Planting a Mini Japanese Woodland on My Irish Land: The Miyawaki Method

[@TheRewildlife]

Find out more about my rewilding project in this video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXashmqjo8Z4iM0

[@gshaindrich]

Lies, missinformation etc. ... you can NOT make time run faster locally, therefore regardless of method trees will NEVER GROW 10X FASTER! Biodiversity is NOT "100x higher"! It is practically IMPOSSIBLE to plant that dense on medium or large scale, because 1) who pays for the plants? 2.) where would so many plants come from? Furthermore it would DESTROY BIODIVERSITY generally, by WASTING RESOURCES, which are needed in the nurseries (themselves waste space, destroy biodiversity etc.) and are then lost, when 99 of 100 planted on 1qm die.

[@timcarrington5977]

I have planted my 1800 sq ft Toronto suburb backyard, with 20 native trees, 45 native shrubs, over 300 native herbaceous perennials and ground covers, an 80 sq ft still pond and running water with 14 different native varieties of aquatic and marginal plants, dead wood logs, branches, snag and leaf litter. Also planted 900 sq feet of the front yard. I’m going into my third season and loving all the biodiversity of both flora and fauna. Deer mice, mink, frogs, toads, skunk, raccoon, rabbits, squirrels, opossum, ground hog, fox, coyote, hawk, owl, robins,blue jays, orioles, finches, cardinals, crows, waxwings, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and loads of different moth and butterflies have come to visit in the last year. Best decision ever.

[@lukespooner4]

post a drone shot to your youtube 😍

[@xn9333]

Sounds great 👍🏻 Make a video so people can see

[@VileTraveller]

I planted a Miyawaki Method wet woodland in a small area prone to occasional flooding about 3 years ago, and it's doing exceedingly well, with some of the trees having put on over 2 metres of growth from whip size. Most of the seedlings were sourced from self-seeded trees and shrubs in other parts of my garden. I think I could have planted more understorey species, but it seems that it's being colonised quite successfully by Welsh bluebells and foxgloves, amongst others. There is some access, via a couple of seasonal streams and a path which I keep clear. It's really an amazing method.

[@maireadmaguire7509]

This sounds great, what trees did you use?

[@TheRewildlife]

That’s fantastic well done! If the area is prone to flooding I wonder if your Miyawaki will help control that. I know they can be used for drainage management in some way

[@VileTraveller]

The seedlings from my garden are oak, birch, rowan, pine, willow, hawthorn, holly, yew, dog rose, Welsh bluebells, foxgloves, and heather (I still need to get around to identifying the varieties for most of them). For diversity I added a few other seedlings I bought from the Woodland Trust, which is kind of cheating - blackthorn, crab apple, hazel, and field maple. But I wish I'd included more shrubs, and maybe some honeysuckle, but I might add some of the later in this year as I do have some growing in my garden. By the way, what I refer to as 'my garden' is mostly a very steep bit of wild Welsh hillside! 😅

[@TaLeng2023]

Maybe you can trim the lower branches to make them get taller faster? Saw a vid of a guy in Ethiopia that's rewilding the mountainsides. He don't plant anything, he just trim all the lower parts of existing shrubs and saplings.

[@maireadmaguire7509]

@@VileTravellerfair play, that’s a wide diversity bet the creatures round your steep hill are most grateful 🙌🏼

[@niallwildwoode7373]

Never heard of this. But as an arborist professionally, I planted my own 14 acres in Cumbria 11-18 years ago, at a density including the Forestry Commission's expected loss contingiency of approx 50%. But as I'm passionate about trees and looked after them, I've a 95% success rate (losses were due to deer) and it's crowded. I'm coppicing a second 'cant' this Winter of sweet chestnut, and everything's growing faster than I can use it. Plus the birch, alder, hazel, guelder rose, hawthorn and oak are self-setting everywhere. It's a good life to have.

[@TheRewildlife]

Wow well done you must take great care of them. I certainly hope to be able to manage mine like that.

[@niallwildwoode7373]

​@@TheRewildlife The first five years are the crucial ones. After that the trees should be able to outcompete the sward.

[@Omegawerewolfx]

Isn't 3 to 5 per sq meter too much for long term success? Aren't they going to crowd out slower growers and shade out the understory?

[@TheRewildlife]

@@Omegawerewolfx Yes thats what I noted at the end of the video. There will likely be fatalities so its about weighing up the benefits of the short-mid term for biodiversity etc

[@movewellwitheleanor]

Any good strategies for deer. We are plagued with Sika here, and I can't afford to fence off the acre I'm planting

[@mikehyatt8242]

I'm a landscape architect with a number of houing projects in Glasgow and Edinburgh, I've been promoting 'copse' woodland planting for a while, but this video gives a easy to understand explanation for clients and communities to understand the opportunities in urban areas and why this type of planting is so important. I'll be sending them the link.

[@TheRewildlife]

Fantastic thanks so much. Delighted to help

[@DakotaFord592]

Omg this man is beyond stunning!! I want to put my face next to the arch of his foot!!!!!

[@alexgard4968]

Im doing the same thing in indiana with native trees and plants on a 4 acre site. Its very windy here as i have huge corn fields on 3 sides of the property. Im planting a 100 foot thick row completely around the property with several small ponds and orchard in the center. Its been a lot of work but its gonna be worth every bit of it.

[@TheRewildlife]

Fantastic! Well done thats great to hear. It sure does sound like a lot of hard work but will be worth it for sure!

[@Yhoshua_B]

This is awesome! I live in Indiana as well and am hoping to do something on my property to try and rehabilitate some of the former wetland area where my house was built.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

@@Yhoshua_B sounds perfect for paw paws

[@DakotaFord592]

Omg this man is beyond stunning!! I want to put my face next to the arch of his foot!!!!!

