Mini-Forest Revolution: Rewilding our communities for Climate Resilience

Hannah Lewis

Grant writer for Renewing the Countryside

Start Time & Date

Start Time & Date

What holds some 500 species, sequesters 500 lbs. CO2/year, is several degrees cooler than its surroundings, soaks up lots of rainwater, and is co-created by children and their elders in spaces no bigger than a tennis court? A “mini-forest” planted using the Miyawaki Method, of course! After a couple of years of as-needed weeding and watering, these nascent forests form a canopy and - like any other healthy ecosystem - become self-sufficient. We'll discuss what a mini-forest is, what it can do for your neighborhood, what goes into planting one, and why people all over the world are organizing their communities to plant mini-forests in the small spaces around where they live and work.

Hanna Lewis Headshot

Hannah Lewis She is the author of Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World, published in June 2022 by Chelsea Green; a French translation of the book was released in January 2023 by Editions Eyrolles in France. Hannah has an MS in Sustainable Agriculture and Sociology from Iowa State University and a BA in Environmental Studies from Middlebury College. She lives in Minneapolis, where she works for the non-profit Renewing the Countryside to build sustainable local and regional food systems and plant mini-forests.