Micro Forest

February 2024

On Saturday 3rd February we planted a Micro Forest. In 2 hours Treemendous York worked with GoodGym resulting in a successful and enjoyable morning with all our fantastic volunteers creating what we think is the first Micro Forest in York.

Not heard of the Micro Forests movement?? they are fast-growing urban forests.

The essential principle of the Japanese Miyawaki method is to use species of trees that would occur naturally in that area and that work together to create a diverse, multi-layered forest community. This creates a resilient and thriving forest ecosystem with species that complement each other. If you’d like to know more, see The Miyawaki Method for Creating Forests.

University of York, East Campus funded land to be fenced with wire netting and gate to keep out rabbits.

Preparation of the land began earlier in the year by GoodGym when the clay earth was aerated, and compost was added to improve the soil. To help the new tree roots, just before planting the ground was further prepared using a steel pole to break through the layer of clay creating planting spaces. Biochar was spread as an additional nutrient. The bare root trees were dipped in a mycorrhizal fungi gel immediately prior to planting. Next steps are to mulch the planting area with straw and to support Uni citizen science activities monitoring the growth and biodiversity in the area.

These 600 bare root trees in 12 native species rich were treated with mycelium - incredibly tiny “threads” of the greater fungal organism that wrap around or bore into tree roots. Taken together, mycelium composes what's called a “mycorrhizal network”, which connects individual plants together to transfer water, nitrogen, carbon, and other minerals. The trees funded by Betterworld Treeplanting and planted by volunteers from both Treemendous York and GoodGym.

It's a very windy and muddy site so warm and weatherproof clothing and boots were essential.