Toronto Joins the Micro Forest Movement

The location could scarcely be more inauspicious — a shady corner of the so-called TTC Oakvale Green Space, which is a bit of sparsely treed surplus land next to one of the city’s major subway marshalling yards. On one side sits a parking lot; on the other, the tip of a gentrifying working-class neighbourhood called The Pocket.

It was to this spot, late last September, where approximately 60 participants converged in a sold-out event to undertake something of a unique ecological experiment, at least for Toronto. Over an area of about 400 square metres, they planted about 300 native species, all seedlings, arrayed in a pattern far denser than the typical urban regeneration effort. The plantings included both trees and indigenous undergrowth, and the crowding was intentional. “They’re being tightly planted so close to each other,” explains Hally Charendoff, coordinator of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP), “so there’s more competition and therefore they grow at a more rapid rate.”

Whereas a naturally occurring forest may take generations to mature, these intentionally designed micro-forests can fill out within 20 to 30 years. 

The Pocket Tiny Forest — a joint venture between the TRCA, the City of Toronto, Green Communities Canada, and the Pocket Community Association — is but one of a growing number of micro-forest initiatives that have literally taken root in cities around the world. 

The idea germinated thanks to the work of an acclaimed Japanese botanist and plant ecologist, Dr. Akira Miyawaki, who won the prestigious 2006 Blue Planet Prize and died in 2021 at the age of 93. As a graduate student, he had observed that the dense forests around “shinto” shrines in Japan appeared to be curiously layered and interconnected ecosystems. They consisted of a rich soil foundation as well as main tree species, sub-species, ground covering herbs and shrubs. Like the “three sisters” First Nations companion planting technique involving  string beans, squash, and corn, these micro-forests contained mutually reinforcing elements, and therefore grew not just quickly but resiliently.

Miyawaki also regarded this approach, which borrowed from old growth forest ecology, to be a more sustainable means of regenerating forests that had been logged. In a 2023 profile of his work, The New York Times quoted his philosophy: “The forest is the root of all life; it is the womb that revives our biological instincts, that deepens our intelligence, and increases our sensitivity as human beings.” 

The TRCA, which has a mandate to manage Greater Toronto's watersheds, has developed the SNAP initiative to engage local communities, such as the Pocket neighbourhood, in efforts to promote stewardship of natural areas to prevent soil erosion, increase canopy cover and shade, and attract wildlife and pollinating insects, says Charendoff. 

Members of the PCA suggested creating a Miyawaki-style micro-forest, and the two organizations sought buy-in from the City, and then secured funding from Green Communities, a foundation aiming to plant millions of trees across Canada to absorb carbon. (Visit the Green Communities website to see where else mini forests like this one are popping up.) 

“The Pocket Tiny Forest is very meaningful to the community, and we’re so grateful to the City, TRCA, and the other funders for their support,” says Lori O'Neill, a member of the PCA and one of the lead organizers. “The forest will provide many environmental benefits, such as carbon absorption, stormwater drainage, and biodiversity of plants and wildlife. It will also have mental health benefits through the ability to see, hear, smell and touch nature.”

For the first few years, the Pocket Tiny Forest will be surrounded by temporary fencing to protect the new flora; once the trees and undergrowth have matured, a more permanent fence, plus a small path through the space, will be added. 

Charendoff says TRCA is training local residents to take care of this new ecosystem and City of Toronto forestry crews will provide regular watering. Still, she allows that the TRCA expects to be involved for several years. “Pocket volunteers will also help with the monitoring and maintenance during the first few years,” adds O'Neill. “All of this contributes to meaningful connections.”

However, Charendoff points out, the nature of Mayawaki's layered ecosystem is that they not only grow rapidly but mature quickly as well. “We’ve been told from the funder, Green Communities Canada, that following the three- to five-year establishment period, the tiny forest is relatively self-sufficient and self-sustaining and will require minimal maintenance.”

O'Neill hopes that visitors to the neighbourhood will enjoy it and says this new addition to the neighbourhood “is already a special place for the residents of our community, and it will only improve with time. ”