Sustainability Carleton is thrilled to announce they are partnering with local environmental organization EnviroCentre to establish a tiny forest at Carleton! Read on to learn more about this new addition to our campus green space.
What is a Tiny Forest?
A tiny forest is a small-scale, densely planted group of native plants, including trees and shrubs. They are intended to recreate a forest environment, often in an urban area. The dense planting arrangement mimics a natural forest and also allows the plants to grow more quickly. Tiny forests are based on a method developed by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki.
Why a Tiny Forest?
Tiny forests have numerous benefits for both people and the environment. Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress and improve wellness. Tiny forests also provide a habitat for native insects and wildlife, which increases biodiversity. They also help improve air quality, absorb rainwater, sequester carbon emissions and provide shade.
The tiny forest also aligns with multiple goals of Sustainability Carleton’s Outdoor Space Master Plan [PDF, 10.3 MB], particularly:
- Climate positive design: designing outdoor spaces to sequester carbon
- Relax and recharge nodes: providing opportunities to enjoy nature across campus to boost wellness
Carleton Tiny Forest Details
Location
The tiny forest site is located on the north end of campus, in front of the tennis courts on University Drive. The site is just off the footpath, so passers-by will have an opportunity to pause and enjoy the green space.
Composition and Size
To recreate a forest environment, the tiny forest will consist of densely planted native trees and plants in three layers: a canopy layer of trees, a shrub layer and a forest floor layer.
The planting list is not yet finalized, but possible species candidates for each layer include white spruce and silver maple for the canopy layer, highbush cranberry and Canadian elderberry for the shrub layer and anise hyssop and smooth aster for the forest floor.
The tiny forest site is about 200 metres squared in total. Each square metre will contain about one plant from each of the three layers, meaning that the tiny forest will be home to about 600 plants in total, including 200 trees!
Community Space
The tiny forest is intended to be a community green space for everyone on campus to enjoy. Benches and signage will be added next to the tiny forest for visitors and members of the campus community to sit, relax and enjoy the forest atmosphere!
To allow the tiny forest to grow and thrive, interference should be minimal before and after planting. We ask that the campus community and visitors to this space please respect the tiny forest and help it grow by not disturbing the fenced-in site.
Planting
Planting is currently set to begin in fall 2025. Sustainability Carleton will be seeking volunteers within the campus community to assist with planting. Stay tuned for more details closer to the planting time!
Thursday, July 31, 2025 in News, Sustainability, Wellness
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