Stouffville plants its first ‘tiny forest’ in Madori Park

By David Yin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The Town of Stouffville planted its first ‘tiny forest’ in Madori Park on Nov. 1, along with Desjardins and Trees for Life, a national tree planting charity.

Community members planted various local trees using the Miyawaki method by Professor Akira Miyawaki.

The town said that it approved Desjardins’ proposal to build a tiny forest last June. Together, they chose Madori Park because it was next to an existing trail, allowing visitors to witness the forest’s growth.

The town also said that the tiny forest can help others connect with nature and enhance the community’s well-being.

“Tiny forests help by creating biodiversity and can create habitat for birds, animals, and insects, as well as capturing carbon dioxide to enhance air quality,” the town said.

Miyawaki developed his own method to quickly restore forests in urban environments. His 1997 research article said that he successfully planted forests in Japan, China, Malaysia, and Brazil. The article noted that the Miyawaki method can rebuild forests in Japan within 15 to 20 years.

His research outlined the following reforestation steps: Map out the site area, select local plant species, restore topsoil, plant around two to three seedlings per square metre, mulch the area to prevent soil erosion and moisture loss, and weed the forest for the next two to three years.

It also said that this method generally requires no watering, insecticides, or herbicides and that the forest will become maintenance-free after three years if planted properly.

To learn more about the tiny forest, visit www.townofws.ca/play/events/tiny-forest.

Photo: The Miyawaki method can allow a small urban forest to become self-sufficient within three years. (David Yin photo)