In 2014 eco-entrepreneur Shubhendu Sharma gave a TED Talk about the value of the mini-woodland ecosystems he was planting across India. He described how they grow 10 times faster, are 30 times denser, and 100 times more biodiverse than a conventional forest.
His tiny forests were inspired by Japanese ecologist Akira Miyawaki’s technique of creating small, condensed urban forests on degraded soils.
He had created them near houses, schools and even factories. Some covered the space of only six parked cars and were so dense you couldn’t walk into them. “If you see a barren piece of land, remember that it can be a potential forest,” urged Sharma.
His company Afforestt has planted 138 forests in 10 countries around the world.
Tiny Forests Thriving in Europe?
Tiny forests have been springing up across Europe. Advocates say they are key to boosting declining flora and fauna like birds and insects in cities, and to help reach climate goals by storing carbon.
Belgian biologist Nicolas […]
I love trees, but our city, a few years ago, decided to plant “small” trees in front of our properties. Well, they planted trees, but the one they planted in front on my house is so large that it costs me hundreds of dollars over the course of just a couple of years because it is so tall and wide that it shades my garden from the great morning sun which my tomatoes, especially need. I have filed a complaint with city hall and the mayor, but nothing has happened yet. They have not even gotten back to me with a note or email, and no work to top the tree off. I guess I will have to do it myself, which will be a hard job for a disabled 74 year old person. Maybe I’ll die and go be with my wife who died last year. I’m not afraid to die.