A food forest is "an edible ecosystem, a consciously designed community of mutually beneficial plants and animals intended for human food production.”

1. Urban food security is vulnerable and completely depends on cheap fossil energy ; increased local crop production supports the sustainability and resiliency of our food system

2. It creates and supports viable private enterprises (and jobs with livable wages) and strengthens the local economy

3. It improves both the ecological and aesthetic vitality of Boston, while growing more than 10 times the food per acre than conventional farms

4. It could potentially integrate with local public schools to encourage both healthy eating and educational opportunities

5. It is a public statement demonstrating what kind of city we want to live in; a vibrant, lush, beautiful and sustainable place that supports socially and economically beneficial relationships between the public, public officials and small businesses. It affirms Boston's leadership among American cities responding to our sustainability challenges through a viable, holistic and innovative publicly-supported project

6. It will have minimal impact, or even incredibly positive impact on precious outdoor recreational space

7. It could reduce city and state expenditures on the maintenance of these sites.

Public Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture and Green Energy (PASAGE)