1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
- To develop a multi-layered forest using plants and trees found locally in the region (1, 2).
- To carry out plantation using an organic mixture of trees, shrubs, and climbers, providing different layers of the forest(3).
- To improve soil quality, particularly for optimal plantation, as initially, the ground was dry and required efforts to prepare a seed bed with a foundational layer of tender coconut husk (1).
- To provide a wilderness experience to tourist visitors (3).
- Create in the heart of the city a lush green paradise, where the residents of Thiruvananthapuram can escape from urban hustle to the stillness of the wilderness (3).
- Address needs related with increasing green cover, and providing a green lung for the city center (3).
- To carry out plantation using an organic mixture of trees, shrubs, and climbers, providing different layers of the forest(3).
- To improve soil quality, particularly for optimal plantation, as initially, the ground was dry and required efforts to prepare a seed bed with a foundational layer of tender coconut husk (1).
- To provide a wilderness experience to tourist visitors (3).
- Create in the heart of the city a lush green paradise, where the residents of Thiruvananthapuram can escape from urban hustle to the stillness of the wilderness (3).
- Address needs related with increasing green cover, and providing a green lung for the city center (3).
Quantitative targets
Unknown
Monitoring indicators defined
Tree height and growth (measured over time, and per species)
Number of planted trees and other plants
Converted green space area
Tree species and other vegetation species (1, 2)
Number of planted trees and other plants
Converted green space area
Tree species and other vegetation species (1, 2)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Implementation activities
The land was prepared using 15 tonnes of biomass and included tilling and watering before the plantation was carried out (1, 2).
About 3 months old saplings were planted in a small patch of land, with a total of 426 saplings belonging to 120 species. The plantation was a mixture of trees, shrubs, and climbers, providing different layers of the forest (4). Such Miyawaki forest patches are expected to grow rapidly and gain characteristics of a 150-year-old forest within a span of 10-15 years (3). The forest requires zero maintenance after three years of growth (4). Currently, the forest patch has gained the expected growth parameters and is observed to have a colony of honey bees, many fruiting trees which attract birds and a wide variety of insects (1).
About 3 months old saplings were planted in a small patch of land, with a total of 426 saplings belonging to 120 species. The plantation was a mixture of trees, shrubs, and climbers, providing different layers of the forest (4). Such Miyawaki forest patches are expected to grow rapidly and gain characteristics of a 150-year-old forest within a span of 10-15 years (3). The forest requires zero maintenance after three years of growth (4). Currently, the forest patch has gained the expected growth parameters and is observed to have a colony of honey bees, many fruiting trees which attract birds and a wide variety of insects (1).
Type of NBS project
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Please specify technological innovation
The Miyawaki forest is considered as a unique afforestation method by the project implementers and local community. “Popularised by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, [the method] has been gaining popularity in Thiruvananthapuram as a solution to the absence of green lungs in urban landscapes. The Miyawaki forest at Kanakakkunnu was, in fact, one of the first to be set up.” (Ref. 2).
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The Miyawaki forest approach is originally from Japan and is considered a unique afforestation method by the project implementers and local community. “Popularised by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, [the method] has been gaining popularity in Thiruvananthapuram as a solution to the absence of green lungs in urban landscapes. The Miyawaki forest at Kanakakkunnu was, in fact, one of the first to be set up.” (Ref. 2).
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
After the success of this first forest project in Trivandrum, Kerala, in 2020 the Kerala Tourism launched a project to create more Miyawaki micro forests at 22 tourism spots in 12 districts across the state (Ref. 5).
