Somerville Community Plants First Miyawaki Forest
Somerville Community Plants First Miyawaki Forest City of Somerville
sdgtalks
City of Somerville Plants First Miyawaki Forest
As communities nationwide look for innovative ways to address climate change, the City of Somerville recently took an outside-the-box approach by planting the community’s first Miyawaki forest. On Sunday, October 22, over 75 community members gathered behind Somerville High School to plant 410 native shrubs and trees. The generosity of the volunteers made it possible to transform 1,500 square feet of weedy, unused land into Somerville’s first Miyawaki forest – a method of planting that encourages quick growth by densely planting more than 30 species in a small area.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 13: Climate Action
- Goal 15: Life on Land
“It was so gratifying to join the community to plant Somerville’s first Miyawaki forest. This new urban forest represents a significant step toward a more eco-friendly, resilient, and beautiful community,” said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. “I want to thank everyone who supported this project for dedicating their time to an effort aimed at creating cleaner air, increasing biodiversity, and providing a serene and beautiful resource for our community.”
Participants
- Kids
- Advanced gardeners
- City Councilor Jake Wilson
- Mayor Ballantyne
You can now spot this new, young forest from the north side of Somerville High School along Medford Street.
Importance of the Project
“Cities are at the forefront of piloting new interventions to build resiliency and to restore ecosystems,” said Luisa Oliveira, the City’s Director of Public Space and Urban Forestry. “This fast-growing forest, made up of diverse native species planted very closely together is a pilot project with great promise.”
This project emerged from the dedicated advocacy of our community, Mayor Ballantyne, City staff, and the gracious support of the education and advocacy group Biodiversity for a Livable Climate and their partner SUGi. Somerville’s Public Space and Urban Forestry team worked closely with Biodiversity for a Livable Climate’s Maya Dutta to organize the planting. But the project could not have been completed without the generosity of the volunteers, the hard work of the Department of Public Works Grounds Division, and support from Somerville High School staff and students.
Photos from the planting can be found here.
About the Miyawaki Method
Inspired by similar forest projects all over the world and locally in Cambridge, a “Miyawaki forest” refers to a method of planting developed by a Japanese botanist, Akira Miyawaki. This arrangement is inspired by natural forest behavior where species grow taller and more robust through competition for sun, water, and nutrients.
Benefits of Miyawaki Forests
- Substantial biodiversity
- Increased resilience to extreme heat
- Reduced air pollution
- Carbon dioxide capture
- Home for birds and pollinators
To learn more, please contact Alison Maurer, Planner of Ecological Restoration, by emailing amaurer@somervillema.gov or calling (617) 625-6600 x2517. Project updates can also be found at voice.somervillema.gov/miyawaki-micro-forest.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters | Not mentioned in the article |
| 13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning | Not mentioned in the article | |
| 13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | Not mentioned in the article | |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements | The planting of the Miyawaki forest contributes to the restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. |
| 15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally | The Miyawaki forest project promotes afforestation and reforestation by densely planting native shrubs and trees. | |
| 15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species | The Miyawaki forest contributes to the protection of biodiversity by creating a habitat for birds and pollinators. |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 15: Life on Land.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:
- SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
- SDG 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
- SDG 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services
- SDG 15.2: Promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
- SDG 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
No indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters | Not mentioned in the article |
| 13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning | Not mentioned in the article | |
| 13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | Not mentioned in the article | |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements | The planting of the Miyawaki forest contributes to the restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. |
| 15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally | The Miyawaki forest project promotes afforestation and reforestation by densely planting native shrubs and trees. | |
| 15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species | The Miyawaki forest contributes to the protection of biodiversity by creating a habitat for birds and pollinators. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: somervillema.gov
Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.
