How to plant a Miyawaki forest – and create a beautiful micro woodland in your own backyard

The benefits of nature are increasingly being acknowledged, both for our health and that of our habitats. But with so much wild green space lost already, something we once took for granted needs our support. If you want to play a part in nature restoration and climate resilience, you might be intrigued about how to plant a mini Miyawaki forest in your own backyard.

Woodland plots, whether large or small, clean the air, sequester carbon, reduce noise pollution, absorb rainfall, increase biodiversity and create shade. So it's no surprise that forest garden ideas are big news. The original Miyawaki method was developed by the late botanist, Prof. Akira Miyawaki, to restore native forests more quickly on deforested land to offset the effects of global warming and extreme weather. However, this acclaimed method of planting can easily be replicated by home gardeners on smaller plots too.

Collectively, what we do in our own backyards can make a difference to the conservation of threatened wildlife and support climate resilience. By following the Miyawaki method, you can improve the health and biodiversity in your yard and reap the rewards for yourself and future generations.

How to plant a Miyawaki forest

The Miyawaki method involves densely planting a variety of native species. These trees and plants benefit each other and attract birds and beneficial bugs to create a healthy, living eco-system. It's essentially recreating, in a small way, the type of mature forest that would have originally been in the native landscape, before urbanisation, over decades rather than centuries.

'Planting a mini-forest is a way to restore native forests even in small spaces,' explains Hannah Lewis, author, Mini-Forest Revolution, Chelsea Green Publishing, available on Amazon. 'Planting multiple species makes the whole system more stable, healthy and biodiverse. Healthy ecosystems are vital to our wellbeing and can counter the effects of climate breakdown.'

The Miyawaki method is straight-forward and simple, however, it requires planning, research and time. Like all things, preparation now will be richly rewarded with a self-sustaining mini-forest in your yard to enjoy for years to come.

Hannah Lewis

Hannah Lewis is a writer focusing on people, nature, and conservation. She has a MS in Sustainable Agriculture and Sociology from Iowa State University, and a BA in Environmental Studies from Middlebury College. She loves gardening, composting, cooking, reading, writing, and dancing. She discovered the Miyawaki Method and wrote Mini-Forest Revolution while living in France, but currently lives in Minneapolis, where she works for non-profit Renewing the Countryside to help build sustainable, equitable local food systems and plant mini-forests.

Step 1 - Locate your mini-forest plot and prepare the ground

To state the obvious, trees grow, and so do their roots. So choosing a suitable place for your mini-forest is of upmost importance. Two hundred square feet is enough space, so it's possible even in a small backyard. Once you've identified the best site for your micro forest, it will also be necessary to check the soil health and if necessary, clear the area of any existing non-native plants, weeds and grasses.

'The Miyawaki method should be sited in a place that’s sunny and well drained, a couple of meters or more away from any building or house, and clear of underground or overhead utility lines or pipes,' explains Hannah Lewis.

'Before planting, the ground should be loosened to the depth of any compaction, and amended with organic material, if the current soil is low on organic content. Rejuvenating the soil, is one of the basics of creating a mini-forest. In the absence of a loose soil, with plenty of organic matter, trees will struggle to grow properly.

'It's a good idea to get rid of any grass, so it doesn't crowd out the tree seedlings in the first few years (and also because you generally need to de-compact the ground and add organic material anyway),' continues Hannah.

'The most typical approach is to dig up the planting area to the depth of compaction - up to three feet deep, and add in organic material. I'm also aware some people use sheet/lasagna mulching (instead of digging) to achieve the same objectives (clearing out grass, adding organic materials, and loosening up the ground in the process).'

Lasagna gardening is an easy no-dig method of suppressing weeds and grass with compostable materials, such as cardboard, and enriching the soil with organic matter. Also referred to as sheet composting, it's an effective, organic approach. The process can take several months, so do plan ahead, however layering compost on top speeds it up.

If you want to make your own compost, this compost wizard dual tumbler from Burpee allows you to have two batches running simultaneously, as well as a chamber for compost tea.

Step 2 - Select the native species to grow

Once you've chosen the site and are preparing the ground for your forest garden, the next step is selecting the best combination of native plants and trees. These will be species that either naturally grow in your region, or would have grown there, before urbanisation, so this may require some research. This will generally be a mix of canopy trees, understory trees, shrubs and ground cover plants, in a natural ratio.

Make a list of these trees and plants and the natural proportions of them, for example 20% canopy trees, 30% understory, 40% sub-trees and shrubs etc. Then work out how many you will need of each, according to the amount of space that you have.

(The Miyawaki method is generally not a suitable approach for places where the natural plant community is not (or was not) a forest. Although, groups in drier climates, such as LA Micro Forests, have been experimenting with adaptations to the traditional method).

'This is the most important step in the Miyawaki method,' says Hannah. 'The goal is to establish the “potential natural vegetation” for the given planting site, which refers to the native climax community, as determined by the current climate, soils, and topography.

'There are a few ways to figure out what that plant community is, including reviewing native species maps, cross-checking that with the soil type found at the site, and consulting a local ecologist if possible. If there is an old, natural forest nearby in similar conditions, visit that site to find out what species grow there and in what proportions. Then replicate that community in the mini-forest site.

'Source the seedlings from a nursery or collect seeds and grow your own. If you're growing them, the seedlings will be ready to be planted at 2-3 years of age.

'For a Miyawaki forest, the standard planting density is three plants per square metre,' explains Hannah. 'At this density, you get 60cm between plants, which can be measured using something like a stick cut to that length. This helps to achieve the goal of eco-system regeneration.'

Step 3 - Plant the seedlings and mulch

Another great aspect of the Miyawaki method is that once you've prepared the area, amended the soil and selected the ratio of the various native plants and trees to grow, everything can be planted at the same time. Although, if you want to remember what you have planted where, it is a good idea to create a map of the area, or mark them with a small timber stake.

'All the plants (canopy trees, understory trees, and shrubs etc) should be mixed together and seedlings planted in a pattern of three per square meter (or yard),' says Hannah. 'It can be completely random, although some people like to avoid planting the same species side by side.

'Dunk each plant's root mass in water before planting, and take care to keep the root flare above the surface of the soil. Cover the ground completely around the newly planted seedlings with a very thick layer of straw mulch (other mulch types are OK too).

'Mulching protects the bare soil from moisture loss by evaporation, from erosion and temperature extremes,' continues Hannah. 'Mulch also suppresses weed growth, and eventually decomposes into the soil, enriching it.

'Water and weed the site as needed for two to three years. If these simple guidelines are followed, after that point a Miyawaki mini-forest is self-sustaining.'

The Japanese hori hori garden hand tool from True Leaf Market makes easy work of planting, weeding and other gardening tasks.

'Aside from the wider benefits, a micro forest in your garden improves the local habitat for pollinators and for predators (like ladybugs) who will feed on insect pests (like aphids),' says Hannah. 'It will also provide local cooling caused by shade and transpiration and improved stormwater management due to spongier soils.'

These beneficial effects reported by Hannah can also boost the quality of your crops if you have a vegetable garden, and any flower beds nearby, due to the increase in pollinators and beneficial bugs.

A mini-forest will likely improve your own wellbeing too. Many are aware of the Japanese concept of forest bathing, whereby doctors and health providers prescribe nature walks in woodland for various ills. Spending time in a yard with a mini-forest that's filled with trees and plants has some of these health-boosting advantages too.