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Moreover, there's an inspiring movement towards creating new forests, particularly tiny forests designed for urban environments. One such initiative is led by Stefan Schaa, a 27-year-old forest scientist passionate about establishing unique, species-rich woodlands. Two years ago, he set out to plant mini plots of diverse native species, which have been shown to grow at a remarkable pace when planted in close proximity to each other.
In the beginning, Schaa and his team raised €14,000 through crowdfunding, which enabled them to establish their inaugural miniature forest consisting of 3,000 ground-covering plants, shrubs, and trees. This concept, introduced by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1980s, focuses on maximizing biodiversity while minimizing maintenance requirements.