Tiny Forest: 
                                             urban woodlands bringing social and environmental benefits
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                                             Pilat, C.* , Hayhow, D.B. , Cárdenas, M.L. , Chemais, M. , Sturgeon, G. , and Narraway, C.L.
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                                                               Earthwatch Europe, Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DE, UK
                                                                                 *Contact: cpilat@earthwatch.org.uk
        Planted             What is a Tiny Forest?                                                 Methods for monitoring ecosystem benefits
                                                          2                                    Citizen Scientists monitor four key benefits of Tiny Forest: 
         149             A Tiny Forest is a small (200m ), densely planted native 
      Tiny Forests       woodland. Each contain 600 trees, of 12-25 different                  1. Biodiversity –
       since 2019        species, following the Miyawaki planting method [1].                      pollinator count, 
       Engaged                                                                                     butterfly count, 
                         1a.                         1b.                                           diversity of ground 
        7,713                                                                                      invertebrates.
         Citizen                                                                               2. Carbon Storage 
       Scientists                                                                                  –measure height 
     through planting 
      and monitoring                                                                               and diameter of 
                                                                                                   100 trees to 
        1,442                                                                                      calculate above-
        Surveys                                                                                    ground biomass.
       submitted        Figure 1a. A Tiny Forest is the size of a tennis court                                         3. Flood management–examine soil type, colour, 
        by citizen            2
        scientists      (200m ). 1b. Witney Tiny Forest planted on 14 March                                               texture, compaction and infiltration rate to 
       since 2019       2020 in Oxfordshire. Credit: Earthwatch Europe.                                                   characterise flood mitigation potential. 
         Community benefits                                                                                            4. Thermal Comfort – measure the cooling effect of 
                                                                                                                          trees on micro-local environmental temperature 
      Tiny Forests are often located in urban areas of economic or                                                        using a weather station and personal perception. 
      green deprivation. A Tiny Forest connects people with nature by:
                                       • Engaging people in the                                                           Year 1 monitoring results
                                         design, implementation,                                                        So far, in 17 Tiny Forests in the first year 
                                         and maintenance of their 
                                         Tiny Forest.                             Tiny Forest                           since planting… 
                                       • Training Citizen Scientists              empowers people 
                                         to monitor environmental 
     “I want to be an environmental      benefits.                                through 
       scientist when I grow up!”                                                 Citizen Science
                                       • Promoting community-                                                           This small amount of carbon, equivalent to boiling 
                                         driven stewardship of local              to become curious                     a kettle 6000 times, is an essential baseline to 
                                         green spaces.                            and knowledgeable                     estimate future carbon storage capacity.
                                       • Providing usable green                   about their
                                         space to enjoy.                          local environment.                              [1] Miyawaki, A., 1999. Creative Ecology: Restoration of Native 
                                                                                                                                  Forests by Native Trees. Plant Biotechnology, 16(1), pp.15-25.