Cavan's Tiny Forest resources
Twenty community groups across County Cavan have established Tiny Forests with the assistance of 2023-27 LEADER funding. The concept involves planting a 25 square meter area densely with native Irish trees, allowing nature and natural selection to determine what flourishes. Each of the 20 sites has been planted native bare root trees and shrubs, including Rowan, Willow, Hazel, Bird Cherry, Spindle, Guelder Rose, Crab Apple, Holly, Whitethorn, Blackthorn, and Rose. These Tiny Forests will create habitats for nature to thrive and potentially become homes for various species in the years come.
Welcome to the Cavan Communities Tiny Forests Initiative.
Across County Cavan, 20 community groups have created small, dense native woodlands in their local communities. These forests are places for people and nature: helping to support biodiversity, connect habitats, improve community spaces and give people the opportunity to learn practical skills through working with nature.
Each forest is small — around 25m² — but it is planted to create a rich, multi-layered woodland with trees, shrubs and ground flora.
Take a look around, watch your forest change through the seasons, and give it time to grow.
Why plant a tiny forest?
A small patch of woodland can provide many benefits. Native trees and shrubs provide food, shelter and nesting opportunities for insects, birds and other wildlife. Trees also help to store carbon, hold water in the soil and create cooler, greener spaces.
Just as importantly, these forests are community projects. They provide opportunities for people of different ages to work together, learn about nature and take practical action for biodiversity. The forests are also part of a bigger idea: Nature Recovery Networks. Even small areas can contribute to a more connected landscape when they are joined by hedgerows, gardens, grasslands, wetlands and other wildlife-friendly spaces.
The Miyawaki-inspired approach
The forests created through this project use planting principles inspired by the Miyawaki method, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki.
The approach is different from conventional tree planting:
• Native species are used, selected to suit the local landscape.
• Trees are planted closely together, creating a dense young woodland.
• Different layers are planted together — from canopy trees to smaller trees, shrubs and ground flora.
The aim is to create a diverse woodland that can develop rapidly and become increasingly self-sustaining.
The project used 60–100 Irish-grown native trees and shrubs per 25m² forest, together with biochar, mycorrhizal fungi and a native woodland wildflower seed mix.
The close spacing can look surprising at first. Don't be tempted to thin the forest simply because the trees appear crowded. Competition between plants is part of the natural process, and the forest will change as it grows.
