Green Communities Canada (GCC) is a national non-profit association of community-based environmental organizations working together for a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable future. For this April, we welcome their team - JENN MCCALUM & TIANNA MIGHTY - for a presentation on Mini Forests, "Building The Urban Canopy Using The Miyawaki Method".
Mini Forests, also known as Tiny Forests or Miyawaki Forests, are small-scale, densely planted, native forests consisting of trees, shrubs, and herbs. The key components of the method involve: 1) robust soil amendments, and 2) dense tree and shrub planting of locally native, climax species.
In Canada, the earliest Miyawaki (or mini) forests to be installed were in 2021. In 2022-2023, GCC in partnership with the Network of Nature initiated the National Mini Forest Pilot, and has supported 45 Miyawaki forests between Vancouver Island and St. John, NB. This presentation will (a) provide an overview of the Miyawaki method and its ecological restoration principles, (b) identify preliminary soil carbon research findings, and (c) highlight opportunities for further learning and research across Canada. These include the Mini Forest Training course, funding for mini forests through the Living Cities Canada Fund, the national mini forest community of practice meetings, and GCC’s partnership with UBC to create the 2025 report Seeds of Change: Cultivating mini forests across Canada.
ABOUT THIS MONTH'S SPEAKERS:
JENN MCCALUM, B.Sc., G. Dipl., M.A. is the Manager of Green Infrastructure at GCC. Jenn has a background in biology, science communication, and sustainability studies. She has previously led environmental programming with Parks Canada, at the Science North Science Centre in Sudbury, ON, at two conservation authorities, and with GCC member organization GreenUP. Jenn is grateful to live on the Treaty 20 Homelands of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations in Nogojiwanong (Peterborough, ON) where she enjoys cycling the trails and roadways, and canoeing the waterways.
TIANNA MIGHTY is the Green Infrastructure Lead at GCC. Tianna holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Manitoba, and has worked as the Climate Change Adaptation Assistant for the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul, and as a Biodiversity Researcher at Nature Canada. In her spare time, Tianna is active in her local basketball community. A veteran of the University of Manitoba’s Bison Basketball team, Tianna now coaches the varsity girls’ basketball at her former high school.
MEETING LOCATION & TIME:
- We will be meeting in person at Bonar Parkdale Presbyterian Church, 250 Dunn Ave, just South of Queen Street West.
- We will also be holding the meeting online through Zoom. Members will be sent the link in the newsletter in the week leading up to the meeting.
- Arrive after 6:30 PM for refreshments and socializing, the meeting starts at 7:30PM.
Not A Hort Member Yet?
- Non-Hort members are welcome to attend in-person for a suggested donation of $5 or Pay-What-You-Can. To join the meeting online, please contact info@parkdaletorontohort.com.