[@timothyarmaya5473]

After 2019 bushfire in Southcoast Australia, 50 acres of my property was ash . Majority of Eucalypts survived. However I noticed the pioneer acacia and she oak species sprout and grew within centimetres of one another and are now 7 metres tall in a lot of places within 4 growing seasons. I planted rare Gondwana species here and there which will eventually take their place .Also both the pioneer group fix a lot of atmospheric nitrogen which makes them grew quickly. Planting Apex trees Miyawaki style will still take longer use your native pioneer species with your Apex trees scattered throughout with their appropriate distance to accommodate their majestic size.

[@bluntforcehealing]

Amazing stuff. Never heard of it (since I am green (pun intended) in gardening and so on, but I am a big fan of fungi, and… fungi don’t have much space here in Ireland unfortunately, so it’s very exciting to see people grow these micro/mini woodlands and creating bit by bit a biodiversity to help this island to return to the roots somehow. All in all, Ireland used to be a forest island, so let’s at least bring it back to the good ol’ days to some extent ❤️‍🔥

[@dreadpirateread]

Helped build a Miyawaki forest in Minneapolis this spring. Approximately 1400 native plants in around 900 square feet. It's grown tremendously this summer.

[@TheRewildlife]

Love it! Well done thats great to hear.

[@MikeH401]

I have used the same method for a small area using a varied mix of trees. Still early days.

[@chompapottamus]

The higher mortality rate is a feature not a bug. Increased rate of early carbon cycling will enrich the earth after the first generation falls. The second generation naturally won’t be as dense

[@TheRewildlife]

Love that insight!

[@DakotaFord592]

Omg this man is beyond stunning!! I want to put my face next to the arch of his foot!!!!!

[@spiritdragon110]

This is an awesome method! I love seeing and learning more about it. To your concern about maturing plants facing too much competition and dying off, I think this is actually part of the natural process. Competition fosters ecological resilience and ensures that stronger plants thrive, while those that die off contribute to the ecosystem by enriching the soil and providing resources for other organisms. This mimics the natural cycles of a forest, ultimately creating a self-sustaining and biodiverse environment.

[@garycard1456]

Too right! Deadwood provides food for beetle larvae (including the larvae of the rare stag bettle), fungi and mosses. Water-soluble plant macronutrients and micronutrients (nitrate, phosphate, sulphate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum) are formed from bacteria and fungi acting on deadwood and leaf litter. During rains these nutrients trickle down to the rootzone of plants and trees, where they are taken up by the trees and plants. An organic fertilizer. Leaflitter and decomposed deadwood encourage mycorrhizal fungi.

[@rhysodunloe2463]

There's an archaeology trail just next to the aparment buildings where I used to live many years ago and I remembered it having a cute little iron age garden with all the plants they potentially grew back in those days. Some of the neighbours and a volunteer of the Archaeology Museum cared for it and used to make a harvest feast from the plants at the annual festival. But as I revisited the place about six or seven years later that garden was completely overgrown. It's the densest undergrowth I've ever seen and at first I was very sad. Until I saw how huge the old raspberry and grape vines were and that there's now hazel growing and rowan and a lot of wildflowers sticking out at it's border. Some are the old medicinal and kitchen herbs but some are new. The old willow fence rotted away nearly completely and the logs they used to secure the bottom of the fence are home to so many critters. It's a tiny habitat with all you can eat buffet for all different sorts of smaller wildlife right in the middle of a relatively barren landscape. It's amazing how fast nature took back that small lot and how fast everything grew. We need to have more of those in our cities. I now live in a newly built apartment complex in the outskirts and they have also planted islands of small trees and scrubs which look pretty similar to those projects. Hawthorns, blackthorns, birches, willows, hazel - all forming kind of green clouds in the summer where animals can hide in and giving them food even in the winter. They also only built on the upper two thirds of the land and turned the part of land which is on a soft slope into a blooming meadow. Also the new street doesnt connect straight to the main road but has a ditch in between, leading to a pond so heavy rainfall can be absorbed better. And they kept the old wall hedgerows - they're called Knick (bend) here in Northern Germany and are protected as landmarks and nesting grounds by state law - and tree rows that bordered the former field once completely intact. A next street neighbour told me it used to be a rapeseed field and the deer often came into his garden back then. The landlord also put nesting and bat boxes on the facades. They did their best to keep the impact our settlement has for the wildlife comparetively low to other apartment complexes while also building just as fast in a conventional cheap way. I can't count how often there was a hare or blackbird or great tit on my patio. One hare even hid its offspring there a few times and often dozed in the shade of my hedge during mid day heat. Even joined me one evening as I sat there reading a book. More by accident because it ran from my neighbour's motorcycle and just happened to crawl under my chair. Maybe because it was so used to be save and undisturbed there. 😅 As our towns grow ever bigger we need to leave enough nature in between for all native animals to migrate, to feed themselves and live a more or less species-appropriate life. And I guess dense pocket forests giving cover and food are one of many ways how we can achieve that.

[@TheRewildlife]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I loved reading it. Youre a great story-teller! Sounds like a wonderful area where you live. I rarely see hares here... plenty of rabbits. Which the Normans introduced here I heard! Thanks for sharing.

[@boodashaka2841]

I spoke to members of my Botanical Society about this a while back. They seemed to think it is neat but for any reforesting/rewilding/larger project would likely create a lot of potentially unhealthy but very spindly and skinny trees. I'd love to see one 20+ years on and see how it goes. I would love to see how many plants you end up with once they begin to get thicker trunks etc. I'll have to look up some old Miyawaki forests and check what goes on! Wellington, New Zealand here for anyone wondering :)

[@TheRewildlife]

Yes I’d agree with them! It’s a bit experimental for me in the long term. But will certainly have lots of short term benefits! I’m also planting it right by my traditional plantation in the hopes it might benefit it. Only one way to find out! Thanks for watching!

