Tiny, dense, Miyawaki-style forests are popping up in cities across the world as part of a movement to restore biodiversity and fight the climate crisis.
Aside from carbon sequestration benefits, urban forests decreased crime rate, increased revenue for the city, rising property value, and lower energy costs. In addition, they provide shelter to local wildlife and boost the happiness, health, and wellbeing of city dwellers.
Overall, trees filter polluted air, reduce smog formation, prevent erosion, clean up contaminated land, and shelter buildings and people from heat and cold—saving 10% of the energy required to regulate a building’s temperature.
The Miyawaki Method
What is a Miyawaki-style forest anyway? They are made up of local shrubs, trees, and canopies, compressed on small plots of land, turning them into tiny forests. They can be as little as a tennis court and are often sited in schoolyards or alongside roads.
Miyawaki forests are based on the extensive work of the Japanese botanist and expert in plant ecology Akira Miyawaki, who planted over 1,000 such forests in Japan, Malaysia, and elsewhere. These forests were his solution to restoring the natural vegetation on degraded land. Miyawaki was planting trees with people up until he died on July 16, 2021, at 93-years-old.
The global movement began in India with Indian eco-entrepreneur Shubhendu Sharma, who was inspired by the effectiveness of Miyawak’s tiny forests. When Sharma gave a Ted Talk in 2014, he spoke about how valuable the mini-ecosystems he planted in India were. He points out that they are significantly more biodiverse and grow ten times faster than conventional forests.
Sharma planted them anywhere he could, near factories, schools, and homes. “If you see a barren piece of land, remember that it can be a potential forest,” he said.
Since then, the idea has gained popularity across the world. Sharma’s company, called Afforestt, has helped plant forests in 44 cities. In addition, organizations are planting similar forests in Asian cities, while politicians in India and Pakistan outline plans to grow more mini-forests. In February, the Prime Minister of Pakistani announced plans for fifty Miyawaki forests in Lahore, and in Chennai, India, officials set an ambitious target to plant 1,000.
Miyawaki-Style Forests In Europe
According to DW, Europeans are also embracing Miyawaki-style urban forests, as tiny forests are springing up across the continent, including in Belgium, France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
However, first, Europeans had to adapt Miyawak’s methods to the entirely different soil conditions, climate, and species, while considering the effects of the climate crisis. “Species that have grown here forever are more likely to do well and be able to adapt to climate change,” explained Belgian biologist Nicolas de Brabandere.
In 2016, de Brabandere began planting tiny forests using native species like lime trees, sessile oaks, wild apples, and wild pear. “I contacted scholars and tree nurseries to identify suitable native tree species and locally sourced materials to improve the soil,” he added.
At around the same time, Daan Bleichrodt, who works with IVN Nature Education, a Dutch organization that connects people with nature, was equally inspired by Sharma’s story. Under Sharma’s guidance, Bleichrodt and IVN planted the first Dutch Tiny Forest in Zaandam in 2015 and even released its own handbook.
Between December 2015 to January 2021, IVN planted 111 Tiny Forests. The organization expects to see 200 of these forests in urban centers across the nation by the end of 2021.
Bleichrodt said:
We basically made a mess of the world, and a lot of people want to do something, but they don’t know: ‘What can I do?’. The forests can be built in under a year. It’s a very practical way to do something positive in light of climate change and the loss of biodiversity.
Each Dutch mini-forests begins with surveying the trees and vegetation in the area to determine which ones are native. These generally include oak, beech, birch trees, and lower growing plants like hazel or guelder rose. According to Bleichrodt, a Tiny Forest comprises between 20 to 40 different tree and shrub species and saplings and is planted three per square meter.
Usually 200 to 250 square meters, public projects are coordinated by the IVN and schools, communities, and municipalities. The cost is divided between the IVN and the city. Furthermore, private property owners can also plant their own more miniature forests in a much smaller space. And so can you! Check out this DIY guide shared by Afforest to learn the basic steps on creating your own Miyawaki forest in a small urban space, as small as 30 square feet.
Jeroen Schenkels, a senior advisor for Utrecht on green planning, sees the mini forests as a nature-based solution that can remove carbon from the air, improve water retention, and help residents weather heat waves. However, Schenkels believes that the most significant benefit of all is social. “One of the most important things is that you give people the opportunity to be involved in nature in the neighborhood,” Schenkel’s highlighted.
In March 2018, the first Miyawaki-style forest in France was planted beside a busy four-lane road on the border of Paris. The dense forest was intended to filter air and reduce noise for the nearby neighborhood. On the official planting day, forty volunteers gathered with thirty-one species of saplings to bring new life to the ground prepared with compost from local horse stables.
In March 2020, the first tiny forest in the UK was planted via a program led by ecologist Victor Beumer for Earthwatch Europe, a British environmental charity. The organization engages local communities to plant, maintain and monitor the forests, and uses feedback procedures to measure people’s responses.
According to Beumer, the organization plans to collect biodiversity and carbon sequestration data to track the long-term environmental impact of the forests. There are currently 17 of these forests, and 21 will be planted by 2022.
Environmental Impact
Wildlife scientist Eric Dinerstein points out how the mini-forests could attract migratory songbirds. “Songbirds are made from caterpillars and adult insects, and even small pockets of forests, if planted with native species, could become a nutritious fast-food fly-in site for hungry birds,” explained Dinerstein, who co-authored a paper calling for 50% of the Earth’s surface to be protected or managed for nature conservation to avoid catastrophic climate change.
In April, Wageningen University researchers released data that shows these forests host a wide range of plant and animal species. Volunteers identified 298 plant species in addition to the original species planted in the plots and 636 animal species across the 11 Tiny Forests in the study.
According to Bleichrodt, forest maintenance occasionally involves thinning out destructive weeds, but overall new wild plant species, like wildflowers that appear, are allowed to grow.
Environmental researcher Fabrice Ottburg, from Wageningen University, said:
The results are promising. We recorded 934 different plant and animal species, over 6 million liters (1.6 million gallons) of rainwater was collected in the research period, and we recorded a lower temperature within the forests compared to the paved city.
Even though the results varied between projects, the researchers found that a standard-sized tiny forest captures an average of 281 pounds (127.5 kilograms) of CO₂ per year, a number they expect will continue to rise for five decades after planting.
Trees For Happiness And Well-Being
While these European mini-forests are still relatively young and their full impact on the environment is still unknown, one thing is sure: bringing more nature into cities will have a positive effect on the lives of urban residents.
Increasing research shows that being in nature is good for the health, happiness, and wellbeing of city dwellers. For example, one study found that people living in proximity to trees had a more robust brain structure more capable of handling stress. In December 2020, scientists found that among 9,751 inhabitants of Leipzig, Germany, those living within 328 feet (100 meters) of street trees took fewer antidepressants.
In 2019, a study found that those who spent two hours in nature, whether two hours straight or 30 min at a time, were significantly healthier and happier than those who spent little or no time in nature.
