Kilrush Food Forest: KY's 3-Acre Urban Permaculture Revolution
By Geomancer Permaculture
TL;DR: Community food forests transform neglected urban areas into regenerative food systems through permaculture design, community organizing, and policy advocacy.
- Community collaboration is essential for project success.
- Start small and expand incrementally to build momentum.
- Utilize permaculture zoning for ecological function.
- Advocate for policy changes and secure city partnerships.
- Select flood-tolerant and resilient plant species.
- Integrate with social housing and mutual aid networks.
Why it matters: Urban food forests offer a scalable solution for food security, ecological restoration, and community empowerment in cities worldwide, fostering resilience against corporate food systems.
Do this next: Explore local city initiatives or community groups involved in urban greening and food production.
Recommended for: Urban planners, community organizers, permaculture practitioners, and anyone interested in local food systems and ecological restoration.
This presentation from the 2026 Organic Association of Kentucky Conference by Naki, founder of Geomancer Permaculture, details the creation of Kilrush Food Forest, the largest community food forest in Kentucky on a 3-acre floodplain. As an agroecologist and urban designer, Naki outlines a step-by-step process for transforming underutilized urban spaces into regenerative food systems through community organization and advocacy. Starting small with a tenth-of-an-acre plot, the team cleared invasive species and began planting perennials and edibles suited to flood-prone areas. Key methods include transplanting serviceberry barriers from threatened city parks, with city permission, to establish windbreaks and food sources. Neighbors contributed labor, such as Pablo digging out massive rocks to prepare soil. The project emphasizes watershed restoration, food sovereignty, and social housing integration via a for-purpose crowdfunding platform. Practical techniques involve permaculture zoning for maximum yield: guilds of nitrogen-fixers, fruit trees, and ground covers to build soil fertility naturally. Advocacy strategies secured local support, pushing for city contracts to scale food forests, train staff, and pay practitioners. Long-term goals include formal agreements with property owners for maintenance and expansion. The talk highlights organizing young farmers and landless individuals through mutual aid networks, reducing reliance on corporate food systems. Specific insights cover plant selection for urban resilience, like flood-tolerant species, and ecological benefits such as attracting beneficial insects, providing medicine and mulch. Community engagement tactics include bit-by-bit expansion to build momentum and demonstrate viability. This serves as a blueprint for urban regenerators: assess sites for water dynamics, start micro-scale, leverage transplants and volunteer labor, crowdfund, and advocate for policy shifts. Outcomes include enhanced food security, biodiversity, and cultural change in Kentucky communities, replicable in any city with floodplains or vacant lots.