The Transition Town movement, a community led movement that is creating grassroots responses to peak oil and climate change is continuing to spread across the world. I was delighted to see the Future Proof Kilkenny’s Vimeo post 400 Fruit Trees Project, which is a wonderful and inspiring example of just one Transition project in one Transition Town. The Aims and Objectives of the fruit tree project provide an insight into just how ambitious Transition Towns are getting:

In addition to providing a lasting memory of the civic celebrations some of the many benefits of the project include: - Honouring Kilkenny’s long history as a famous apple growing region in times past. - Families and communities working together on a practical project that will be a source of pleasure and nutrition in years to come. - Promoting the use of the urban environment as productive spaces for the growing of food. - Providing food and shelter for wildlife, encouraging bio-diversity and enhancing the beauty of the natural environment. - Encouraging the use of local seasonal food for local consumption to reduce food miles, packaging and waste. - Reconnecting adults and children with the sources of their food and educating ourselves on what can be grown in our local environment. - Highlighting the issue of future food security and the need to become more self-reliant and less dependent on imports. - Helping to rebuild a local food economy and inspire innovation and entrepreneur-ship in artisan food production. - Raising awareness of the need to keep carbon dioxide levels below 400ppm and the role that trees can play in tackling climate change.

400 Fruit Trees Project, Kilkenny from Future Proof Kilkenny on Vimeo.