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Tiny Forest created on patch of land in Southmead
Bigger isn’t always better – at least when it comes to a small patch of land in Southmead set to be transformed into Bristol’s first ‘Tiny Forest’.
Some 600 trees are being planted on the Trym Valley riverside plot, which is roughly the size of a tennis court, and flanked by residential streets, as part of a project to boost biodiversity and climate resilience in cities.
Tiny Forests are densely packed native forests created within urban areas to increase tree cover and bring associated benefits, such as improved air quality, a chance for people to connect with nature and more green, communal space.
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Bristol City Council has teamed up with community organisations, OVO Foundation, the charity arm of OVO Energy, and Earthwatch Europe on the project to plant more than 1,200 trees in the area, including a woodland, orchard, riverside trees and the Tiny Forest.
Deputy mayor Asher Craig says the work will feed into the ambition to double the city’s tree canopy cover by 2046.
“At a time when it seems impossible to overcome the enormous challenge of the climate and ecological crisis, Tiny Forests offers a collaborative natural solution with benefits to both local people and the wider city.
“I am also delighted that Southmead was selected as the first area of the city to benefit from a natural green space which will also contribute towards our green plans for the city, including our ambition to double our tree canopy cover by 2046.”
The work is part of the wider Trym Valley Open Space Regeneration project, which is also seeking to bring more native fish species back to the River Trym, increase the status, appreciation and use of the area in the local community and create a biodiverse, species-rich wildlife corridor through the Southmead estate.
The country’s first Tiny Forest was planted in Oxfordshire in March last year and Earthwatch’s ambition is to transform 150 plots in urban areas within the next two years.
The non-profit organisation will work with children from local schools to collect data on carbon absorption, flood mitigation, thermal comfort and biodiversity, as well as assess the social and wellbeing benefits of the Tiny Forest.
Clara Stevenson, programmes and partnership director at Earthwatch Europe, says: “Tiny Forests provide rich opportunities for connecting young people with the environment and sustainability. It’s vital that we give people the knowledge and skills to protect our natural world and inspire them to take positive action from a young age.”
Read more: Sea Mills willow trees saved from felling
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