The Sunshine Coast Fruit Tree Project

Location

The Sunshine Coast Fruit Tree Project (SCFTP) is a community based initiative that works to build community and strengthen food security using local fruit. Our idea is simple: we connect people with excess fruit on their backyard trees with those who have the time and energy to harvest it.

We are beginning from the ground up as we are restarting the project under new leadership after a three year hiatus. The One Straw Society and Vancouver Coastal Health have partnered to re-create this program, including a grant from the Rotary Club of Sechelt. One of our goals is that this project becomes part of the permanent culture of the Coast through mapping the locations of food trees and resources that are potentially available for community use.

This program can also be utilized for bear management by removing the sweet temptation from our furry friends. Picking fruit in a timely manner will dissuade bears from feasting in our backyards and that means less chance of bear / human contact, and less damage to the food trees.

The Fruit Tree Project is about building relationships in our community. Neighbours get together to pick fruit, share knowledge and skills about harvesting, canning and preserving foods, and increase access to fresh local fruit. We are hoping to create opportunities for learning about the importance of fresh produce in a healthy diet, canning workshops, the care of fruit trees, and other food security activities. The intent is that the harvest will be split between fruit tree owners, volunteer pickers, and organizations that accept fruit for distribution to those in need. One of the goals is capacity building, and we hope to facilitate this by connecting people with fruit trees with volunteer harvesters who currently use organizations like the Food Bank.

Our harvest activities happen between the months of July and October.

The success of this program depends on volunteers who donate their time, fruit, and financial support. There are many ways to get involved in the Sunshine Coast Fruit Tree Project.

Local tree owners help us turn private trees into a valuable source of food for the community. If you have fruit trees that produce more than you can harvest or use, and would be willing to share this bounty, please register your tree(s) with us before your fruit is ready, and we will try our best to arrange for volunteers to pick it.

As a volunteer, contact us to help with harvesting, preserving or distributing fruit, arborists with knowledge of fruit tree care, carpooling volunteers, organizing special events, or assisting us with fundraising activities.

We are also accepting donations and in-kind contributions.

For more information, please contact Mary, Fruit Tree Project Co-coordinator at fruittree@onestraw.ca or 604-740-1824.