It’s not enough to just plant trees. Many reforesting programs fail because little thought is given to the plot layout, future resource requirements, and ongoing maintenance of plantings.
Inspired by the Miyawaki Method, URBEM’s FastForests® meticulously plan, install, and maintain our projects with careful attention to future growth. Our innovative method aims to quickly grow quasi-natural forests in relatively small spaces such as urban parks, where they become a valued space for social connection.
Our flora guide, compiled by our forest department, contains details of all the species of flora we have planted and maintain at our FastForest® plots.
We work with experienced biologists to choose ~30 indigenous species to plant in each project. Native trees, flowers, herbs, climbers, and shrubs are better-suited to a region’s climate and pests, making them more likely to thrive.
Our volunteers often collect native seeds from trees and plants from the wild, germinate them in a greenhouse, and prepare them for planting in our plots.
Each FastForest® is different. One of our plot’s is on a steep hillside. Another has problems with water drainage. Our volunteer forest designers and local biology experts help us map out each of the thousands of plants that go into each plot.
Our mini-forests contain five layers: canopy trees (12m+), sub-canopy trees (6-12m), shrubs (up to 2m), climbers, and herbs. We mix these layers throughout the plot with careful attention to how plants interact with each other. This dense ecosystem is what helps FastForest® absorb more than double the amount of carbon as traditional reforestation methods.
Dozens of volunteers from around the world help us prepare the plot for planting – and it’s a lot of work! Volunteers clear trash and debris, remove large rocks and weeds, take out invasive species, map out trails and beds, dig trenches for irrigation and preventing erosion, till soil, add mulch and fertilizer, and more.
It often takes several weeks of work to prepare a single plot for planting.
Often the most exciting times on the plot, planting days bring our community together to install the plants. We often have groups of volunteers (such as Scouts) help alongside regular volunteers.
Hundreds–or even thousands–of plants are added over just a few days. Plants are given to us by our partners, purchased through donations, and grown from seeds our volunteers collect in the wild. There are typically 3-4 plants per square meter, which are then surrounded by mulch for maximum viability.
Once the planting ends, the real work begins. Growing a sustainable forest only happens once the plants are in the ground. Volunteers continuously remove weeds, add additional mulch, monitor plant health, conduct flora and fauna diversity surveys, and check soil as the plants grow.
FastForests® reach self-sustainability in about three years. After this time, only minimal maintenance is needed.
Our activities at Urbem are based on science. The biological monitoring is a fundamental step to understanding the development of our forest, so that we can learn and adapt, and improve existing knowledge in a world battling with climate change.
Now, you can enjoy cleaner air, greener cities, and more sequestered carbon. With the landscape changing we witnessed several native species (frogs, bees, fungi etc) returning and contributing to a flourishing ecosystem.
Our volunteers are our biggest asset!
Learn more about native species, improve leadership skills, and gain valuable experience. You too can become an Urbem Forest Guardian.
