The Miyawaki method: the secret to recovering native forest

Outside the Japanese city of Oita, where arid, desolate wasteland used to dominate until 1970, a large vibrant forest rocks in the wind. At dusk the komorebi, an amazing spectacle of sunlight, filters through the branches. This green miracle was the first fruit to be demonstrated using the Miyawaki method, a technique that has transformed inhospitable landscapes into oases of biodiversity and life, thanks to the reintroduction of native species and the regeneration of soil.

What will I learn from this article?

1. Origin of the Miyawaki method
2. Principles of the Miyawaki method
3. Successful examples in the world today

Origin of the Miyawaki method

The Miyawaki method, created by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, represents a silent revolution in the world of reforestation, resulting in 10 times faster tree growth and 30 times denser forests. In contrast with traditional reforestation methods, which can take decades or even centuries to establish a mature forest ecosystem, the Miyawaki method can achieve comparable results in as little as 20 years.

Born in 1928, Miyawaki dedicated his life to studying Japan’s vegetation and concluded that the key to restoring lost biodiversity rests in recovering the indigenous forests that covered the planet millennia ago. During his career, Miyawaki planted over 40 million trees in 15 countries, and came to understand that nature, when given the opportunity, is able to regenerate itself and prosper with unimaginable exuberance.

“The Miyawaki method achieves 10 times faster tree growth and 30 times denser forests”

The 4 principles of the Miyawaki method

The Miyawaki method is based on 4 principles which, working together, optimize the reforestation process.

1. The first, fundamental, principle consists in using species of trees which are natural to the area, creating a resistant and prosperous forest ecosystem with species complementing one another, together restoring “native forests with native trees”. The selection of the species for planting in a certain area is associated originally with the theory of Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV), i.e. plants which will thrive in a specific area without much human interference.
2. The second principle is random seed distribution, a strategy which seeks to emulate the complexity of a natural forest. This method promotes both competition and complementarity in a natural wood, speeding up plant cycles and fostering more vigorous and diverse growth.
3. Then comes soil fertilization with natural materials, a process starting with the removal of 80 to 100 centimeters of soil to be enriched with organic material and diverse microorganisms that will improve the future relationship between the trees and their surroundings, maximizing growth.
4. Finally, we have forest autonomy. This establishes that the plantation should be irrigated daily for two years until it becomes autonomous – without pesticides or chemicals, and no cutting back.

Santiago de Chile, the cradle for Miyawaki’s forests

In the context of the growing need for green urban spaces and environmental conservation, Santiago de Chile stands out with 2 notable reforestation initiatives which use the Miyawaki method. These projects don’t only promote biodiversity, they generate environmental awareness and urban equity.

The first of these projects thrives in the commune of Puente Alto, amid an ambitious socioecological restoration project which has given rise to an ecological corridor through the planting of 1,200 native species in an area of 500 square meters, using the Miyawaki method.

The second initiative, known as Isla Nativa Usach (Usach Native Island), is a joint project by the Santiago Government, Corporación Cultiva and the university. The resulting 150 m² forest is home to 24 tree and 600 native plant species.

Both initiatives exemplify how cities can integrate nature-based solutions to improve the quality of life of their inhabitants and foster environmental sustainability. These projects not only contribute to ecological restoration, but also inspire a positive change in attitudes toward urban development and the environment.

Something similar occurred recently in Madrid, Spain, where the Miyawaki method was applied at the ACCIONA 2024 Spanish Open Golf Tournament as part of the event’s sustainability initiatives. The decision to do it came about after analyzing the soil of selected areas, which was discovered to be in a highly degraded state and urgent need of reforestation. Thanks to the Miyawaki method, these impoverished urban areas are now being regenerated with the idea of transforming arid spaces into thriving green zones.

The legacy of Akira Miyawaki is not only measured in numbers of hectares regreened, but also in the restoration of life and the capacity of the Earth to regenerate if we listen to its cycles.