Miyawaki Forests

Today, we had the chance to check out some really interesting Miyawaki forests with the CFE group. For those who don’t know, Miyawaki forests are mini-forests that are planted super densely. They are often 100 square meters in size and are packed tightly with native plants. Each square meter includes one big canopy tree and at least two smaller plants or shrubs. They dig down a meter to loosen the soil before planting and then mix it with compost before putting it back in. We learned that plants grow way faster this way than in typical forests because the plants' roots can quickly reach ground water in the loosened soil and they shoot upwards rapidly as they compete for sunlight with all the other plants. Everyone we met was so knowledgeable, and they're all doing awesome things in Richmond schools to create ecologically diverse, beautiful, and educational spaces. We learned so much and had an amazing time exploring these awesome mini-forests!

Richmond Secondary:

The Miyawaki forest at Richmond secondary school, planted in November 2022, is a beautiful 100 sq meter mini-forest filled with only native plants. Some plant species include black cottonwood, douglas fir, oceanspray, thimbleberries, red currant, and stinging nettle, which has grown up to 2 meters tall. In time, the evergreen trees will push up through the other plants and create a tall canopy above. Students help maintain the forest by pruning pathways. There are several resident bunnies running around the forest, which was a very cute surprise. The space provides an important opportunity for education, as students are able to study plant names, measure growth, discuss medicinal qualities, and practice being stewards of the forest. There is an outdoor learning space with logs and rocks for students to sit on. The forest requires minimal watering, as the roots now reach groundwater. This was a really cool example of how much a pocket forest can grow in just a few years.

Errington Elementary

The Miyawaki forest at Errington elementary school is just getting started. It was created this year after 3 years of fundraising and it was dug by hand by students and staff. This beautiful little future-forest is raised slightly above ground level, meaning the softened soil extends a little more than a meter deep. Wildflowers have been planted around the edges to give the forest a bright and welcoming look. As this forest continues to grow, it will include a willow tunnel, where densely planted willow trees will create an archway students can walk through. In future, QR codes will be placed by the plants for students and visitors to learn more about the plants.

Garden City Park

This Miyawaki forest was planted on the edge of an existing group of trees in Garden city park. Because of the large volunteer turn-out, the garden was planted in around an hour and they were also able to remove a lot of invasive blackberries at the time of planting. Forests like this are a great opportunities for nearby elementary students and members of the community to get involved in caring for the land.

Thanks again to everyone who showed us around today! I think I can safely say we are all feeling very inspired by the amazing things that are happening in Richmond green spaces!