Tiny Forest planted in Barnet
Barnet Council teamed up with environmental charity Earthwatch Europe and Good Gym Barnet to plant a Tiny Forest at Henlys Corner just on the side of the North Circular.
A Tiny Forest is a dense, fast growing native woodland planted in an area the size of a tennis court around 200sqm. They are planted with the aim to create a small pocket of quality green space for benefit of people and wildlife.
They bring the benefits of a forest such as tree cover for wildlife, increasing biodiversity, capturing carbon and reducing flooding but in an urban-friendly size.
School groups and volunteers were there to help plant 600 trees of 15 different native species including oaks, cherries, and willows.
The planting method was developed by a Japanese botanist, Dr Akira Miyawaki, in the 70s and encourages accelerated forest development.
With a diverse range of plant species, it attracts an equally diverse range of wildlife that also gives people a unique access to nature within urban areas.
Louise Hartley, from Earthwatch the charity that runs Tiny Forest projects all over the country, said:
"This Tiny Forest will help people of all ages connect with nature, act as an outdoor classroom for young people learning about the natural world, and bring the community together. It will help create a stepping stone for wildlife that find urban areas often difficult to move through, supporting biodiversity .
“The fact that this is publicly accessible and on public land is fantastic for people to get out into green spaces that we know has proven benefits for mental health.
“It is also very beneficial for children living in urban areas as we often find this is their first experience planting trees and so it’s a nice way to connect with nature and the natural world.”