Swale

Swale is a floating food forest built atop a barge that travels to public piers in New York City welcoming visitors to harvest herbs, fruits and vegetables for free. Swale strives to enhance the quality and responsible use of public waterways and land; works to encourage New Yorkers to reconsider our relationships with environmental ecosystems; and change perceptions and policies to increase the presence of edible perennial landscapes.

Swale is organized with the help of individuals, community groups, as well as city organizations in order to reinforce food and water part of a cooperatively stewarded commons.

Since 2016, Swale has been working towards Public Food in and around New York City. Swale has catalyzed (and continues to help steward) the first 24-hour public foodway in a park in New York City.

Alternate models of community-based food production are critical in building regenerative ecosystems. We want to continue to co-present long-term opportunities for New Yorkers to get involved in building for ecological regeneration, and strengthening food as a public right.