Ethical cosiderations
Adapted from http://urbanedibles.org/project/ethics
This project cannot exist unless every participant acts responsibly. Be mindful of the sources you pick from and submit to the database. Here is a short working list of considerations.
Asking Permission
Always ask permission before you pick no matter where the trees or bushes are located. Not everyone is alright with their neighbours picking from their naturestrip plot. However, many fruit-producing trees and herbaceous species are readily available on public land. It’s not always easy to tell which is which. Part of being a thoughtful community member is in respecting both private and public terrain. The Falling Fruit Bendigo is a database that is designed as a resource for potential harvesting locations (i.e. areas with an abundance of fallen fruit). We do not condone unsanctioned harvesting practices or trespassing. Consistently asking permission to harvest wild foods ensures lawful conduct. It also promotes face-to-face dialog between you and your neighbours. We believe that building this kind of wild food network helps connect us to one another as well as our urban habitat. It makes our communities that much healthier!
How much do I really need?
A tree full of ripe figs can be really exciting but how many will you use before they go bad? How much can you carry? Decide before you pick. Over-harvesting a wild food source can be very counter-intuitive when the goods go bad.
Will my harvesting leave an impact?
This includes visual impact, impact for future harvesters and last but not least the impact on the particular plant you are picking from. It is imperative to pick in a balanced and selective manner. The last thing we want is to damage the sources from which we harvest! You can help a public source produce better next year by watering it or notifying the city if it needs pruning.
Consider chemical contamination Watch out!
It’s easy to forget that Bendigo is a major metropolitan area with a strong potential for toxicity. Engaging dialog with homeowners and park workers about the history of a site is always helpful. Paint chips, pesticides, motor oil spills and even car wash runoff can affect the quality of the sources you pick from. The history of Bendigo you were unsure is filled with heavy mining practice and this means that the soil is laced with a number of heavy metals.
So just be mindful when your picking from along water ways that the runoff will contain traces of these among other nasties and this may influence the quality of the fruit you picking.
Asking Permission
Always ask permission before you pick no matter where the trees or bushes are located. Not everyone is alright with their neighbours picking from their naturestrip plot. However, many fruit-producing trees and herbaceous species are readily available on public land. It’s not always easy to tell which is which. Part of being a thoughtful community member is in respecting both private and public terrain. The Falling Fruit Bendigo is a database that is designed as a resource for potential harvesting locations (i.e. areas with an abundance of fallen fruit). We do not condone unsanctioned harvesting practices or trespassing. Consistently asking permission to harvest wild foods ensures lawful conduct. It also promotes face-to-face dialog between you and your neighbours. We believe that building this kind of wild food network helps connect us to one another as well as our urban habitat. It makes our communities that much healthier!
How much do I really need?
A tree full of ripe figs can be really exciting but how many will you use before they go bad? How much can you carry? Decide before you pick. Over-harvesting a wild food source can be very counter-intuitive when the goods go bad.
Will my harvesting leave an impact?
This includes visual impact, impact for future harvesters and last but not least the impact on the particular plant you are picking from. It is imperative to pick in a balanced and selective manner. The last thing we want is to damage the sources from which we harvest! You can help a public source produce better next year by watering it or notifying the city if it needs pruning.
Consider chemical contamination Watch out!
It’s easy to forget that Bendigo is a major metropolitan area with a strong potential for toxicity. Engaging dialog with homeowners and park workers about the history of a site is always helpful. Paint chips, pesticides, motor oil spills and even car wash runoff can affect the quality of the sources you pick from. The history of Bendigo you were unsure is filled with heavy mining practice and this means that the soil is laced with a number of heavy metals.
So just be mindful when your picking from along water ways that the runoff will contain traces of these among other nasties and this may influence the quality of the fruit you picking.