[@bernadettemccluskey2812]

My local council here in Ireland said the same to me a few years back when I tried to plant Miyawaki style. Haven't been able to find pictures of 20+ plus in a temperate zone. There's a vid of Miyawaki's planting around a building in Japan I think, that's 40+ years. He also wanted to plant along the shorline with some species of tree that survived a devasting tsunami - not sure if he got to do it or not but I think the Japanese government was interested (if my memory is correct). It's worth searching out those vids

[@knighttaylor4272]

Do it!

[@knighttaylor4272]

Think of this it’s like mathematics trees divide nutrients one to another and putting them close greatly increases water retention and in fact they are stronger together than apart. And the trees up top share their nutrient to the plants below through their roots that’s how the shrubs survive.

[@fabriglas]

I'd say they may be right but there is probably an element of lazy there too!

[@owbeer]

i had a tree that died in my garden, under its bark was a white layer of mycelium. i was amazed with the mushrooms popping up everywhere a few months later.

[@HenryLanepilkington]

this is such a crazy coincidence, i’m planting a wild forest in ireland too and my first result for miyawaki planting is an irish wild forest

[@TheRewildlife]

Sounds fantastic!

[@elliotlane3225]

Great for urban greening and small kick start rewiling projects, ir even a largish garden.

[@saoirsecameron]

Faster isn’t necessarily better. Many early and mid successional species depend on the high sunlight to complete their life cycles before the canopy fully closes. Short cutting this process has the potential to further harm already fragmented ecosystems such as meadows, savannas, and wetlands. I’m not saying this technique is never applicable, but a deeper understanding of the local ecology and conservation challenges is needed to make the correct assessment for any particular site.

[@eoinmacantsaoir811]

This video is in the context of rewilding irish pasture farmland. It's pretty much monoculture grass, so not really damaging any ecosystem.

[@markmnelson]

Is there any situation in which increasing native biodiversity faster would not be better, though? Re the notion that this is a “shortcut,” Miyawaki just allowed the native seedbank in healthy local soil to grow at its natural rate. The point is that the modern cultivated much more spaced out way of doing it actually massively retards natural growth.

[@SamAlderDesign]

The odds of this ever being implemented on a large scale are pretty slim, it doesn’t suit growing for industrial timber harvesting nor for a good “return” on money spent on saplings. Small tight woodlands can instead serve as biodiversity reservoirs that will slowly replenish around them as permitted by neighbouring land owners, leaving plenty of opportunity for those multi-successional species you are talking about to thrive. These Miyawaki forests are kind of serving the same role as the appendix does in the human body.

[@mikehyatt8242]

Another thought reading some of comments, this probably exactly reproduces the natural succession when a mature tree falls in a forest opening up a glade. Small scale, very dense seedlings, intense competition.

[@madeleinepengelley2854]

Thank you for the video! I have been tending a tiny urban forest in Toronto Canada for more than 30 years. And when I say tending, I pretty much leaving it alone. Only removing very invasive species like Japanese Knotweed and such. It didn't have a name back then. I'm glad it does now. As for larger projects, I think it is appropriate there too. I realize that many of the planted stock will not survive, but the ecosystem as a super-organism will and IMO that is what matters. Great video. Many thanks!

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks so much for the great feedback!

[@StephieM-u5n]

Great video! Super interesting!

[@TheRewildlife]

Thank you! Glad you liked it

[@TropicalJungleIreland]

Well done 👍

[@helensbayorganic5814]

Great video!

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks!

[@TracMcNguyen]

First of all, your dogs are so cute! Second of all, your dogs are so cute.

[@TheRewildlife]

Haha thank you!

[@wildside69]

happy to have found your channel! big love from Melbourne Australia

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks so much! Delighted to know people around the world follow my little channel

[@hluskin]

I never heard of this method or the benefits but I needed a windbreak fast. I had a normal hawthorn hedge but before it's second year I realised they would take forever to stop everything being blown away int neighbours fields. Bought 100 mixed native whips in 2009 and planted them about 8 or 9 inches apart. The ground had been cleared and well rotted dung dug in the previous autumn. By 3 years they were up to 6 or 8 feet high. Within 5 years I had my shelter belt. It is now 15 years old and I have no idea what is growing at ground level as I haven't ventured inside since year 3!

[@garycard1456]

I should think that spindle tree, honeysuckle and elder are native to Ireland (or parts of Ireland). Maybe not spindle- that prefers to grow on chalky soil (the geology of parts of Ireland might be too acidic). But, the point I want to make is that it would be a good idea to include smaller trees / shrub-like trees and woody climbers that are native to Ireland / the British Isles, as they play a role in attracting wildlife (pollinators, birds) as do the trees that grow to a large size. Native evergreen bushes and trees, such as holly, provide cover for wildlife in winter, when the deciduous shrubs and trees are dormant and leafless.

[@DavidPaulNewtonScott]

I have an established woodland in the Philippines. I am simply letting it do its own thing but preferencing my crop tree teak. I am planning to grow Diasugi trees and use the timber as roundwood. You can therefore cut wood at a much earlier age. On my land in Portugal, I will be planting native trees and using a method I have invented that I call butress grafting to speed up growth.

[@triggerwarning7662]

I dream of going to somewhere in rural Ireland like my Great Grandmums house, restoring it using the central grants available and living my days there alone in a homestead environment. I can't do that until I learn to manage my PTSD, and I will never be able to do it because I will always have PTSD. The ironic thing is if I was to live this way, I'd be at peace. These kind of videos mean a lot to me and enable me to relax: I would likely never be able to do these things/live the way I dream of, but at least I can take 20 minutes of peace now and again and enjoy nature and see other people getting to enjoy it in the ways I do too. Thank you.

[@jackstone4291]

You should go for it, try it and get help support and go for it. Being outside and doing something outside with trees plants mud and a wetland &/or wildlife pond will help your state of mind and find peace while you also get counselling and talk groups and support that you need etc. Once you start doing green stuff you realise how easy it is, how it helps your state of mind and mental health because it works your physical health too. We all want you to go for it and try something anything green physically with your hands and digging and watering and creating and even just walking somewhere green peaceful wooded wetland if you can. Wish you the best.

