Dubuque Community Turns Vacant Lot into Fruit Tree Orchard

A once-vacant lot in Dubuque is now the site of over 30 fruit trees planted with the intent to give the community a free resource for food and nutrition.

It's a lovely idea for a large plot of unused space located on Hill Street, fairly close to the intersection at 5th Street. The "Neighborhood Orchard" is the product of the local nonprofit Dubuque Trees Forever, a group dedicated to planting and preserving trees around the area.

READ MORE: Keep Dubuque Green with Free Tree Planting Program

About the Neighborhood Orchard in Dubuque:

The neighborhood orchard includes apple, cherry, pear, plum, service berry, hazelnut, and pawpaw trees, per KCRG. This project was clearly designed with a variety of uses in mind, including:

• free, fresh fruit for neighbors in an area that is currently a food desert

• a respite area for walks and enjoyment of nature

• opportunities for community engagement as we plant and care for the area

• educational opportunities for students and the community

• a pollinator garden to bring beneficial insects like bees, butterflies and birds to help our trees and the surrounding area through a collaboration with Dubuque County Mowing to Monarchs

• an example of pesticide-free fruit production

• nesting boxes and butterfly boxes that will involve woodworkers and youth

• a walking path and benches to increase enjoyment of visitors

• native ground cover to eliminate the need for mowing - per Dubuque Trees Forever's website

The Fruits Grown Will Go Directly to the Community:

Get our free mobile app

Executive Director of Dubuque Trees Forever Laura Roussell spoke to KCRG about how the fruits will directly benefit the community:

Next year, we’ll have a formal harvest where neighbors can come and get free fresh fruit. And anything that’s left over, we’ll share with the Dubuque Food Pantry - Executive Director of Dubuque Trees Forever Laura Roussell, per KCRG

The orchard came together with the help of hundreds of volunteers, who spent more than two years cultivating the land to sustain the trees and accompanying garden, which provides an easy pollenating opportunity for insects.

Even a local Girl Scout troop donated handmade stepping stones to add more color to the neighborhood orchard.

Dubuque Trees Forever continues to seek volunteers to help grow and maintain the orchard. You can find out more about volunteer opportunities on their official website, as well as read more about Dubuque's Neighborhood Orchard.