Good question! A Tiny Forest is a dense, native woodland about the size of a tennis court – each one is packed full of around 1,000 trees. The idea is to replicate a natural woodland, using 25 different native trees.
We planted the first six Tiny Forest in Wales in 2021.
Don’t be fooled by their small size – a Tiny Forest can have a big impact.
With one in six species under threat of extinction in Wales, creating new habitats in urban areas has never been more important.
We’re following a special method of planting that is proven to grow ten times faster, 30 times denser and is 100% more biodiverse than a standard, newly planted woodland. We want to attract wildlife, improve air quality, remove harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and help reduce localised flooding.
Our Tiny Forests are benefitting people too. Visitors using our forest paths are able to take in some fresh air and reconnect with nature, while schoolchildren will have the chance to learn about local flora and fauna in new outdoor classrooms.
In 2021, we planted Wales’ first five Tiny Forests in the following locations:
In 2022, we planted a sixth Tiny Forest in Holyhead, Anglesey as part of our Caru Cymru (‘Love Wales’) project.
Each site was carefully selected to provide maximum impact for nature and urban communities.
It’s a team effort!
Our first five Tiny Forests were funded by Welsh Government as part of the National Forest for Wales.
All our trees have been sourced through the Woodland Trust and we’re proud to be working in partnership with Earthwatch, the organisation leading the Tiny Forest movement in the UK.
We’d like to thank all our partners for making this possible.
Now that the first Tiny Forests have been planted, we hope to extend the scheme to other towns and cities.
You can keep up to date by following us on social media #TinyForestWales / #YGoedwigFechan
If you want to find out more about Tiny Forests in Wales, please get in touch with the team. Email nature@keepwalestidy.cymru
