Students and faculty are transforming a patch of the UW Tacoma campus into a thriving Miyawaki microforest—a complex environment designed to restore biodiversity and mitigate urban heat in a city with the lowest tree coverage in Western Washington. Named for Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, the Miyawaki method supports symbiosis by layering a main tree species with mutually beneficial subspecies, shrubs, and ground-covering herbs. Forests planted in this method grow 10 times faster and are typically 30 times more dense than other afforestation methods. Microforests become self-sustaining in two to three years. Blending ecology and community engagement, the project entails planting more than 600 trees, shrubs and ground covers.
In addition to growing Tacoma’s tree canopy, this microforest gives students and faculty hands-on experience in environmental sustainability.