Kenya’s Urban Forests: Planting 236,212 Trees to Combat Urbanization
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📰 The quick summary: Kenya’s cities are restoring urban forests using the Miyawaki method, planting over 236,000 native tree seedlings to combat concrete sprawl and create dense mini-forests that improve air quality and biodiversity.
📈 One key stat: Nairobi’s forest cover plummeted from 14% in 1976 to just 3.3% in 2000, highlighting the urgent need for urban reforestation.
💬 One key quote: “The Miyawaki method offers the best technique to create natural forests in small areas with fast growth and less maintenance costs” says Samuel Kiboi, faculty member at College of Biological and Physical Sciences in Nairobi.
1️⃣ The big picture: Kenya’s major cities are taking innovative steps to restore their lost forest cover and combat the negative effects of rapid urbanization. Using the Miyawaki method, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, they’re creating dense mini-forests by planting native tree species close together in small urban spaces. Since 2007, this initiative has successfully established several forest patches in Nairobi, with over 236,212 seedlings planted. The method helps counter the concrete jungle effect that has drastically reduced green spaces in cities like Nairobi, where forest cover has significantly declined over recent decades.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The Miyawaki forests create effective carbon sinks and improve the natural environment through enhanced water retention and biomass creation. These mini-forests grow quickly and require minimal maintenance once established, making them a sustainable long-term solution. The project provides economic opportunities for local communities through seedling supply and forest maintenance work. Beyond environmental benefits, these urban forests attract tourists and nature lovers while creating pockets of biodiversity within city limits.
3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers continue to study vegetation structures in undisturbed forest areas to identify optimal species for urban forest restoration. The project team plans to expand mini-forest establishment to more areas within Nairobi and other Kenyan cities. Focus will be placed on improving seed availability and growing specific native species in nurseries to meet the high-density planting requirements of the Miyawaki method.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – Kenya’s cities adopt Miyawaki method to restore lost ecological glory
