Dunnikier Park Edible Landscape
The Dunnikier Park Edible Landscape project is a partnership between Greener Kirkcaldy, Fife Council and Dunnikier Country Park Development Group.
Since 2013 we’ve been working together along with members of the local community to create an Edible Landscape and an area of Dunnikier Park that is a haven for wildlife rich in biodiversity.
Previously the area could have been described as a green desert – an area of grass without much in the way of wildlife. Fife Council performed some ground works to create a series of ponds and burns to help with drainage from the rest of the park. Along with Kirkcaldy High School and the Ecology Centre we planted around 2000 trees to create a shelter belt to the west of the area.
In late winter and spring 2014 we worked to establish 4 ‘Forest Gardens’ in the area. These contain a mix of fruit trees, shrubs and other edible and useful plants. It is designed to encourage wildlife and mimic a natural ecosystem whilst providing us with food. All the work on these areas have been carried out by a fantastic effort from volunteers from the local community – including members of 14th Fife Scout Group, Dunnikier Country Park Development Group, volunteers from the Ecology Centre and Kirkcaldy High School pupils.
We have plans in 2014 to plant the wet areas with a wet meadow mix of seeds and to improve the ponds with native wetland plants.
Keep an eye out on our events page for one off work days if you’d like to be involved in creating this exciting new community resource in Kirkcaldy.
The Dunnikier Park Edible Landscape has been supported by Fife Council with donations of labour and supplying materials. The project is linked to our Climate Challenge Fund (Scottish Government) project ‘Kirkcaldy Goes Greener’ increasing growing skills in the community and reconnecting people with their local environment.
Support has also been provided by Fife Health and Wellbeing Alliance providing £1900 to support the project as a volunteering opportunity and in creating an area to be used for recreation and as a source of seasonal, local fresh fruit.
We have recently received £9874 from the Voluntary Action Fund to continue providing and to develop volunteering opportunities associated with this project.