[@TheRewildlife]

I’m so glad this video helped you. I really hope you can fulfill your dream someday. Go for it I’d say! Nothing more healing that getting your hands into a nature project and being outdoors all day. Best of luck!

[@allolobophorus]

Have you heard of the carnivore diet? It helps with physical disorders as well as with mental problems, and usually quite quickly. Look up videos by "No Carb Life".

[@JosephRomero-pk9cu]

Jesus can heal your ptsd

[@DakotaFord592]

Omg this man is beyond stunning!! I want to put my face next to the arch of his foot!!!!!

[@layooriginal]

This is brilliant. I hope to replicate this one day

[@DakotaFord592]

Omg this man is beyond stunning!! I want to put my face next to the arch of his foot!!!!!

[@jackabimorley4962]

Really informative! This method could have great impact for biodiversity. Great video

[@philipjoseph8344]

Great to see more forests being created, while i haven't used the miyawaki method, i have created my own tropical food forest in South India. It has been the best thing I've ever done in my life.

[@mnemosynevermont5524]

Looks so much like my own place in New England!

[@varalta.floresta]

I wasn't expecting such a complete video on the subject, it surprised me! thanks, new subscriber

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks so much! So glad people are enjoying it!

[@Boulderhighland]

We've 3 native conifers in the UK and Ireland, Scot's pine, Yew and Juniper . Fantastic video, interestng to see this done in our climate!

[@TheRewildlife]

Gosh I meant to say pine not conifer there! Great spot thanks for flagging.

[@parkpatt]

Inspiring concept and great presentation. I can't wait to put these ideas to use in my own garden.

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks so much! Best of luck with your garden project

[@geosamways]

Great video! So much to take on board. We have 20 acres to rewild, including floodplain, meadows, scrubland and floodplain forest, in SW France. The area is frequented by deer, wild boar and lately wolves! We have one area that we mowed for years, which meant that I cut off naturally established oak, hazel, chectnut and wild cherry saplings etc twice a year. Then I stopped cutting and the trees went wild! We now have an area of dense woodland, probably 1-2 trees per square metre, which have leapt up to 3-5m in no time at all! We have areas of dense blackthrorn, invasive Acacia and brambles. I was going to clear the whole lot to give me a blank canvass for my Miyawaki forest project. But now I am thinking that perhaps I should strimm "slots" in the bramble and blackthorn thickets and plant native saplings, that will have to reach for the sky through the brambles and blackthorn. I can then "dead-hedge" the entrances of the slots to protect the trees from the deer. The benefit of these thick blackthron and bramble patches is that the grass is already shaded out underneath. I was also going to clear-fell the false acacia ready for new tree-planting, but now I am wondering if I should keep them, and underpalnt them with native understorey trees and shrubs. Essentially use the established Acacia as a temporary canopy species. We can thin them out later for burning.

[@tavascarow]

I planted 150 trees about eight years ago. Fifty of each, sweet chestnut, Hazel and small leaved lime. I wanted to plant ash not lime. But die back stopped me. I just heeled in one year whips in rough steep pasture here in Mid Cornwall. I planted at about eight foot centres. Because of lack of time I've not maintained in the normal sense, not even watered. I've a lot of brambles, willow and the odd oak that have self sown. But I've also a lot of self generated gorse. I'm basically cutting anything that outcompetes the trees, but otherwise leaving nature take control. All the brash from my maintenance I leave in piles, creating habitat and feeding the soil as it rots. Despite my neglect my trees are a lot farther on than yours. Some of the chestnuts are topping 12 to 15 ft. Although the limes are slower. I've already started coppicing a few last winter to increase the variety of habitat. And a few hazel. Opening up spaces. All in all I'm amazed how nature if left to organise itself with a little help can outgrow the conventional method of ground maintenance. In time as a canopy develops, the gorse should die off naturally, but if it doesn't I will just keep coppicing it to add more brash. I have never heard of the Miyawaki method but was inspired by watching a KZbin about Hugh Wilson at Hinewai in New Zealand. Keep up the good work.. :)

[@TheRewildlife]

Thank you! Sounds like you have similar conditions to my land. I have 150 whips coming in the new year for planting and its great to know about the gorse as I have an increasing amount on the land. Brambles too. Thanks for the advice!

[@paxundpeace9970]

You you can set some ash om the perimeter now.

[@eQualizeri]

This must be dependent on the area, climate, whatnot where it's done, but some lessons from Finland: If we let nature do it's own thing, such as in clearcut areas, "Miyawaki" happens naturally. First come shrubs, like lots of rowan/mountain ash (or something, don't know exactly the name in English), willows, alders and such, creating a really dense bushy kind of thingie. This hinders lots of other trees for some decades, not all, but some. It might easily take some 20 to 30 years before any bigger trees such as pines, spruces and birch can poke trough all that mess and start really growing. After that happens, willows, alders and those first trees will start withering a bit and what we call a diverse forest starts appearing with high canopy. Ecologically it's not bad, nature loves all sorts of randomness and differences and whatnot can take care of itself, but it's a sloooooow process towards. Then, if we want to achieve the said forest faster from clearcut or meadow or whatnot, we need to quickly plant those bigger (as in saplings, not as in already two meter tall) trees (maybe two to three meters apart each other, depending on how diverse you want to get) to give them a head start to naturally occurring saplings of the same species and before shrubs take over. Then, after three to six years, the area should be full of all sorts of trees, but also bushes and whatnot. Again, nothing bad with it, but willows, rowans and those will still hinder the growth of the bigger trees. At this point, to achieve faster growth towards a proper forest, we need to cut down most of the undergrowth, and mostly leave only the trees we want to create the canopy with. In practice, this means cutting down everything within one meter of the tree you choose to leave standing. If everything was planted within 2-3 meters from each other, this still leaves lots of diversity (no need to cut down all the bushes and willows, etc.) between, but also makes the trees grow faster as they don't need to compete so much against each other. And in 30 years you should easily achieve a a canopy with trees as high as 10 to 15 meters and a lot more diversity than if you just let the nature do its own thing. If you at this point want to achieve naturally occurring forest even faster, cutting (partially) down trees here and there and leaving them rotting in the forest will boost diversity even faster, creating open patches for new saplings to start to grow, and to give birds, insects and all sorts of plants more and more habitats to thrive in. In case you already have an area where trees are growing in very dense manner with each other and you want to make the forest appear faster, cutting down some undergrowth helps a lot, as previously explained. tl;dr: planting saplings, cutting undergrowth and creating rotting wood creates proper-ish forests decades faster than the natural method, but within 150 years it doesn't really matter what you do or don't, it'll all look same enough. Source: I have been managing forests more or less 20 years.

