Merced College plans mimic forest in Los Banos

After receiving a $50,000 grant, Merced College’s Los Banos campus has plans to put in a mimic habitat, something professors called a “food forest.”

The college plans to break ground on the forest at 10 a.m. Nov. 14 on the campus, 22240 Highway 152, in Los Banos.

Wells Fargo Bank granted the money for the development of a sustainable riparian habitat and food forest, according to a press release. Riparian ecosystems are characterized by tall trees and dense brush along a riverbank.

According to project coordinators Cary Coburn, a biology professor, and Susan Kimoto, an English professor, a “food forest” mimics a natural forest using landscaping.

The food forest will use a 1-acre plot next to Los Banos Creek to develop a sustainable ecosystem, the release stated, while providing healthy organic produce to Los Banos Campus students and the surrounding community.

In addition, the food forest can be used as a living laboratory for science classes, as well as an open-air studio for art students.

The project also received support from the Los Banos Rotary Club, whose members expressed interest in community gardens, Coburn said in the release. San Luis National Wildlife Refuge has expressed interest in the study of restoring native habitat, he said.

The project could help students with the study of sustainability, Kimoto said in the press release. “This project includes two amphitheaters to safeguard the existing drains from overgrowth while preserving the basin’s original function.”

According to Kimoto, the amphitheaters could be used as outdoor classrooms for environmental and art education, as well as a place for students to study or enjoy nature.

The grant will provide for the project’s designs, and for landscape construction. Additional costs include the purchase of plants, as well as construction of pathways through the food forest and a wildlife corridor connecting the project to the nearby forest.

This story was originally published November 6, 2014 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Merced College plans mimic forest in Los Banos."