ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The City of St. Petersburg is moving forward with plans for a food forest project similar to what is blossoming at St. Petersburg College. 

Garrick Roe is the founder of the garden and says the new collaboration will target food deserts of the community. 

Roe worked as a bartender for years before he decided to pursue a degree at St. Petersburg College. An idea for his capstone project came to life with the community garden that is helping to fight against food insecurity.

"I was a high school dropout with a GED," said Garrick Roe who began studying at SPC in 2015. "There wasn't a horticulture program here at SPC at the time so I kind of created my own."

He created a self-sustaining three-dimensional, 350-square-foot food forest, using recycled materials from local brush recycling centers.

"Food insecurity challenges have always been something I'm interested in," said Roe. 

There are free fruits, vegetables and herbs in the garden. Almost everything is edible. 

"This is a way that people can come and get fresh produce," said Erick Hardison, who helped to start the One Community Grocery Co-op.

Roe founded and is now president of the SPC Permaculture Club. 

"I like creating a plan from where there was nothing before," said Roe.

He wanted to plant similar gardens in other parts of the community. 

"This is me putting my bachelor's degree in public policy in real world use, " he said this is the subject of his capstone project. "I've written about this project in every class I've been in." 

Besides tending to the garden, Roe spent hours researching, writing proposals and preparing presentations to present his idea to the City.