Miyawaki forest

[cpp gardener]

Has anyone had any experience with growing a Miyawaki or pocket forest? Any input on potential issues or adaptations?

 

[Tetters]

I had never heard of this concept before, but would really love to do this here. Choosing the right species for the prescribed area would, of course be important. I would be most concerned about providing sufficient water for them though, as much would be needed to get things started, and our water bill is, at the moment, absolutely huge. If they are planted together so closely, so they grow up taller, to reach the light, I'm not sure it would be the right thing to do, as surely a fatter tree with a bit more space will be healthier and more resistant to high winds?

 

[cpp gardener]

I’m thinking along those lines too. Seems like you’d have to space the biggest trees further apart than a meter or so. Otherwise you’d end up having to remove an awful lot of them fairly soon. Doesn’t seem efficient. Unfortunately what I’ve been able to find doesn’t give any “recipe” for quantities of each species and spacing between like individuals.

This came about because of a webinar I attended that seemed a possibility for some former lawn areas we sprayed out on campus. I’m kind of afraid that if we don’t come up with something a student group will get a notion to do something with those areas.

 

[Tetters]

One thing that students need to learn is the word NO .....mind you, that applies to others as well as students ! Who is in charge ?

 

[cpp gardener]

Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Students with ideas - dodgy
I worked for a tree surgeon for a bit after the big storm we had back in the eighties, there was a big patch that was cleared of fallen timber and we planted young trees well spaced all over it. A couple of years later they had grown a foot or two, but the bit of land next to it that hadn't been cleared was a twelve foot high jungle of densely packed trees.
Someone looking at forest trees found 'young' oaks surrounding a mature oak, when he checked their age he found they were up to a hundred years old, despite only being fifteen feet tall or so. When the mature tree fell they raced for the gap in the canopy. The canopy gives protection to young trees, but also shades them, however he realised the small trees were coming into leaf earlier and losing leaves later, which compensated.
I know from flying kites that the ground slows wind speeds down and they suddenly increase at about thirty feet, large building sometimes stick up into the higher winds and cause sudden gusts at ground level. With actual forests the canopy acts like a sort of raised ground and slows the wind, limiting damage, don't know how well this would work in a small area.

 

[Tetters]

Fascinating concept Oliver, what say you @cpp gardener ?

 

[cpp gardener]

Sounds like a reasonable explanation. I wonder if it works with other species? I suppose that is the basis for the Miyawaki theory. We have a couple of larger areas we could possibly run a side by side comparison in. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Tetters]

That would not only be an interesting work subject, but I suppose whichever way you look at it, it grows more trees, so I think a win win situation - until of course the ''climate scam'' manages to remove all the Carbon from the plants so that they, and we, all die anyhow.