Miyawaki Method

In the greed for more profit, many economies gave up acres of their lands for the sake of industrialization and better infrastructure. But no economy can grow or sustain for a long if it doesn’t have a good natural ecosystem and green environment and the best in which it can be achieved is the Afforestation. But in the present scenario, many nations don’t have enough land left for the forestation. Thus in such a case, the best method for the plantation that can be adopted is the Miyawaki Method.

What is Miyawaki Method?

The Miyawaki Method is named after the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, who had expertise in plant ecology and developed a technique of plantation back in the 1980s in which a variety of plants are sowed within a small distance i.e. 3-4 plants/sq. Meter. Thus creating a denser forest with a mixed variety of plants in a small area and within a short period of time. 

Steps involved in the Miyawaki Plantation Method:

• The trees planted in Miyawaki forests are divided into 4 layers Shrub, shrub tree, tree, and the canopy layer. Before plantation, a variety of plants are picked, and accordingly, the soil quality is analyzed. 
• Based on the results, perfect biomass, fertilizer, or another important nutrient is selected, which increases the soil’s water retention capacity and promotes plant growth. 
• A thick layer of mulch is then applied to the land where the plantation is to be done.
• In the final step, a soil mound is made in which the selected crops are being sowed and these seeds are being planted close to each other. 

The Miyawaki Method of Afforestation not only allows for the planting of more trees in less space but is also relatively easy to sustain in comparison to the normal plantation method. As the trees are planted next to each other the roots of these trees hold the soil tightly and also these trees protect each other from the direct sunlight and reduce the chances of forest burns to a great extent. 

Miyawaki Method in India:

The Miyawaki method has been adopted by many and some of them are as below.

• Miyawaki Method is been readily accepted and applied in India in many parts and mainly in Telangana. The state government of Telangana has introduced the Miyawaki Plantation method in that state under the Telanganaku Haritha Haram (TKHH) with an aim to increase the plantation and expand the forest area. 
• Also, many individuals, social workers, and NGOs are working on the Miyawaki Method in India and turning their backyards into mini forests. 
• The government of West Bengal has introduced a 100-day scheme under which dense forests will be created in some districts of Howrah with the help of the Miyawaki method.
• On October 17th, 2020 the Environment Minister Mr. Prakash Javadekar inaugurated the first-ever Urban forest in India named “Anand Van”. The main aim to create this forest was to provide habitat to more than 59 indigenous species living in that region. The Minister also added in his speech that the Miyawaki Method of Plantation can help in making denser urban forests in less time.

As per a recent study there are more than 100 Miyawaki forests in India.

Advantages of the Miyawaki Method:

• This method of Afforestation helps in creating a denser forest than usual in less time.
• These Miyawaki forests also act as a habitat for lots of species living in that region. 
• The Miyawaki forests help in controlling air, water, noise, and soil pollution. 
• As the trees are planted close to each other in the Miyawaki method this method prevents flowing away of the top layer of soil in heavy rain as it’s tightly held by a group of trees.

Limitations of the Miyawaki Method:

• In this method, a different variety of trees are planted together and usually strong trees like timber, thus the trees in these forests lose their medicinal properties. 
• Also, this method of Afforestation is only suitable in the sub-urban or the urban region with smaller spaces but not suitable in the tropical regions.
• Due to less available space in the Miyawaki forests, there is less space left available for the movement of the wildlife species. 
• The trees planted in Miyawaki forests are not able to bring in much rain when compared to the natural forests.