Mounthooly Forest Garden
The Pitch
Problem statement
The George Street Masterplan, completed earlier in 2024 by Aberdeen City Council, included an extensive community consultation of the Mounthooly Roundabout/George Street area. The plan states; "There is a lack of accessible and functional green space within the George Street area. Existing street trees within the public realm are either struggling, or have died.” Community feedback on the plan states that there is a "lack of urban landscaping and green spaces" and that the "only decent green space is on Hutcheon Street" Based on this plan CFINE spoke with local residents and identified a desire for actions that would create more green spaces in the area.
Solution
The masterplan identifies a desire for more community green space for residents, many of whom don't have access to a garden. Potential future projects identified included; "a neighbourhood wide strategy to improve biodiversity" "street trees and planting". CFINE also conducted two ‘vision walks’ with residents and Mounthooly Roundabout was identified as a potential location for an educational forest garden. This would be a site the community could access for CFINE-led workshops and community run activities. The chosen location directly corresponds to the masterplans call for “a clear need to enhance existing green spaces so that they perform an environmental, social, and aesthetic function
Why are we best placed to deliver?
CFINE is a charity and social enterprise which aims to improve health and wellbeing, the environment, tackle poverty and build resilience for and with disadvantaged, vulnerable, and low-income communities. CFINE’s Community Growing Team have extensive experience in the delivery of projects aimed at building confidence and skills related to gardening and the environment. The team has supported several Community Gardens to start-up, and they also engage with over 30 well-established Community Gardens offering support and promoting engagement. The team actively work with Aberdeen City Council’s Community Planning Team and residents in George Street, where this project will take place.
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| 10 Fruit Trees @ 49.99 for 5 | £100 |
| 12 Perennial Vegetable Plug Plants @ £5.99 per plant | £72 |
| 5 Fruit bushes @ £9.99 each | £50 |
| 2 Bulk Bags Woodchip @ £45 each | £90 |
| Temtop Air Quality Detector @ 79.91 | £80 |
| Native Hedge collection @ 37.99 | £38 |
| Tea, Coffee, Milk, Biscuits and Fruit for 4 workshops. | £30 |
| 12 Herb Plug Plants @ 9.99 for 3 | £40 |
Beneficiaries
50 people
Who will benefit
Expected impact
This project will improve mental health and wellbeing for people in the priority neighbourhood of George Street and contribute to improved access to healthy food.The area suffers from a lack of accessible green spaces. The new Forest Garden will directly change this by providing a new green space which residents will be able to access for leisure and educational purposes, whilst also maximising the use of disused outdoor space to increase food growing opportunities.CFINE will run an initial four workshops in the garden supporting 50 residents to improve their mental health and wellbeing and learn new skills including forest gardening techniques, growing your own fruit, vegetables and herbs. These outcomes will be recorded by pre and post workshop surveys, anecdotal feedback, and photos. The forest garden will also provoke lasting change; allowing all residents access to a space which improves health and wellbeing and offers opportunities for improved healthy eating.
Track record
Two examples of CFINE’s Community Growing projects are ‘Grow Share Eat!’ and ‘Grow Food Indoors. The 2021 ‘Grow Share Eat!’ project, carried out in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, reached 100% of its target indicators. Of the 109 people who took the projects survey 80% reported improvement across several mental health indicators after the project, 93% reported increased social connectedness, 97% reported increased motivation to grow their own foods, and 71% reported improved dietary habits across several measures post-project. Quotes from participants included; “I felt confident and wanted to do more after seeing the harvest’’ “I feel so proud that I have managed to grow something myself’’ The 2024 ‘Grow Food Indoors’ project saw 100% of 12 participants agree or strongly agree that they had an increased interest in growing their own food, felt less isolated, and improved their food growing and gardening skills.