Already, there are more than 280 Miyawaki-style forests nationwide. Tucked away within housing estates, school grounds and wasteland on the urban edge, these urban forests are growing faster than conventionally planted trees.

This tree planting approach was developed by Japanese ecologist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s. Proponents argue that tiny forests create more habitat for wildlife and increase the capacity of land to store carbon, although few studies aim to quantify those benefits in western countries. If planted in a certain way, they can help create a more complete plant community structure from the ground up to the canopy.