[@abioh]

Wow love the look of spindle, I haven’t seen it before. Can’t wait to see the progress!

[@WmJared]

I think the higher mortality rate can actually be a managed solution, as the higher density still prevails and continues to push faster growth, and selecting individuals for removal or trimming can allow for retention of the carbon in wetlands or via biochar. I'm still super interested in seeing how Miyawaki method would work in areas with controlled burns, i.e. how many years after planting would it be able to sustainably experience the cycles of burning.

[@TheRewildlife]

Yea I agree. I’m not put off by the mortality rate but think it’s worth pointing out. I might trim mine in the future. Or use it as a method to grow saplings faster and move them to other locations on the land

[@maireadmaguire7509]

@@TheRewildlifelike a natural intensive nursery, very clever

[@halnelson5936]

It should be some deadwood from the beginning too.

[@svendb7]

Love this man! Thanks for sharing your hard and important work. I do the same! Let’s go!!!!

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks man! Keep up the good work!

[@lesterstanden2435]

Planting at high density and using the weeds as mulch vastly increases growth. One doesn't need the Miyawaki method to get the same effect. I know, I've been doing it for 3 decades. Nature does it too, contrary to popular belief. Where seed falls and regenerates at dozens or hundreds per sq metre, stands develop much faster than when they are at low densities such as 2 or 3 metre spacing.

[@TheRewildlife]

Very interesting. Il be doing my main stand at that kind of spacing in a month or two

[@sophiareygrace6656]

I love your video!! Maybe in the future do an update on your miyawaki patch!

[@TheRewildlife]

Thank you! I definitely will! 👍

[@maryhairy1]

Not heard of this method before!

[@maireadmaguire7509]

Well done, ideal for small areas as you say, it’ll be cool to see them come up quick and get the enjoyment from them yourselves along with the other habitators. Exciting stuff 🙌🏼

[@TheRewildlife]

Thank you! Yes I think il build a small bench inside it in a few years.

[@busybeeteach]

But what about invasives that might overwhelm or smother the plantings?

[@TheRewildlife]

It’s important not to plant any invasive plants and then you must maintain your Miyawaki for the first few years to ensure it’s clear of invasive species like rhododendrons

[@TheOffGridIrelandDream]

This is fascinating. We love your videos, very informative. We're currently extending our small woodland, and the rewinding is also going strong. Good luck!

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks so much!

[@maiqueashworth]

Brilliant. Can't wait to see it in a few years time

[@IzzyZon]

Never heard of, thank you! I'll look into it!

[@IzzyZon]

I planted it all wrong I think, I know now ...having 1+ acre in West Cork on organic, totally overgrown land. Doing it Permaculture style. A lot of my planted trees, most natives, are suffering from gras overtaking. My strimmer is in burnout mode and so am I.. 🥹. After 5 years.. Wish I had discovered this before. You should be writing for West Cork People magazine!!

[@rubenboerde9935]

More food for thought, if you make several of those cirkels nature will spread so the space between the cirkels will also be seeded by those miawaki planted trees. 😊

[@Napalmhamilton9]

Glad to discover this channel and seeing the progress in the quality of the content. Really interesting stuff.

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks so much! I’m enjoying the journey. Il keep em’ coming!

[@taxusbaccata6332]

What happens when the trees are 20 years old or so. Surely there will be a significant amount of tree loss. .eg. there are 3 oaks 1 foot from each other in the Wildacres plot.

[@TheRewildlife]

Great question. I commented on this toward the end of the video. The reality is there will be mortality as the trees compete for space. But in nature they wouldnt be placed in a grid either. That said, these forests can be thinned and maintained as they age. But your point is very valid. Its about weighing up the the pros and cons depending on particular goals such as biodiversity. This article details all this better than I can: gaelicwoodlandproject.com/blog-2/miyawaki-method-ireland/

[@VileTraveller]

It's explained at 22:50.

[@taxusbaccata6332]

@@VileTravelleryes I save the quick mention. In a way Miyawaki forest is like a circular hedging really planted at the same density volume. Have great fun with your project I’m 8 years in best thing I’ve ever done. It’s amazing what you learn and would do different if starting again. Best wishes to you boss.

[@hotbit7327]

You’re right-there are plenty of “success stories” for 1-3 year-old Miyawaki “forests,” but not much for older ones. To my knowledge, the only scientific study on the Miyawaki method in Europe found that growth rates are comparable to traditional, more scattered planting. Some species performed better, others worse. If I recall correctly, mortality rates after 10-15 years were close to 95%. Calling a 10-15 year-old plantation a forest still feels like a stretch.

[@helengrives1546]

If you observe nature taking over barren land, then the trees sprout together within centimeters distance. The horse nut tree has its own little colony. The seeds fertilize the soil tremendously. I don’t know why humans always think they are smarter then nature. Sprouting seeds, no cleaning with alcohol or bleach. I use wet cloths from the previous batch like fermentation. Reasoning that whatever is in the cloths will signal the new seeds thats good sprouting. It works like a charm. I like nature figuring it out and then I support the choice she makes. Easy.

