Why ‘Tiny Forests’ Are Popping Up In Big Cities
Sourced from National Geographic
It’s a warm June afternoon, and in a thicket of elm and willow trees, a magpie chatters. A beetle crawls over a leaf. The forest, next to an 18-story building and a train line, is about the size of a nearby basketball court; before it was planted in 2018, the area was a parking lot.
The Muziekplein forest is one of seven such ultra-small forests in the Dutch city of Utrecht, and 144 across the Netherlands. By the end of this year, according to IVN Nature Education, the organization leading the country’s initiative, there will be 200.
In Europe, India, and other countries, communities are creating small-footprint, native forests as hyperlocal responses to large-scale environmental challenges. The forests attract biodiversity, including insects and new plant species, data released in April shows. And while even proponents say they won’t solve climate change by themselves, research shows these small patches of nature can contribute to carbon sequestration and help cities adapt to rising temperatures.
Since the first forest was planted in the Netherlands in 2015, the concept has become popular among both municipalities and private landowners. Daan Bleichrodt, who launched IVN’s Tiny Forest initiative with the goal of making nature more accessible to children, said he thinks they are popular because people are becoming more aware of major environmental challenges.
“We basically made a mess of the world and a lot of people want to do something, but they don't know: ‘What can I do?’” he said. The forests can be built in under a year. “It's a very practical way to do something positive in light of climate change and loss of biodiversity.”
From the Living Architecture Monitor
