Nature Festival 24 – Dollar Community Development Trust
This week’s 2024 Seed Grant spotlight is focused on Dollar Community Development Trust. They ran their project “Nature Festival 24” with funding they received and introduced the German Gardening technique “Hügelkultur” to their community.
“We promoted and created a hügelkultur bed making the community aware of how to retain moisture from growing in an increasingly dry and hotter climate. We built the hügelkultur bed over 2 weekends carrying out initial planting of strawberries and herbs. To do this we sourced rotten wood, leaves and other material from a nearby wood, clearing and improving the area. We also planted potatoes in old tyres, demonstrating the use of recycled materials and growing in a limited space. We demonstrated a limited use of plastic materials and received donations of a range of 2nd hand tools. The site will be surrounded by a dead hedge which has been partially constructed and will be completed in the next few weeks. All this will be on display for the rest of the year and more planting, and eventually harvesting, will take place with further opportunity to engage people. This all took place in a field which will be the location for a future community garden.”
“We also held an eco-system workshop, with the help of Froglife. This proved very popular, especially with children, and attracted attendance from further afield and Dollar. We intend to follow up to see if some attendees will create their own garden pond.”
“In both workshops we focused on natural solutions e.g. wildflowers and sunflowers around the vegetable and fruit garden to draw away animals and insects which might otherwise threaten the crops; a hügelkultur bed retains moisture and enriches soil; a garden pond with frogs can help control slugs rather than using slug pellets.”
“We engaged with Froglife, Dollar Horticultural and Garden Society, Dollar Academy, Social Farms and Gardens and TCV all of whom now have an understanding of our Sustainability project and with whom now have ongoing contact and potential for further work”
“One of the volunteers who came forward has considerable knowledge and experience of gardening but was previously unaware of the development trust and our sustainability program – he is now firmly committed for the future, sharing his expertise.
“Another, now committed new volunteer, has just recently moved to the town and has no prior experience of environmental work – she is now ‘hooked’ and has enjoyed making connections in the community.”
If you’d like to find out more about Dollar Community Development Trust, please visit their website at Dollar Community Development Trust (dollarcdt.com).
