SUSTAINABILITY
We invest 15% of our revenues directly into our sustainability work
Our Food Forest
What started as a hobby project on 2 ha of land in the south of Belgium, has become an integral part of the Institute's mission. We have acquired 6 ha of agricultural land and are turning it into a permaculture fully organic food forest. The idea is to create a space where we share the fruits of our labor with both animals and the community. So far we have planted 2,500 shrubs and trees and have been planting over 500 berry varieties, 200 fruit trees, 50 nut trees, and more. Special focus is on creating a variety of treescapes, and also introducing old and (somewhat) forgotten species such as mulberry, quince, medlar, ... We're calling our food forest: the garden of curiosity.
Black Bees
Another sustainability mission is to help protect the black bees (apis melifera melifera). The black bee is the original bee species of western Europe, which has become endangered in many parts of Europe. Through supporting black queen breeding programs, educational programs in schools, and for novice bee-keepers, we are taking steps to reintegrate the black bee. We have 2 healthy black bee colonies in our food forest.
