We were approached by Stryker to come on board with a project they were developing with the Limerick Tidy Towns group and a local school. The idea was to develop and realise a tiny forest project within the grounds of the Stryker site.
Miyawaki tiny forests are small densely planted forests of native trees. The method of planting and developing these forests was inspired and pioneered by the botanist Prof. Akira Miyawaki of Japan in the 1970s. Research has shown how important nature is to children’s development. They need it and they thrive in it. Tiny Forests have been hugely popular with both teachers and primary school pupils and links with local schools are an integral part of every project.
One of the major advantages of the dense planting method of these mini forests is that they grow very quickly, up to five times faster than traditional woodland, and they absorb up to thirty times more carbon and encourage native wildlife and biodiversity.
The project has been very popular with the staff and an apiary has recently been installed. The site will now be further developed with paths and seating to encourage exercise and engagement with the outdoors to help improve the quality of life for the staff at Stryker.