[@at1the1beginning]

You make no sense whatsoever. But sure, nature always knows best. Think of that next time you're dying from disease and feel like going to a doctor.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

@@at1the1beginning survival of the fittest made people stronger

[@jackstone4291]

Great to see that Wildacre site in 1 & 2 and 5 and 8 and 12 and 15 and 20 and 25 and 30 years time etc….. you get my drift

[@TheRewildlife]

Yes I really look forward to watching their progress. Its an amazing place to visit. Worth the trip!

[@gileso2206]

Lovely video, thanks for sharing. On your final thoughts, I wonder if combining methods would yield benefits for large-scale afforestation projects? Having the traditional 1 tree per 1-2m^2 with small Miyawaki plots dotted throughout.. I could see that creating hotspots of biodiversity and improved micro-biome/mycorrhizal fungi network might improve the soil health and mortality outcomes of the entire plot. Does anyone know if this has been tried or studied? I can only find examples of one or the other, not a hybrid approach.

[@TheRewildlife]

Thank you! Yes this is a great thought. For that reason I planted my Miyawaki right against where I will be planting my traditional woodland next month. I might add another Miyawaki at the other end if I can too. Like you say, my hope is they will form beneficial micro-biome or other positives that will have some ripple effect on neighbouring trees. Time will tell! I know it hasnt been done in Ireland. Since this method was invented in the 90's, I doubt theres be a long term study of this.

[@suurjef5961]

What a great method! Planting a area very dense so trees/plants would have to compete. Instead of planting trees and leave a big space in between. You said this would not be a suitable method for large scale forest projects since the trees would compete too much overtime resulting in a higher mortality rate. This got me wondering: What if you combine those 2 methods? I mean, planting multiple small patches of land miyawaki style and leave some open space between those patches. By the time those patches get more mature and the competing gets harder, doesn't this results in the patches filling up the spaces in between since there is no competition over there? Let me know your thoughts on this, because this does look like a great method for large scale forest projects to me.

[@suurjef5961]

To add to the combination method I was thinking about: You are planting for the future and the present at the same time. Leaving those spaces to fill overtime, while those patches invite lots of biodiversity in the present.

[@TheRewildlife]

Im glad someone said this because thats exactly what im doing! You may have seen in my Full Tour video I noted where I will be planting my woodland- this Miyawaki is in that area also. My hope is that it may generate helpful Microbiome or just generally have a positive effect/influence on the traditional woodland around it. No harm in trying anyway! Thanks for raising that

[@moshpic]

Apical growth, or the vertical growth of a tree, is indeed primarily influenced by site factors such as light, soil nutrients, and water availability. Trees naturally tend to grow upwards towards the light, a phenomenon known as phototropism. In the context of the dense planting in the Miyawaki method, the competition for light does influence the growth form of the trees. With the close proximity of other trees, there is an increased competition for light, which encourages the trees to grow taller and faster to reach the light source. This competition also leads to a reduction in the number of lower branches, as lower branches receive less light and become shaded out by upper branches. This phenomenon, known as self-pruning, can lead to a more streamlined tree shape with fewer lower branches and more growth concentrated at the top. So, while apical growth is not directly dependent on plant density, the density can influence the growth form of the tree in a competitive environment.

[@TheRewildlife]

Brilliant information thank you! That explains everything very concisely.

[@jackstone4291]

Don’t forget to plant different ages of trees and regularly do this so that the forest will always have saplings and younger and then more established and more mature trees as they grow over the years always coming through to add to more diversity of ages of trees.

[@TheRewildlife]

Yes thank you that’s a great point. I forgot to mention I planted 1-3 year old trees

[@Kram1032]

I think maybe it can still make sense for forests at scale as well? Maybe in that setting you'd want not quite as high a density as in these miniforests. But the other principles may still apply. Might even simply want some intentionally uneven density to have both areas of high competition and areas where new life can establish itself more easily without intervention, and mimic the presence of many different maturity levels of plants. Like, if normally growth is much slower, that effectively means those trees effectively play the role of younger plants once the higher-competition plants grow up high, right?

[@TheRewildlife]

Good thinking! Im not too sure to be honest. But I plan to plant a traditional woodland around my Miyawaki in the next few months... so hopefully I can learn if they influence each other at all. Maybe I could reduce the density going outward from full Miyawaki to half that density and the normal.

[@knighttaylor4272]

The most important part happens underneath

[@rowanwhite3520]

Great video, thank you!

[@TheRewildlife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@catalinim4227]

for large areas you could plant many smaller Myawaki groups.

[@christiannunez6025]

just give every tree the soil preparation used in Miyawaky and they grow like crazy, the density is not necessary, just will make trees grow thin and weak

[@user-vo3st8kx7s]

I believe it is a valid point.

[@LaughingMan44]

What song was that at 5:30? I wonder how a hybrid method would go where you have pockets of this very dense planting surrounded by less dense planting, and maybe some areas left open as meadows in between

[@TheRewildlife]

It’s just stock music in afraid. Yes the combination of Miyawaki and normal planting is what I’m going for. Il plant normally around the Miyawaki in the next few weeks. A good opportunity to experiment and learn.

[@taplubambhos2869]

Can you replicate the same miyawaki method to plant an edible miyawaki food forest?

[@TheRewildlife]

Great question. Yes in theory! But the plants need to be native for it to be Miyawaki. So in some countries that might be a bit restrictive. But syntropic agroforestry might be what you’re looking for.

[@taplubambhos2869]

@ thank u

[@AndiAsante]

Is turning the soil really necessary? Does the Miyawaki method always do this?

[@TheRewildlife]

I spent a good while investigating this and most resources did turn the soil and more actually. But I didn’t want to use heavy machinery to avoid compaction. I really just wanted to slow the grass coming back to give the trees a change and have something to plant into. But you might be able to skip it. Miyawaki himself did a good amount of soil prep though.

