for the property. Community feedback was gathered to provide feedback on the initial design.
Design plans for the Sarfan Food Forest include:
- Edible screener vegetables and fruit trees
- Berry patches
- Tsenacommacah indigenous garden
- Outdoor classroom
- Pollinator meadow
- And more!
We are currently working with the City of Newport News to complete necessary site planning approvals.
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