Municipal open-space manager outlines plan for high-density 'micro forest,' seeks volunteers

Inga Geising, the municipal open space manager, described plans to plant a small "micro forest" using the Miyawaki method and asked for volunteers to help maintain it during the first two to three years.

Geising said a micro forest is "pretty much just a forest planted on a really small area," and that the city will use the Miyawaki method, which places trees at very high density to accelerate growth. "The high density of trees gets them to grow a lot faster because they're really competing for the light and the nutrients in the soil," she said.

The municipal presentation contrasted typical forest maturation with the expected timeline for a Miyawaki-style micro forest. Geising said a conventional forest might take about 100 years to mature, while a Miyawaki micro forest can mature in roughly 30 to 40 years and is expected to become largely self-sustaining after two to three years. She added that because the canopy becomes dense, undergrowth and weeds should be limited once the stand establishes.

In the short term, Geising said the project needs community support. "For the first 2 or 3 years, we do need volunteers to help out, weed underneath the trees," she said, and noted that volunteers are currently needed to water until an automated system is fully operational. She said a watering system has been installed and "should be going pretty soon," after which sprinklers will handle routine watering.

The presentation focused on the planting method, early maintenance needs and volunteer recruitment; no formal vote or decision was recorded during this briefing. The open-space office did not specify planting locations, project budget, or an exact start date during the remarks. The department said volunteer opportunities and timing will be announced once the irrigation system is active.