Food forest De Nieuwe Hof

The De Nieuwe Hof project, located in Sint-Truiden, involves the development of a food forest based on the principles of agroecology and permaculture. Across several hectares, different layers of vegetation are being planted — fruit and nut trees, shrubs, perennials and ground cover — to create a productive and resilient ecosystem. This system mimics the natural functioning of a forest whilst producing local and sustainable food. The project aims to enhance biodiversity, improve soil quality, promote environmentally friendly agricultural practices and raise public awareness of more sustainable food systems.

Crops and animal products

• Follow the natural production seasons: no heated and/or large-scale greenhouses; follow natural growing/milking/breeding seasons, …;
• Promote short and local supply and production chains, with as few imports as possible.
• Use biodiversity-inclusive production methods: rotation of crops/fruit trees, mixed cropping, agroforestry/ecology, no pesticides or chemicals, organic/rational production, nature-based solutions, …;
• Develop the land by incorporating biodiversity and provide an area dedicated to biodiversity (e.g. additional flowerbeds, permanent plant cover, no tillage/mowing/management in specific areas, insect hotels);
• Have respect for and/or improve the environmental and ecological characteristics of the area;
• As much naturalness as possible/as little alteration as possible of the surrounding environment (landscape, quality of water, of soil);
• Stimulate the preservation of green and blue areas by limiting the expansion of land use (e.g. rooftop agriculture, eco-grazing);
• Incorporate these practices into the surrounding environment (e.g. promote ecological continuity) to reduce their negative impact on the land.

No tilling, no mowing. Prune, however, to ensure trees receive light and oxygen. Group various trees, shrubs and herbs together in ‘islands’ so that they can sustain and strengthen one another without outside intervention. For example, it is important to harvest herbs at the right time to prevent overgrowth. We therefore limit certain species by harvesting them, so that other species continue to have space to develop.