May 10: Day of Birds and Trees

May 10: Day of Birds and Trees! What are you doing today?

Here’s a tip: today, mark your calendar for May 18, when you will plant a Miyawaki mini-forest in the courtyard of the ELTE Kőrösi Csoma Sándor College!

Why is the Miyawaki mini-forest beneficial?

We love forests, but in cities—due to varying functional needs—it is generally difficult to maintain a patch of forest or a forest itself.

The Miyawaki mini-forest—albeit to a limited extent—can effectively substitute for the habitat-creating and biodiversity-preserving effects of a forest, while also excelling in the ecological services provided by wooded habitats!

Although small in area, the Miyawaki mini-forest boasts very high biodiversity, as the edge effect characteristic of forests is applicable across nearly its entire area.

It can be observed that biodiversity is always highest at habitat boundaries, where sunlight shines in, but there is already a forest climate, allowing light from one side while still providing shade from the other.

In these areas, various tree and other plant species with differing needs can find their living conditions: 

those that require sunlight and those that tolerate shade, as well as species that thrive in warmer and cooler climates, and those that prefer lower or higher humidity levels.

The same is true for animal and fungal species!

So, shall we meet on the 18th?

Facebook event: Kőrösi Csoma Miyawaki Mini-Forest Planting
 

Image: Spring beech forest in the Visegrád Mountains – 2024 | 10 Million Trees