Miyawaki forests are a global sensation, but not everyone’s sold on them

by Annelise Giseburt, Mongabay.com The Miyawaki method is an afforestation technique for cultivating fast-growing groves of native plants, with the dense, mixed planting intended to simulate the layers of a natural forest. Originally developed by Japanese ecologist Akira Miyawaki in the early 1970s for Nippon Steel, the method has been adopted by various Japanese corporations, which planted Miyawaki forests both domestically and overseas. Although the popularity of Miyawaki forests has skyrocketed in India, some ecological restoration practitioners question the method’s applicability to the country’s diverse ecological environments. KANAGAWA PREFECTURE – The Miyawaki method for cultivating fast-growing groves of native vegetation has