Updates on Pocket Forests

Описание: Ann Arbor, often referred to by the moniker “Tree Town,” is a small city outside of Detroit that prides itself on its tree cover. But as in all cities, there is a lot of area outside of their highest income neighborhoods that would benefit from more trees. And some of the trees that are being planted are failing or dying, which is an avoidable loss in terms of the climate change mitigation potential of trees. It is also a loss financially when each tree planted costs the city something like $600. So volunteers from Citizens’ Climate Lobby and other various organizations have been working on improving the situation. About a year ago these disparate efforts came together under the umbrella of the Tree Town Urban Forest team, and they’ve been busy with their goals of promoting native tree planting and preserving tree health. And their efforts have gained some recognition, as they are being awarded the local Tree Conservationists of the Year award. One of their main focuses has been the Miyawaki Method, developed by Japanese botanist Ikira Miyawaki in the 1970s, in which native trees and shrubs are planted densely, from 1 to 3 feet apart. Barbara Lucas will tell us about the benefits of this method and how its basic principles can be applied to other situations, so lawns and yards can better realize their potential to be functioning ecosystems which improve the livability of our cities, and the health of our planet.