Sustainable solution for urban environment: Miyawaki Forest

Abstract

Rapid urbanization, population growth and rural-to-urban migration, especially in fast-developing
economies (such as India and China) have resulted in a fast decline in forest cover and green space in a large number
of urban centers around the world. Recent reports suggest that Delhi, India’s capital, has a green cover of only 20.6%
and has a declining trend of dense and very-dense forests. In fact, India ranks one of the highest among the large
countries in terms of reduction in tree cover extent. This is an alarming situation and does not bode well for human
health and ecosystem, in general. Immediate and long-lasting steps are needed to check the diminishing green cover
in most of the metropolitan cities of the world.
Among a number of ideas suggested for checking the rapid decline in the green cover; the concept of Miyawaki forest
offers a unique solution. Developed by the famous Japanese botanist, Akira Miyawaki, the Miyawaki forest is an
affordable, low-tech, maintenance-free and rapid method of growing native vegetation on degraded lands (Fig. 1).
Such forests can be grown by anybody using simple methods and a lush-green forest consisting of native vegetation in
about an year’s time is expected. A number of industries and cities have successfully grown Miyawaki forests for
enhancing the tree cover and a better environment.
Figure 1. Changes in landscape due to the growth of Miyawaki forest, pre and post-growth scenario
Miyawaki forests have also been successfully tried in India and several start-ups offer help to individuals and
organizations in growing Miyawaki forest on their land. However, large-scale deployment of this technology for
improving the declining air quality is yet to be attempted. The current work discusses the concept of Miyawaki forest,
its advantages and possibilities of its utilization at large-scale in India. Potential issues in its deployment and solutions
thereof are also presented. A competing technology, vertical gardens, is also briefly discussed for comparison. It is
expected that Miyawaki forests will be able to reverse the declining tree cover, provide a better environment and
improve our air quality.