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An Australian Ark Campaign |
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Picking Slow Fruit
The Australian Ark, Food Cultures, Traditions and Biodiversity Commission has launched a campaign to create a Slow fruit national register.
In Australia, old fruit and nut trees can be found in paddocks, private and public gardens and urban wasteland, on stock routes, roadsides and streets. Many of these trees are varieties long forgotten and at risk of loss. As a first step, Picking Slow Fruit seeks your help to document this information about our rich fruit and nut heritage so that it can be recorded in a national Slow fruit register. Slow Food will then encourage the development of technical groups to determine if some varieties might be reintroduced to orchard and garden production.
For some time, Slow Food Blue Mountains convivium in New South Wales has been building a local fruit tree register. It is a great idea and we now have the opportunity to do this nationally through Picking Slow Fruit. The Ark Commission is particularly looking for old varieties.
Around the world, Slow Food works to support the food culture and traditions of local communities. In this way it helps to protect and defend food diversity. The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, based in the Italian town of Albarese, provides technical expertise and support for more than 300 food diversity projects in more than 60 countries.
WHAT CAN I DO?
It‘s simple. If you know of fruit or nut trees that are mature or senescent – nearing the end of their life – in your community:
- get your camera and the form attached below
- if the tree or orchard is on private land, seek out the owner and ask for their help in providing information and for their permission to take photographs
- take good, clear, daylight photographs of the whole tree, its leaves and fruit, and estimate its measurements
- find out as much as you can about its history
- complete the form and email it, together with your photographs, to
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or post to: Slow fruit, Post Office Box 721, Kalamunda WA 6926
MORE INFORMATION
You can find out more and share information shown on the Slow Food Australia website at http://slowfoodaustralia.com.au/projects/australia/australian-ark/slow-fruit/
You can also contact:
Pauline Tresise
Australian Ark Commission member
T 08 9381 4519
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PHOTOGRAPHIC PRIZE
A prize will be awarded in each state and territory for the images judged to be the best among those taken during the Slow fruit campaign. >From these, we will award a national prize.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 11 February 2010 03:50 |
