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George Mason University

Foragers' Forest

The Foragers' Forest is now open

George Mason University’s Foragers’ Forest, on its Fairfax Campus, offers visitors access to several safe-to-eat resources, while also serving as a wildlife habitat, providing climate benefits and restored ecosystem services. This natural living lab space provides the university and surrounding community free and accessible native foods and safe foraging opportunities.

Foragers Forest

Visit us on the Fairfax campus

The Foragers’ Forest planting area covers 5,300 square feet in total with 1,770 perennial native plants.

  • Foragers' Forest

    Located in two groves near the stream between Aquia Creek Lane and Patriot’s Circle on Mason’s Fairfax Campus.

  • Campus map
Foragers' Forest

Connecting the local area one CHEW at a time

The Foragers’ Forest is more than a food resource but will also serve as a nexus for sustainability goals surrounding Climate, Health, Education, and Wildlife (CHEW).

Faculty from the College of Science and others around Mason are collaborating to identify both curricular and Mason Impact scholarly innovations to utilize this space as a premiere living laboratory on campus. Each of the two groves will include tight clusters of closely planted native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants similar to the approach used by some Northern Virginia local government ecological restoration projects. Pathways, seating and signage will lead visitors to forage, learn about the site’s principles, and enjoy the scenery.

Keep an eye out for information on the best ways to forage, delicious recipes with the forest’s available ingredients, and events covering some of the most pressing issues in sustainability today. 

Partners include George Mason University’s College of Science, Institute for a Sustainable Earth, Mason Sustainability, and Mason Facilities. A special thank you to the generous funding from Amazon Web Services.

stream restoration on campus
Climate

This living lab fosters responsible foraging while rebuilding wildlife habitat, to support climate resilience, and promote ecological health and ecosystem services for our community.

Sustainability food
Health

Mason scholars grow, study and provide public access to dozens of local species of fresh, nutritious heritage foods. Mason’s first “Earthsgiving,” a sustainable cooking event, taught community members how to properly cook and prepare meals out of local, wild, foraged, and campus-grown ingredients.

students in greenhouse
Education

The Foragers' Forest offers opportunities for folks to volunteer to work on the site, and learn hands-on.

butterfly on flower on campus
Wildlife

The quantity and variety of seed-dispersing animals that nest or forage in this native thicket changes as the thicket grows. (Thicket plants tend to grow more fruits and nuts with greater sun exposure). Foragers’ Forest ecological conditions informed selection of wildflower species to restore pollinators’ access to floral resources throughout the growing season.

Attend the Blue Marble event

In collaboration with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Mason Wind Symphony presents “The Blue Marble: An Earth Concertvation Experience” on Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. in Mason’s Center for the Arts.

Blue Marble event

Foragers' Forest facts

50

Different species of plants

1,770

Perennial native plants

5,300

Square feet of planting area

Foragers Forest Opening

Pamphlets and food available to those attend the Foragers’ Forest groundbreaking. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University.

Foragers Forest Opening

Lead Forest Maker Sarah Roth addresses the crowd at the Foragers’ Forest groundbreaking in November 2023. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University.

Foragers Forest Opening

(L-R) Lead Forest Maker Sarah Roth, University Sustainability program manager Doni Nolan, and Environmental Science and Policy professor Dann Sklarew share information about the Foragers’ Forest and opportunities for the communities to engage. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University.

Foragers Forest Opening

The local community enjoying the Foragers’ Forest groundbreaking on November 17, 2023. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University.

Foragers Forest Opening

Foragers’ Forest groundbreaking attendees. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University.

Foragers Forest Opening

Lead Forest Maker Sarah Roth leads conversation about what’s available in the Foragers’ Forest. Photo by Ayman Rashid/Creative Services/George Mason University.