Gardening Like a Forest: Lessons Learned from the Food Forest Trial Garden Program

Ashley Helmholdt
Garden-Based Learning, Cornell University 

Ashley is an Extension Associate with Cornell University in the School of Integrated Plant Sciences. She leads Adult Programming in Garden-Based Learning, which provides horticulture educators with inspiring, research-based gardening resources and professional development to facilitate engaging, empowering, and relevant learning experiences for children, youth, adults, and communities. Ashley’s background is in sustainable planning, environmental education and civic engagement, focused on food systems, green infrastructure and gardening projects.  She has an Urban Planning and Environmental Studies BS, and an Applied Research in Human Environment Relations MS from Cornell.  She’s worked with national and regional non-profits, like Earth Force, National Wildlife Federation and the Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition.  She has also worked with a local government sustainability office, developing new grants and education programs on food security, climate change and community gardens. She’s excited to support professional development resources for the Master Gardener Volunteer and Seed to Supper programs, as well as the new Food Forest Trial Garden program. 

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