Climate crisis is once again the central talking point of the contemporary world. Despite the various warnings from the experts, we failed to heed their caution, and now we accelerate towards a rather predictable apocalypse fairly soon. However, the youth, for whom this remains the most pertinent problem, have pledged to secure their own future by breeding a sustainable environment. They plan to achieve this by taking the most basic of steps, i.e. addressing the deforestation problems resulting from centuries of humanity's interferance with nature to fuel its own ambition. For example, a young social activist group in Raipur, Chattisgarh has been using the Miyawaki method.
This social activist group named ‘Young India Group’ has planted a “mini-forest” in the Chattisgarh capital, Raipur in order to battle the increasing air pollution in the city. The main attraction of this forest is that over 2,500 saplings of various varieties, including mango, neem, banyan, medicinal plants, and others, are planted in a land area measuring around 5,000 square feet at Gandhi Udyan in Raipur. The volunteers of the Young India Group planted the sapling through the Miyawaki method in September 2023, which grew into a mini forest in less than a year.
So, the youth are taking steps to fix an maintain a sustainable environment for the upcoming generations. But to achieve this purpose, they are using the Miyawaki concept for forestation. But the question arises, what is the Miyawaki concept? How is it advantageous? Howe does one go about doing it? Read on as we delve into the details:
According to the National Forest Policy of India, the ideal percentage of total geographical area under forest should be at least 33% to maintain ecological stability. India had pledged to increase the forest cover to 33% under the Paris Agreement in 2015. However, it currently covers just 24.62% of the country's land and is shrinking rapidly. In order to reach the target, India adopted several Miyawaki projects.
Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki invented the Miyawaki technique to create dense forests with native plants. This unique method is used worldwide for urban afforestation by growing a forest in someone’s backyard. It mimics the way that a forest would recolonise itself without any human interference, or if the humans suddenly vanished from the face of the earth.
The Miyawaki method isn’t just unique because it restores native habitats using native trees; the afforestation principles are based on an understanding of how these species would interact in a natural forest. A diverse mixture of trees are planted close together to maximise density and create balance.
Only native species that would occur naturally in that area without humans, given the specific climate condition, are planted. Indigenous plant species have spent thousands of years adapting to their local environment to create a supporting ecosystem, so planting them doesn’t just reinstate this biodiversity – it builds a site that’s more responsive to climate change.
Advantages of the Miyawaki method:
Miyawaki forests do not require a huge amount of space; you can plant them almost anywhere in sites as small as three square meters. In the Raipur forest, the foresters planted the saplings in 2X2, 6 ft deep pits. Even at this size, they fast become a habitat for countless species and offer multiple ecosystem services all at once. These pocket forests are perfect for the fast regeneration of urban areas.
How to create a forest using the Miyawaki Method
The Miyawaki method helps create self-sustaining vegetation within 2 to 3 years, whereas a traditional procedure takes nearly 100 years. Here is the process to follow for afforestation using the Miyawaki method:
Step 1: Examine the Soil Texture and Measure Biomass
Examining soil texture is essential as it helps determine fertility, water retention, percolation, etc. All these elements determine the growth and longevity of the forest. Then one must measure the existing biomass of the soil. An afforest can add the following biomass to prepare the earth:
Organic fertilisers- The ground requires fertiliser to provide nutrients for plant growth. Some organic fertilisers are cowpat, goat muck and vermicompost.
Perforating materials- These materials are helpful for plants to penetrate their roots deeper into the ground. Rice husk, wheat husk, or groundnut shells can be an excellent resource to increase perforation.
Water retainers- A ground must have significant water retention power to develop a forest. An afforest can add coconut coir and peat moss to strengthen the soil’s water retention power.
Mulch- It is usually layered over the ground to protect it from the scorching sun. It is vital, especially for saplings, as their growth may be affected in dried soil. Foresters can use decaying leaves, dried bark, or even composts.
Step 2: Select Native Species for Plantation
Foresters must select the native plant species and identify their genus (deciduous or evergreen), height and influence on nature. Foresters must allocate those plants in layers, depending on all the above factors. 40 to 50 per cent of the total number of trees must comprise the most commonly found species in one’s neighbourhood. Foresters must choose at least 5 different genera that would be the significant species in that forest. Some moderately found native species will compose 25 to 40 per cent as supporting plants. Finally, some other minor species will constitute the rest of the forest. Foresters need to collect saplings of these species, which must be in a minimum height of 60 to 80 cm.
Step 3: Prepare the Ground and Equip the Forest Area
Before starting the planting process, foresters must inspect the ground to determine the possibilities and practicality of this project. The soil of this area must be clean from any debris and weed. It also must catch sunlight for at least 8-9 hours a day to start afforestation. Foresters must install irrigation facilities, create 100 sq metre mounds and demark those before sowing.
Step 4: Start the Plantation Process
One should dig small holes in the soil and remove the root bag of the seedlings to plant them. They must put these saplings in those holes and lightly level the soil around their stem. It is crucial to choose proper supporting sticks for these plants, according to their height.
Step 5: Take Care of the Forest for the Next 3 Years
Monitoring the forest involves watering it daily, cleaning the weeds and plastics, and maintaining proper drainage. Foresters must maintain the mulch level and keep changing it for a minimum of 1 year. They also must have an eye on the plant’s growth to ensure the mulch does not immerse it. They must not trim the forest, use chemical pesticides and fertiliser, and clean the shed leaves.
Who was Akira Miyawaki?
Akira Miyawaki was a Japanese botanist and an expert in plant ecology who specialized in seeds and natural forests. He was active worldwide as a specialist in natural vegetation restoration of degraded land.
He was professor emeritus at Yokohama National University and director of the Japanese Center for International Studies in Ecology since 1993. He received the Blue Planet Prize in 2006.
Reforesting India:
The Miyawaki method is community-based and people-centred and can be used to reclaim and reimagine public space for the benefit of people and the planet.
Miyawaki forests have also been successfully tried in India and several start-ups offer help to individuals and organizations in growing Miyawaki forest on their land. However, large-scale deployment of this technology for improving the declining air quality is yet to be attempted. The current work discusses the concept of Miyawaki forest, its advantages and possibilities of its utilization at large-scale in India. It is expected that Miyawaki forests will be able to reverse the declining tree cover, provide a better environment and improve the air quality.