[@AndiAsante]

​@@TheRewildlife thanks for explaining! I did some experimental food forest designs, but tree growth is pretty slow. I will give this method a shot, including the soil turning, and hope it's worth it 😊

[@alanavlakje8670]

@@TheRewildlifehave you considered using the no dig method to prepare the soil? That’s what I did when planting my pocket forest in our back garden. We planted lots of small trees, covered the lawn with brown cardboard and wood chip, it worked great. I did have to reapply a layer of cardboard in one area to oppress the grass that was there. I didn’t plant as densely as this method does, but I used the open areas to grow courgettes and squash. Now in it’s second autumn we see very healthy soil with lots of worms and several fungi/musrooms. Pruned branches from the garden where stacked in the back of the forest to provide a habitat for garden creatures. The edges of the forest are planted with blueberries and other berries. It’s lovely and I definitely recommend planting a pocket forest in your garden.

[@TheRewildlife]

@ yes thanks for asking I am doing the no-dig approach where I can. All the permaculture veg beds we do are no-dig. With this Miyawaki project it was simply a time issue. I didn’t have the site ready early enough. Your garden sounds amazing!

[@abydosianchulac2]

This method of planting leads to the same question I have for a natural strip of trees a few about 10 meters across: how do you have forest strata if the canopy layer trees can't block light coming in from the sides except for the few hours around midday? (In other words, how do you make your planting look like a forest center and not a forest edge?) I'm lucky I should have the space to create an actual shaded forest floor by planting large enough shrubs on the edges of that strip to block morning and afternoon light, but that forest floor will only be about 2-3 meters wide. I can't see that effect happening in the small sizes of some of these plantings past the 5-8 year mark.

[@TheRewildlife]

Good question! I hadnt thought of that. I planted mind close to a thick hedgerow, so that shades it for some of that day. You could plant thicker shrubs on the edges maybe. But everything will need that daylight to grow quickly so theres no harm in it. Nothing wrong with a forest edge- still forest!

[@mikehyatt8242]

Forest edge is the most biodiversity is my understanding, along with copicing as most biodiversity woodland management.

[@HoboGardenerBen]

Sure seems like the way to regenerate a patch back to natural forest. I want to buy land to make it into an orchard garden, I want the trees to have full light their whole lives so they grow more side branches. Fine with that patch taking longer, it's a garden, not a forest.

[@Selina42]

Out of interest, how is this different from syntropic agroforestry? I’m no expert but it sounds very similar, other than I think people tend to plant syntropic agroforestry in straight lines?

[@TheRewildlife]

That is a great question. Im learning as I go here also but as far as I can tell the two methods have a lot of similarities but slightly different objectives. Syntropic agroforestry has a strong focus on permaculture type food production, where Miyawaki is more set out for biodiversity. Miyawaki also has a hard rule that everything should be native, but I think SA can use exotic plants if they will work with the rest of the planting. SA also looks like it needs more care and attention in what plant goes where for best food output and Miyawaki is more 'let nature do its thing.' I guess the main thing is one is agriculture driven and the other isnt. I want to learn more about SA now though!

[@Selina42]

@ Thank you! That’s really interesting! Definitely going to learn more about the Miyawaki method now too!

[@n4b40]

greetings from guelderland, where the rose is named after

[@TheRewildlife]

Hoi 👋

[@nl4064]

pts only good for smalla reas or countries with high tree diversity. UK has a handful and they esp oak need full sunlight. after 30yrs they die and anything aliove is a think stem, no branches=no holes for nesting birds or bats and easily blown over. Biomass of open grown trees = 20-30x that in close canopy woodland. I palnted woodland at 7- 10m spacing now they are touching and huge biomass of insectsand folliage. it just taks longer

[@paxundpeace9970]

What did you plan in open woodland? Oak Ash Esp or other trees too.

[@stewartjones2173]

What do you think of fungii gathering by townies in the modern countryside.

[@Bynj3]

Perhaps this could be incorperated into a larger progect. Have these pocket forests connected with more tradiotional plantings, then you have pockets of habitat for seed spreading animals to fill in the rest.

[@mikehyatt8242]

These pockets are the equivalent of a mature forest tree dying and opening up a small area of intense regrowth. I think if this is being created artificially, then a good amount of dead wood, bark, ramial woodchip should included.

[@raphlvlogs271]

the layered structure only exist in late successional apex ecosystems

[@martian9999]

I wonder what the role of megafauna such as wild boars are in a Miyawaki forest. In places like the Yellowstone, they have discovered that apex predators such as wolves and mountain cats are important, particularly in combination with wetlands creators such as beavers. Wild boars create mud holes, which fill up with water in the rainy season, further increasing biodiversity.

[@rensspanjaard]

competition and cooperation

[@isaacgoodson5021]

What is the orchestral music in the background (around the 4:30 mark or so)?

[@TheRewildlife]

Its actually stock music Im afraid! Its titled 'a step at a time ii' but I cant ID the artist.

[@isaacgoodson5021]

@@TheRewildlife My complements for the choice, and to the unknown artist, well done on both counts

[@justinagnostic3226]

For large scale reforestation projects, wouldn’t it make sense to use this more dense method in small islands dispersed in the traditional method? Seems you could foster more complete biodiversity faster while only creating the higher mortality rate in those small pockets.

[@TheRewildlife]

Yes your absolutely right! I planted this one where Im doing a traditional planting too. Then il do a second one down the other end and hopefully they will have a positive impact on the traditional plantation.

[@luckyhomestead]

9:14 That is key point of fast growth! Damp soil…..

[@Sahal__-sy3nx]

For every square metres you should plant atleast a fruit plant it will attract birds eventually they will gives you some new species of plant. Also you get something to eat while you roaming there

[@TheRewildlife]

Great advice thanks! I planted crab apple for the birds in the Miyawaki and will be planting editable and cooking apple traditionally beside the Miyawaki

[@Gibbons3457]

I personally wouldn't put oak into a Miyawaki forest, oaks are a not a dense woodland tree, they prefer open country where they can grow wide and tall; in dense forests they can't compete with the likes of hazel.

