What is a Mini Forest?

The first time a mini forest was planted in Canada using the Miyawaki method was in 2016. A mini forest was established in Stratford, Ontario. Since then, interest in this method of planting has grown substantially.

In 2022 GCC launched the two-year National Mini Forest Pilot. With support from Natural Resources Canada’s 2 Billion Trees Program, we planted 15 pilot sites across five provinces in 2022.

In year two of this pilot program, we planted an additional 17 mini forests and our community of practice grew to over 90 participants, including practitioners from a wide range of community-based environmental non-profits, urban forestry professions, and municipal departments.

Green Communities Canada has now planted over 45 mini forests in eight provinces. But the mini forests movement has grown beyond our organization. The City of Montreal announces their intention to plant 15 “micro forests.” EnviroCentre – a member of GCC – is planting “tiny forests” at multiple locations in Ottawa.

In January of 2025, Green Communities Canada hosts a Voices for Action webinar on “Growing the Mini Forest Movement in Canada.” This webinar features Green Communities Canada’s own Tianna Mighty (Program Coordinator, Green Infrastructure), as well as Professor Tahia Devisscher (Assistant Professor, UBC Faculty of Forestry), Kristen Bill (Project Manager, Forest Health, City of Hamilton), and Sharon MacGougan (President, Garden City Conservation Society).

In partnership with Professor Tahia Devisscher and the UBC Faculty of Forestry, Green Communities Canada releases a report studying the rapid proliferation of mini forests across Canada. The report assesses the growth and functionality of mini forests, providing a better understanding of their benefits, their risks, and the mechanisms that can support their successful implementation.