A tiny forest is a small area of closely planted, fast growing local trees. It is created to copy a natural forest.bringing all its benefits, but for a small space in cities. The first tiny forest was planted by a Japanese plant expert, Dr. Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s. It was so great that it grew quickly in countries such as Denmark. Britain Germany, Ireland and Spain.
As the name suggests, the place doesn't have to be big. An area the size of about 200 m2 is perfect. 600 trees with as many as 40 different kinds, can be planted in the place. With 2 to 7 trees every square metre, the trees are planted much more closely than the ones in normal forests. But there's still room for the trees to grow naturally without the use of fertilizers(肥料)
To plant a tiny forest, one starts with testing the soil and choosing right kinds of trees. In cities, the soil is often in poor condition. It is important to create loose and rich soil. When the soil is prepared, the community will invite school children on a planting day. The forests need 2 to 3 years of care from children. Then the trees can become self-growing. It's believed if children plant their own forest and spend a lot of time caring for it, they will grow up to be healthy adults with a sense of responsibility for the society.
Trees and forests aren't special pieces of nature that should only exist in the countryside. They need to be apart of life in cities too