Arbutus, Garry oak and blue elderberry can all be found in a new ‘mini forest’ located at a transitional housing complex on Snuneymuxw territory in Cedar.
A mini forest is a densely planted community of native trees and shrubs to mimic the complexity of a native forest, according to Green Communities Canada.
Rebecca Taylor, president of the Rotary Club of Nanaimo, said the plan was originally to work with Snuneymuxw First Nation put in a garden, but that shifted when Green Communities Canada joined the conversation.
“The mini forest would be something that would be self-sustaining, it would provide more environmental benefits to native species in the area whether it be insects, birds or other wildlife,” Taylor told the News Bulletin. “It wouldn’t require constant upkeep as well. It was really about that self-sustaining forest that has many more environmental benefits.”
The mini forest consists of three planted beds creating a full measurement of about 2,000 square feet. The Rotary Club stated that it holds over 1,000 native trees and shrubs in close proximity.
The forest was created through a partnership between the Rotary Club of Nanaimo, which provided $13,500 in funding, landscaping expertise and project logistics, Snuneymuxw First Nation, which prepared the site, provided topsoil application and partnered on project logistics, Green Communities Canada, which funded $10,000 and provided mini forest expertise, as well as the City of Nanaimo, which provided $3,000.
In a press release, Green Communities Canada said it was honoured to take part in bringing biodiversity and Indigenous medicine plants back to the landscape while beautifying the living site.
“This partnership with Snuneymuxw First Nation and the Rotary Club of Nanaimo perfectly exemplifies how we can come together to make meaningful contributions to our communities,” said Emily Amon, the organization’s director of green infrastructure. “A mini forest is a beautiful way to transform a site, and there is potent symbology in seeing how the dense plantings of trees and shrubs work together to help the whole forest grow.“
The organization professes that mini forests “offer both environmental and social benefits, from reducing air pollution to increasing biodiversity, and providing necessary habitat for wildlife.”
Taylor said the forest will benefit not just the people who are living in the transitional housing, but the broader community.
“Although it’s a relatively small area, the biodiversity it can support can help with runoff, provide pollinators with plants that are native to the area,” she said. “It’s creating an environment with a long-term benefit to the community and biodiversity.”
