Tall Tree Layer, Overstory Tree Layer This layer is the long term/apex strategy of the food forest design.

Sub-Canopy/Small Trees/Large Shrub Layer **Understory Tree Layer** Every layer fills a niche of sunlight in the forest and this layer is no exception. This layer sits underneath the canopy layer and in a farming scenario can be overstocked with income generating production species such as coffee or olives. (tree species depends on climate region)

7-8m

4-6m

3-5m Sonderformen Säulenbaum, Spalierbaum - langsames Wachstum, früher Fruchtansatz, frühes Vergreisen

Also called the brush layer. This layer is underneath the understory and is usually what is called thicket in some parts of the world because it is what makes it difficult to get through a densely populated forest.

(Stauden) both annuals and perennials

Also called the horizontal layer. At the beginning stages of a food forest, this layer will look very weedy because we will fill it with annual rampant leguminous species that will dominate and die off every season. After 5 or so years we want to make sure to put in a perennial species that halts soil erosion, if possible provide nutrient, and also be visually aesthetic.

This layer is also called the rhizosphere. This layer can be part of other layers whose vines, trunks, or leaves come up out of it. This layer is unique as well because we can design a root layer for both production of food and also soil life creation. The root layer, when filled with biodiversity, creates pathways for water and air that no machine can do over time which in turn inoculates life into the soil.

Vines have adapted to use the other species in other layers as structural support and climb up them to maximize sun exposure. When designed with food in mind, this layer can work with the other layers for maximum abundance.

Aquatic/Wetland

Mycelial/Fungal Layer