Tiny Forests
Reforestation is a key part of strategies to tackle the climate crisis. Miniature urban forests planted using a method invented by a Japanese botanist in the 1970s are growing in popularity. Known as 'Miyawaki' forests, they encourage biodiversity and absorb more CO2 than plantations grown for timber. The idea is simple – take brownfield sites, plant them densely with a wide variety of native seedlings, and let them grow with minimal intervention. These miniature forests are springing up on patches of land in urban areas around the world, often planted by local community groups using a method inspired by Japanese temples. The result, according to the method’s proponents, is complex ecosystems perfectly suited to local conditions that improve biodiversity, grow quickly and absorb more CO2 .
The method is based on the work of Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. He found that protected areas around temples, shrines and cemeteries in Japan contained a huge variety of native vegetation that co-existed to produce resilient and diverse ecosystems. This contrasted with the conifer forests – non-indigenous trees grown for timber – that dominated the landscape.
His work developed into the Miyawaki method – an approach that prioritizes the natural development of forests using native species. Miyawaki forests can grow into mature ecosystems in just 20 years – astonishingly fast when compared to the 200 years it can take a forest to regenerate on its own. They act as oases for biodiversity, supporting up to 20 times as many species as non-native, managed forests. Local pollinators and amphibians are among the creatures that thrive with a greater diversity of food and shelter.
The popularity of Miyawaki forests is growing, with initiatives in India, the Amazon, Europe and the United States.
Urban forests bring many benefits to communities beyond their impact on biodiversity. Green spaces can help to improve people’s mental health, reduce the harmful effects of air pollution, and even counter the phenomenon of heat islands in cities, where expanses of concrete and asphalt raise temperatures unnaturally high.
It’s estimated that new or restored forests could remove up to 10 gigatons of CO2 equivalent by 2050.
Conservation groups stress that Miyawaki forests should not be seen as an alternative to protecting existing native forests. Small, unconnected wooded areas can never replace the large tracts of forest that are vital to so many species, and that remain under threat from commercial plantations and slash-and-burn farming. But if you have a patch of wasteland in your local community that is sitting idle, a Miyawaki forest could be one way of doing your bit to help the environment, and Forests Digital can be the one to make that happen! Give us a call today.
Source: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/09/tiny-urban-forests-miyawaki-biodiversity-carbon-capture/