Our Changeprint
Our Changeprint can be measured by the number of Tiny Forests established across the UK (270+ in mid 2025); rich biodiversity (a Tiny Forest is capable of attracting over 500 animal and plant species within the first 3 years); community engagement and reconnection with nature; CO2 drawdown from the atmosphere and improved air quality.
Our story
Earthwatch is the only UK partner of IVN, the organisation leading the Tiny Forest movement. 'Tiny Forests' are dense fast-growing native woodlands, based on an established forest management method developed in the 1970s by Dr Akira Miyawaki. A Tiny Forest consists of 600 trees planted densely in a tennis-court size plot, maximising benefits per m2 of land. The planting method encourages accelerated tree growth and uses no chemicals or fertilisers.
We engage with local communities to plant, maintain and monitor their forest over time, helping reconnect people with nature and raising awareness of climate breakdown.
Environmental and social data is collected for every forest we plant as this helps us to assess the benefits they provide over time and between different forests.
Creating thriving and climate-resilient urban areas that support economic growth, whilst also enhancing livelihoods and wellbeing, is a considerable challenge. Tiny Forests can play a part in facing this challenge. They bring the benefits of a forest – reconnecting people with nature, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, providing nature-rich habitat patches to support urban wildlife – right into the heart of cities and urban spaces.
As a rule, each forest is expected to engage up to 100 volunteers on planting and monitoring days; 4-6 volunteers as a Keeper Team to care the forest; and hundreds of visitors from the wider community as well as school children, who find their Tiny Forest an inspiring place to enjoy nature.
Our advice
Community involvement is a key element. Monitoring data gathered by citizen scientists not only helps us understand how Tiny Forests develop and quantify the climate benefits but also give local communities a strong sense of ownership in the project.
We focus on deprived urban sites where there is very limited green space. A nature-rich accessible green space is wonderful for people in cities to reconnect with nature where they live and provides an outdoor classroom for students to learn more about the environment.
Links to business sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and environmental, social corporate governance (ESG) can all help in gaining support from companies and establishing more Tiny Forests.