[@TheRewildlife]

Yea I only put 3 oaks in and 2 scots pine. Il keep an eye on them and if they’re struggling il move them. Might help boost their growth short term.

[@cresentiae]

Thank you #SaveSoil #Consciousplanet

[@Amir-sn6uk]

👏👏👏👏

[@catmanbill9352]

The most important thing, when planting a Himalayan/ woodland garden, is to fence off, as not to allow any animals in. Until you have a mature garden, you have no idea as to the destruction they cause and just how they retard growth, cause disease etc. Planted my place in West Cork 20 plus years ago, have been self sufficient in firewood, for 5 years or so. Also don't plant oak, beech etc for firewood, you'll be old, before you can harvest, and by that time, you won't want to cut them. Alder, grows nearly as fast as gums, here, drops a lot of debris, to help the soil.

[@TheRewildlife]

Oh I know all too well! Many friends in wicklow have an awful deer and rabbit problem. Its actually the subject of my next video so stay tuned!

[@hortichan2781]

I recognise that floppy RTE head

[@MrJerloy1]

Perhaps looks into Finnish forestry management, if you're not familiar from before. Spruce is recommended to be planted 1800-2200 plants / hectare. Then thinning as they grow. Of course you should add diversity, and not plant too homogenous forests. Interesting videos you have!

[@TheRewildlife]

Thank you very much! Yes I’ve heard of this approach. Reluctant to plant any spruce like Sitka though as it’s not native to Ireland, scotch pine being our only native pine. All our state plantations are spruce and they cover a lot of the country and are biodiversity poor.

[@svendb7]

I LOVE TREES

[@TheRewildlife]

ME TOO

[@snailboy5610]

Ha! I’ve seen stuff on planting miniature Japanese’s forests on my YT feed before and always ignored them. After all why would I want to plant a Japanese forest in the UK! especially one full of mini trees! Any way thanks for the explanation. Interesting idea. Loved the pocket forest in the school. I’ve actually done something similar in my garden by closely planting about 10 trees in a shady corner which I intend to copice from time to time. I thought I’d packed them in tightly but looking at this I don’t think I have!

[@juncuspatens]

From what I understand this method involves planting 10x more and ending up with 10x more planted… it’s cool but am I missing something?

[@fabriglas]

Natives will cost a fortune as most nursery dont carry them as they are slow growing in my experience. The ash is probably going to be imported due to ash die back sadly.... brought in for cheap trees sad😢 hurley may have to change! I love the idea of more trees... sadly didnt get to plant many! I think its be fun thing to do in groups in forrests that need rejuvenation!

[@naveenpedersen4948]

Would love an example of this in a hotter, drier climate with lots of sun.

[@hotbit7327]

Miyawaki Syndrome: Delight after 3-5 years, obscurity after 10-15 years. 9:40: Misleading-some trees appear to have been planted already tall and are supported with poles. 4:07: The claim that trees "grow 10x faster" is unsupported. To my knowledge, the only scientific study on the Miyawaki method in Europe indicates that growth rates are comparable to traditional, more scattered planting. Some species perform better, others worse. Mortality rates after 10-15 years were around 95%. However, with your tiny pocket forest, mortality should be much lower. Your tiny thicket will likely thrive, and both you and the birds will enjoy it. Nice video overall, even if not entirely impartial.

[@TheRewildlife]

Thanks for your notes. Yes exactly im curious to see how mine is in 10 years. I expect il be thinning it at some point. But thats why i only did a small one. On your other points- I meant to say some people plant trees of various ages to replicate a natural wood, but with the expectation of coppicing and pollarding where needed. So it only works with some species. Miyawaki planting only began in the early 90s and is brand new in Ireland so there are certainly no detailed long term studies here, which is why I say 'can grow up to' before stating what others have found. But that particular info was in reference to this video that put the method on the map: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5u4pKKYfLybqZo

[@broniusale5987]

up to 10 x faster, over 10 x expensive

[@TheRewildlife]

Not necessarily. If you have the time to grow from seed as I did (also what Miyawaki said was essential) rather than buying whips it only costs time. Some argue it’s cheaper because the trees have a much better survival rate. But I’m not sure of that as they might have higher mortality in the long term.

[@RestauremosNaturaleza]

@@TheRewildlife time is money, Miyawaki IS orders of magnitude more expensive

[@brelouum]

5:38 those who know:

[@budyssiner]

I myself have a forest with much better spacing than this thicket. Look, competition is a double sword - it grows somewhat faster, but some species will out-compete the otherwise great tree species which only grow slower. That is what happens if you plant all at once - pioneer trees with old forest species. Additionally, it seems that such a strong competition is harming the health of those trees - they invest way too much energy into growth and have less energy for defense. Lastly, planting forest trees in cities/villages - here I forbid my neighbours from cities to plant forest trees in their gardens. If they want forest trees, they should buy forest land out of village/city. Reason is, that it is incredibly shading, due to its excessive height also collects way too much of wind energy and can be/commonly is dangerous due to eventual breaking of the tree in storms/high winds. Oaks also should not be planted less than 50 metres from a house. Internal space of villages should be left for fruit trees, vegetable gardens, vineyards, bushes. Everything what requires lot of energy, is tender, requires sheltered space, higher average temperature and is difficult to protect out of the village space. But - I am all for planting trees/bushes and I welcome your planting. But, don't be fooled - slow is definitely great and by now means worse. Good point about that method is that it adds e.g. dead wood or leaf litter (=> mushrooms) right from the beginning and IMHO that is why it should grow eventually better than common planting methods.

[@BoreasCastel]

All native species were once invasive.

[@charlesmills6621]

Really? A 6 meter '''forest'''.