NEWS
The Miyawaki method of afforestation will be introduced in the government office premises, residential complexes, school premises, and puramboke land in Kerala.
What is the Miyawaki technic?
Miyawaki is an afforestation method based on the work of Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1980s. The technique compresses layers of a forest – shrubs, trees, canopies – on small plots of land, turning them into tiny forests.
Method
- Initially, native trees of the region are identified and divided into four layers — shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy
- The quality of soil is analysed and biomass is mixed with it.
- Mulching, natural water retention and perforation material like rice husk and use of organic compost, cow dung support their growth.
- Planting three to four saplings per square metre, using native varieties adapted to local conditions.
- A wide variety of species – ideally 30 or more – are planted to recreate layers of a natural forest. This blocks sunlight from reaching the ground and prevents weeds from growing. It also keeps the soil moist.
Benefits
- Miyawaki forests grow 10 times faster and become 30 times denser and 100 times more biodiverse than those planted through conventional methods.
- It designed to regenerate land in far less time.
- The saplings become self-sustainable after three years.
- These mini forests help lower temperatures in concrete heat islands, reduce air and noise pollution, attract local birds and insects, and create carbon sinks.
