Miyawaki Plantation in Mithileshwar
A relative newcomer to conservation, the ‘Miyawaki Method’ of planting is slowly gaining recognition globally as a fast acting and effective tool in the fight against both the climate and extinction crises. Pioneering projects are cropping up worldwide with the potential to radically shake-up conservation – particularly in urban areas – in the near future.
In 2021, MWT, in collaboration with Pipal Tree, launched Dhanushadham Bird Park (DBP) – a plantation using the ‘Miyawaki Method’. This process entails planting seeds of different plant species near each other in fertilised trenches two metres deep. The saplings then work together, helping each other to grow.
Saplings planted using the ‘Miyawaki Method’ reach maturity much faster than ones planted in standard plantations. DBP is expected to be fully grown in five years and self-sustaining in just two, whereas other MWT projects using conventional methods will take decades longer.
Plantation Site
MWT’s site in Dhanushadham – the first of its kind in Nepal – is relatively small but is now home to at least one of each native plant species in the country, including 18 classified as extinct. The Department of Forestry provided the seeds for this venture.
Like all of MWT’s work, DBP places community at the centre of the project, encouraging local people to work alongside nature, generating sustainable opportunities for both to thrive.