The city of South Perth is considering a proposal for the use of a 200m2 site for an innovative Japenese foresting and wilding program for schools in the area. 

The Miyawaki planting method was developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970’s, designed for rapid urban greening growth and ecosystem restoration.

The Council says the ecological forest classroom will be for all schools and all community members in the area to participate and learn about urban greening and ecosystem restoration.

As part of the South Perth Urban Greening Strategy, the City of South Perth aims for a 30 per cent canopy cover, but currently only has around 14 percent.

South Perth resident Heidi Schmidt is the community project coordinator for the South Perth Miyawaki Forest project. She says the local community have complained about Coolidge Reserve’s degraded state for several years, and a Miyawaki Forest would greatly enhance the area. 

“The project is primarily about community engagement, while also contributing to the local environment and habitat,” she says.

A group of volunteer ‘Forest Keepers’ will manage weed control, check watering and tend as required as the Forest is established.  

If successful, the forest is largely self-sustaining after two years. Fencing is removed and the community will be able to access the site.

Dr Grey Coupland works as an ecologist, environmental educator and leader of the Pocket Forests WA program at the Harry Butler Institute at Murdoch University.

The Harry Butler Institute’s mission is to bring biodiversity into the city by planting small pockets of the endangered Banksia woodland community using the Miyawaki method for reforestation. 

Dr Coupland brings this program into schools and the community, seeking to give people a sense of tangible environamental action they can undertake.

With WA’s canopy currently sitting at 16 per cent, Dr Coupland says urgent action is needed.

Dr Coupland has planted 15 forests across WA as part of her program, with another 6 projects underway.

The locations are mainly in primary schools, where the children are involved in a ‘citizen science program’. Dr Coupland returns to the schools, educating students on how to monitor growth and what a healthy forest should look like.

Dr Coupland says human health and well-being also see significant improvements with the presence of green spaces.

“We hope to see the initiative become apart of South Perth this year as it will provide the community with multiple benefits such as environmental education and a wider canopy coverage.”