What are Miyawaki Forests?
The concept of Miyawaki Forests was developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the early 1970s. The Miyawaki method is a technique for cultivating fast-growing tiny forests composed of dense plantings of native trees and understory plants. Before planting, soil is enriched with locally-available organic matter. The forests are weeded and watered for only the first three years. Dr Miyawaki’s Motto | Miyawaki Afforestation by Crowd Foresting
Miyawaki Forests have been springing up all over the world. These tiny forests of native trees grow faster, and remove more carbon than trees planted in traditional ways. In recent years, communities and schools worldwide have planted these fast-growing little forests.
We are currently learning about Miyawaki Forests and taking initial steps to collaborate with the city of Northampton to create one! We are planning visits to existing Miyawaki Forests in Cambridge and Worcester. https://bio4climate.org/miyawaki-forest-program/greene-rose-park-forest/
This project promises to be family-friendly, with fulfilling activities and community-building days devoted to planting and caring for the mini forest. We warmly welcome you to join our group. To find out more or to get involved send an email to climateactionnowmass@gmail.com
To learn about Miyawaki forests check out these links:
- The Miyawaki Method for Creating Forests is an explainer from the Sustainable Urbanisation Global Initiative (SUGI), which has promoted reforestation projects worldwide. SUGi was established by the Belmont Forum (a funding NGO originating in the Americas) and the Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe. “The cooperation was established in order to bring together the fragmented research and expertise across the globe to find innovative new solutions to the Food-Water-Energy Nexus challenge.”
- “Watertown Plants Miyawaki Forest to Boost Urban Biodiversity and Environmental Education” by Dan Hogan(11/1/2024)Watertown’s First Miyawaki Forest to be Planted This Fall.”
- The Massachusetts Pollinator Network’s November 2023 meeting featured “Miyawaki Forests: Spreading resilience one pocket forest at a time,” presented by Maya Dutta of Biodiversity for a Livable Climate. She mentioned a project that was planted in Somerville, MA, reported in The Somerville Times: “Somerville community Plants first Miyawaki Forest” (11/13/2023).
- A recording from the Tennesee Valley chapter of Wild Ones goes into greater depth on Miyawaki forests (5/19/2024), highlighting projects around the world, some of which were planted a decade or more ago, with Hannah Lewis, author of Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World.