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Incredible - apparently you can do one in your back yard! https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-many-benefits-of-the-minuscule-but-mighty-miyawaki-forests

Incredible - apparently you can do one in your back yard! https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-many-benefits-of-the-minuscule-but-mighty-miyawaki-forests/ https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-many-benefits-of-...

crazygringo 3y ago
I'm having a hard time picturing what they look like -- and the photo in that article is unrelated. Googling them, I can find images of a few proof-of-concept plots in the middle of fields but I can't find a single example of how they might integrate with a city. It would be nice to see some kind of before-and-after, even if just an illustration, to get a sense of how they would fit into a cityscape aesthetically and practically.
- burkaman 3y ago
  Here's a NYT article with some good photos, gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/climate/tiny-forests-climate-miyawaki.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Yk0.ks58.DcgYBhM_lD5P&smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/climate/tiny-forests-clim... Here's a photo of what it looks like when it's first planted: https://voice.somervillema.gov/miyawaki-micro-forest https://voice.somervillema.gov/miyawaki-micro-forest
  - 3D30497420 3y ago
    Another good article: https://www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/the-miyawaki-method-for-creating-forests https://www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/the-miyawaki...
- Luc 3y ago
  PDF with lots of pictures and information: https://urban-forests.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Report-on-studying-Miyawaki-forests-in-Belgium-060923.pdf https://urban-forests.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Report-...
JadeNB 3y ago
They're surely extremely region-specific—sourcing with native trees is a big part of their sustainability. Do you know anything about where to find local growing guides for different regions?
- burkaman 3y ago
  Here's one site that seems solid: https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/ https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/ Note though that your climate is changing, and what was historically considered native for your region may no longer be a good fit: https://heatmap.news/is-native-gardening-becoming-pointless https://heatmap.news/is-native-gardening-becoming-pointless
Aromasin 3y ago
I'd love to know if there was an equivalent one for species native to the UK. EDIT: Found a great list after a little investigation! https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/projects/miyawaki-forest-project/ https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/projects/miyawaki-for...
- sp332 3y ago
  It doesn't always have to be trees. Hedgerows can be good too.
  - ajb 3y ago
    And a good thing too, because trees in London cause havoc with all the Victorian houses with no foundation in the modern sense.
pvaldes 3y ago
That 3x3m project shown is not realistic. Not for a newbie and probably not easy to keep from falling apart for an expert. But yes, wild hedgewoods of a mix of useful shrubs are totally doable even in really small spaces. I had designed a few. They are low maintenance, beautiful, useful, funny, and tasty and everybody should have space for one of this wildlife lifesavers in their gardens.
jay_kyburz 3y ago
I bought three boxes of Microforest from Edwina Robinson here in ACT Australia and planted them in my front yard. Here is an article about her project. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-08/act-micro-forests-in-canberra-offer-hope-against-climate-change/100274670 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-08/act-micro-forests-in-... It's been two years, the some of the trees are well over 2m tall already.
- defrost 3y ago
  Here's video footage of the linked 2021 Canberra plantings from nine months ago - mid 2023. https://youtu.be/P2_YVkfzpnE?t=23 https://youtu.be/P2_YVkfzpnE?t=23
- lostlogin 3y ago
  Possibly a misconception of mine; Australia has some added complexities that not all of us face. What creatures will my mini forest it attract and will my little forest set fire to my home? I’m in New Zealand where life is less spicey.
  - stubish 3y ago
    You choose what species get planted, so you can control all that. Plant a grove of mainly sheoak for example, and you have fire retardant species that discourage snakes.

crazygringo 3y ago

I'm having a hard time picturing what they look like -- and the photo in that article is unrelated. Googling them, I can find images of a few proof-of-concept plots in the middle of fields but I can't find a single example of how they might integrate with a city. It would be nice to see some kind of before-and-after, even if just an illustration, to get a sense of how they would fit into a cityscape aesthetically and practically.

burkaman 3y ago
Here's a NYT article with some good photos, gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/climate/tiny-forests-climate-miyawaki.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Yk0.ks58.DcgYBhM_lD5P&smid=url-share https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/climate/tiny-forests-clim... Here's a photo of what it looks like when it's first planted: https://voice.somervillema.gov/miyawaki-micro-forest https://voice.somervillema.gov/miyawaki-micro-forest
- 3D30497420 3y ago
  Another good article: https://www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/the-miyawaki-method-for-creating-forests https://www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/the-miyawaki...
Luc 3y ago
PDF with lots of pictures and information: https://urban-forests.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Report-on-studying-Miyawaki-forests-in-Belgium-060923.pdf https://urban-forests.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Report-...

JadeNB 3y ago

They're surely extremely region-specific—sourcing with native trees is a big part of their sustainability. Do you know anything about where to find local growing guides for different regions?

burkaman 3y ago
Here's one site that seems solid: https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/ https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/ Note though that your climate is changing, and what was historically considered native for your region may no longer be a good fit: https://heatmap.news/is-native-gardening-becoming-pointless https://heatmap.news/is-native-gardening-becoming-pointless

Aromasin 3y ago

I'd love to know if there was an equivalent one for species native to the UK. EDIT: Found a great list after a little investigation! https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/projects/miyawaki-forest-project/ https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/projects/miyawaki-for...

sp332 3y ago
It doesn't always have to be trees. Hedgerows can be good too.
- ajb 3y ago
  And a good thing too, because trees in London cause havoc with all the Victorian houses with no foundation in the modern sense.

pvaldes 3y ago

That 3x3m project shown is not realistic. Not for a newbie and probably not easy to keep from falling apart for an expert. But yes, wild hedgewoods of a mix of useful shrubs are totally doable even in really small spaces. I had designed a few. They are low maintenance, beautiful, useful, funny, and tasty and everybody should have space for one of this wildlife lifesavers in their gardens.

jay_kyburz 3y ago

I bought three boxes of Microforest from Edwina Robinson here in ACT Australia and planted them in my front yard. Here is an article about her project. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-08/act-micro-forests-in-canberra-offer-hope-against-climate-change/100274670 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-08/act-micro-forests-in-... It's been two years, the some of the trees are well over 2m tall already.

defrost 3y ago
Here's video footage of the linked 2021 Canberra plantings from nine months ago - mid 2023. https://youtu.be/P2_YVkfzpnE?t=23 https://youtu.be/P2_YVkfzpnE?t=23
lostlogin 3y ago
Possibly a misconception of mine; Australia has some added complexities that not all of us face. What creatures will my mini forest it attract and will my little forest set fire to my home? I’m in New Zealand where life is less spicey.
- stubish 3y ago
  You choose what species get planted, so you can control all that. Plant a grove of mainly sheoak for example, and you have fire retardant species that discourage snakes.