TVAQCA is bringing the first mini native forest project to the Tri-Valley!
To combat the environmental impacts from climate change and pollution, TVAQCA has collaborated with the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District to develop the Christensen Middle School (CMS) Pocket Forest using the Miyawaki method, incorporating community, native plants learning, and climate proactivity.
What is the Miyawaki Forest?
The Miyawaki method is founded by Dr. Akira Miyawaki, which has been proven to quickly restore a local ecosystem in urban locations and schoolyards around the world as well as bringing potential benefits, including:
- Fast maturing climax ecosystem
- Carbon sequestration, addressing climate change
- Cooling effect
- Restoration of native biodiversity
- Improvement of air quality
- Prevention of stormwater run-off
- Opportunities for STEAM learning
- Oasis for mental health resilience
- Community engagement and student empowerment
How is the Miyawaki Method Implemented?
The basic principles of the Miyawaki method include:
- Research into and selection of local native trees and shrubs
- Soil preparation to loosen, aerate, and provide organic matter and mycorrhizal fungi – creating a woodland-like soil environment
- Dense intermixed planting of small saplings – perennials, shrubs, understory, and canopy trees
- Supplemental watering and periodic weeding for the first three years, then it is self sufficient and maintenance free
- Community engagement and student empowerment
TVAQCA is collaborating with Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) to plant a Miyawaki Forest at Christensen Middle School in Livermore. Students actively participate in an introduction lesson in their science classes. Opportunities to prepare the soil occur after school and on weekends. Continuing after school, they will gather data on growth and biodiversity, help with weeding and watering, create signage, install fencing, practice speaking and writing about the Forest, create social media, photography, art, and more.
We are so grateful for grant funding from the Tri-Valley Non Profit Alliance, the Rotary Club of the Livermore Valley, the Livermore Valley Educational Foundation, and many individual donors through the CMS PTA. With additional funding, TVAQCA hopes to bring this innovative program to other schools and community groups.
Please contact Ann Brown, annbrown@tvaqca.org for more information or to get on our volunteer email list.
