The beauty and bounty of plants is essential to the mission of the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center in St. Charles, Ill. The grounds are a vibrant canvas of native grasses and forbs, also known as wildflowers. Meanwhile, dozens of green-thumb gardeners plant plots of tomatoes, beans, and squash every summer for their own use as well as to share with the Northern Illinois Food Bank and other local charities.
But growing crops inside the Discovery Center? Well, that’s something new.
Thanks to an inspired collaboration between the park district and Flavors of North America (FONA) International of Geneva, a new aquaponics display honors both organizations’ shared mission of responsible ecological stewardship through an innovative use of materials and resources.