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Help us grow Tiny Forests

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In 2021, generous supporters like you from around the country helped to initiate the Earthwatch Tiny Forests movement! With the generous support of donors like you, local leaders are working to establish Tiny Forests in their community. Since then, we have secured our first planting ground in Lake Macquarie, New South Wales. We are now at the planting stage of the first community-led Tiny Forest in Australia!

Now we need your help to get more communities involved and more plants in the ground, bringing the benefits of a native forest to the heart of our cities.

Help support Tiny Forests

We need your help

There is still a lot of work to do! Our next steps will look like:

1. Ground Prepared

Soil sampled, baseline biodiversity surveys conducted, and the 250sqm site dug down to 1 metre, and the soil remediated with natural amendments so the saplings can thrive.

4. Gathering and Monitoring Data

Regular Science Days conducted over the course of 2 years will closely monitor and analyse data gathered by citizen scientists to quantify the benefits of our Tiny Forests. 

2. Planting 600 species

600 native trees will be planted in a densely packed native bushland.

3. Forest Keepers engaged

6-8 local community members volunteer each month for the first 2 years to check on the Tiny Forest to pick litter, weed, and water the plants as needed.

1. Prepare Ground

Soil sampled, baseline biodiversity surveys conducted, and the 250sqm site dug down to 1 metre, and the soil remediated with natural amendments so the saplings can thrive .

2. Planting 600+ species

600 native trees will be planted in a densely packed native bushland.

3. Forest Keepers engaged

6-8 local community members volunteer each month for the first 2 years to check on the Tiny Forest to pick litter, weed, and water the plants as needed.

4. Gathering and Monitoring Data

Regular Science Days conducted over the course of 2 years. By closely monitoring and analysing data gathered by citizen scientists, we will quantify the benefits of our Tiny Forests. By engaging people to care for nature, we will build confidence and understanding of the benefits of Australia’s biodiversity so more people plant native species in their backyards and balconies.  
Through Earthwatch Tiny Forests, we can extend the knowledge of the benefits of Australia’s biodiversity to accelerate urban regeneration in the public and private realms across the country. 

Become part of the solution 
Make a tax deductible donation today

Your donation will be used where it's needed most – ensuring that your gift is as impactful as possible. 

Help support Tiny Forests

How does a Tiny Forest work?

Tiny Forests are densely-packed native patches of bushland, the size of a tennis court. The forests are an oasis for plants, insects, birds and small mammals, and support the wellbeing of people too.
Urban forests play a critical role in maintaining the health and liveability of cities. Trees contribute to the city energy balance through cooling, regulating and cleaning our air and water flows, and ensuring that our often-neglected urban soils function healthily. They provide habitat for our wildlife and are critical for our well-being.
Earthwatch Tiny Forests follow the Miyaki method of planting that promises 10 x the growth rate of other forest planting methods.

Read more about Tiny Forests
The Issue

Human activities are reducing vegetation and canopy cover in cities, resulting in habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss and rising temperatures. Research shows 30% of Australia’s threatened species reside in our cities, and that our broader community doesn’t realise the true value of biodiversity.   

The decline of green canopy also means Australian city dwellers face a much hotter future. Major heatwaves are Australia’s deadliest natural hazards, particularly for cities, with a lack of trees causing “heat islands”. This means our cities may become unliveable. With 68% of Australia’s population predicted to live in cities by 2050. The pressure this puts on our built and natural environment is clear.   

There is an urgent need to engage community in biodiversity and re-greening projects to improve knowledge of the important role that backyards and neighbourhoods play in creating an urban forest, connecting our homes and public green space, to cool our cities and form an oasis for all wildlife and our own well-being. 

Addressing this urgency is Earthwatch Tiny Forests, following the Miyawaki method of urban forest planting to encourage accelerated forest growth.

Benefits of a Tiny Forest

Your support allows us to plant urban native forests using the Miyawaki method that promises a growth rate 10 times faster than other urban forest methods.   

Through Earthwatch’s Tiny Forests campaign, we can extend the knowledge of the benefits of Australia’s biodiversity to accelerate urban regeneration in the public and private realms across the country. 

Our goal is to establish Tiny Forests across Australia, engaging the community to monitor those forests over two years. Our ‘Regular Science Days’ allows the community to monitor and quantify the benefits of our Tiny Forests. By engaging people to care for nature, we will build confidence and understanding of the benefits of Australia’s biodiversity so more people plant native species in their backyards and balconies.  

Your donation enables our urban communities at the front line of urban heat island effect to gain the benefits of an urban forest more quickly during this critical decade of action to keep ahead of climate change.