An artist’s rendering of the Manhattan Healing Forest. Courtesy of SUGi

Thanks to Cara Buckley for another in her long line of tree stories:

Coming Soon to Manhattan, a Brand-New Tiny Forest

Pocket-size forests filled with native plants have been embraced worldwide for their environmental benefits. Now one is planned for New York City.

A trend that’s gaining momentum around the world is set to finally arrive in Manhattan. It’s a tiny forest, to be planted on the southern end of Roosevelt Island, in the East River, this spring. According to its creators, it would be the first of its kind in the city and would consist of 1,000 native plants, trees and shrubs, covering just 2,700 square feet.

“We’re an island. We think about flooding, we think about storm surge, and the best treatment is to plant a tree,” said Christina Delfico, founder of iDig2Learn, a nonprofit group that works to reconnect people with nature and that is helping to lead the project. “The roots will stabilize the land. With good soil, there won’t be flooding. The concrete jungle needs pocket forests.”

Called the Manhattan Healing Forest, it will be planted using the Miyawaki method, which was created by the Japanese botanist and plant ecologist Akira Miyawaki, who received the Blue Planet Prize, a top environmental award, in 2006 for his work restoring forest ecosystems. First, the land is painstakingly prepared, usually with compost and mulch. Then, native trees and shrubs are planted close together, encouraging the flora to rapidly grow. According to proponents, Miyawaki-style forests become self-sufficient within three years and can achieve maturity within a few decades. Along the way, they provide habitat for insects and wildlife, absorb carbon and clean the air.

Read the whole article here.