Inspired by the Miyawaki method.
This Miyawaki method of afforestation was developed by the Japanese botanist and plant ecology expert Professor Akira Miyawaki, and draws inspiration from nature’s ecosystems to create 100% organic, dense and diverse pioneer forests in as little as 20-30 years. Miyawaki forests grow 10x faster, are 30 x denser and contain 100x more biodiversity. Since they’re quick to establish, maintenance-free after the first two-to-three years, and can be created on sites as small as 3 sq m, Miyawaki forests are viable solutions for cities looking to rapidly build climate resilience.
The Miyawaki method mimics the way a forest would recolonise itself if humans stepped away. Only native species that would occur naturally in that area without humans, given the specific climate condition, are planted. Indigenous plant species have spent thousands of years adapting to their local environment to create a supporting ecosystem, so planting them doesn’t just reinstate this biodiversity – it builds a site that’s more responsive to climate change.
Planning and mapping.
Document the vision for the Ngahere Korowai.
Define a step by step process of creating the forest, which will include a plant list that is native to Wainuiomata. This document will be a guide for the project delivery and for a detailed timeline and budget for the entire project.
A visual site map that shows you the area where the tiny forest will go. The visuals will include the first year of planting and what it could look like in two to three years.
Selecting native vegetation.
Choose Potential Natural Vegetation
Select and procure indigenous plant saplings of at least 30 varied species. This should comprise trees, sub trees and shrubs.
A combination of wild, medicinal, fruiting and flowering plants will help maintain biodiversity.
Nurture saplings in grow bags filled with organic manure
Prepare a potting mixture with soil, coir pith and decomposed horse manure (or goat droppings) and rice hull in the ratio of 1:1:1:1. Fill these in grow bags and plant the saplings in them. Nurture the saplings for three months. This will help the roots grow well and strong.
Enhancing the soil.
Prepare planting site with organic biomass
Dig the planting site up to around one meter deep, and add equal quantities of compost, decomposed horse manure (or goat droppings) and straw to the soil and mix into the existing loosed soil.
The loosened soil, enriched with organic biomass, will let the roots grow easily and deep into the soil structure.
Add more beneficial fungi and microorganisms (sourced from local native forests) within the soil and mulch before and after planting.
Pest management.
Invasive plants
Plants that are identified as invasive (such as blackberry) will be weeded during our maintenance sessions.
Fences and protective material around the plants:
A deer fence will be built around the tiny forest to protect the saplings. Protective plant guards will be placed around the every single sapling to make sure deer and other pests do not cause damage to the plants and trees in their early stages of growth.
Planting & mulching.
Plant saplings densely – three to four in a square meter
Mark the planting ground into one square meter segments. Plant three to four saplings in each square meter, selecting a tree and a combination of sub trees and shrubs. The densely planted tiny forest will grow significantly faster and a closed canopy will develop within a span
of two to three years.
Cover cropping
To add more green manure to the forest floor we will spread nitrogen fixing plant seeds and wildflower seeds, which will not only add beneficial nutrients to the soil, but also help with weed suppression while the native plants and trees grow. These cover crops will also be highly attractive to our pollinators.
Mulch the ground as thickly and gently as possible
Mulch the ground gently with dry leaves/wood shavings/straw up to 15 to 20cm depth. The mulch will prevent the growth of weeds and help retain moisture in the soil.
Maintenance & monitoring.
Post-plantation care:
The method does not necessarily require further site maintenance after the plantation of seedlings. As has been observed, the success rate of survival of seedlings in the first year is more than 90% and the forest tends to grow fast such that a closed canopy is developed within a span of five years. The method also facilitates a natural competition between species thereby leading to a development of a quasi-natural Miyawaki forest.
Minimum maintenance and monitoring:
Watering, weeding and monitoring
plant health for the first 2 years.