Gardening Like the Forest: Designing Edible Ecosystems for Homes and Communities with David Jacke

Gardening Like the Forest: Designing Edible Ecosystems for Homes and Communities with David Jacke
November 19, 2026, 7pm
On Zoom and in person at Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford
Members are free; non-members $10
(Members will receive the Zoom link the Sunday before the talk.)

Healthy forests maintain, fertilize, and renew themselves, naturally. Meanwhile, agriculture as we know it is arguably the most ecologically destructive force on Earth. Enter “ecosystem agriculture,” a synthesis of ecology, design, and agriculture aiming to design abundant food-producing ecosystems that mimic healthy natural communities. For example, edible forest gardens mimic the structure and function of natural forests while growing food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizers, farmaceuticals, and fun! Can we meet our own needs and regenerate healthy landscapes, communities, and ecosystems at the same time? Let’s explore the vision of ecosystem agriculture, a little history, some science, a few examples, and a sampling of some useful perennial edibles you can use in your own gardens.

Dave Jacke is the lead author of the award winning two-volume book Edible Forest Gardens. An engaging and passionate educator, Dave is also a meticulous designer. He has studied ecology and design since the 1970s and has run his own firm—Dynamics Ecological Design—since 1984. He has designed, built, planted, and managed landscapes, homes, farms, and communities around North America, as well as overseas, and inhabited forest gardens at his current and past homesteads. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Simon’s Rock College (1980) and a M.A. in Landscape Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design (1984). Read more at edibleforestgardens.com.

Register here.