Bio: Sean Steele is a writer, educator, musician, and academic. He holds an MA in the humanities from York University and a BA in philosophy and history from Concordia University. He is currently writing a PhD thesis that explores the emergence of the sacred within the context of secular music festivals. His scholarly writing has appeared in Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, The American Studies Journal, and The Journal of Unschooling and Alternative Learning. Sean works as the research lead for Seedlings Forest Education, an organization that provides outdoor educational programs for children. He is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to camp, hike and climb in the forests and mountains of Vancouver Island.
Earth Day Miyawaki 2024 - Journeying into Miyawaki Forests - Blog Post 7
Sean Steele • May 10, 2024
A new Earth Stories Blog exploring Miyawaki Forests
Blog Post #7 with Outdoor Educator Sean Steele
Recently I was invited by the Green Party of Canada (Saanich-Gulf Islands) to present on the Miyawaki method. The event took place on April 21st at the Star Cinema in Sidney, BC. I was joined by Bruno Vernier, a permaculturalist who has done formal training in the Miyawaki method and is director of the Garden City Conservation Society in Richmond, BC. As part of Earth Day events, our presentation was focused on informing the public about the Miyawaki method and giving Bruno the opportunity to talk about the mini-forests he has helped plant. Elizabeth May, the Leader of the Green Party of Canada, and Adam Olsen, Green Party MLA and former interim Leader of the Green Party of BC, also spoke at the event.
The event was organized by Green Party member Debra Kelly who also served as the MC. She set things in motion by playing Shubhendu Sharma’s excellent TED Talk on Miyawaki forests – the very same TED Talk that first got me interested in this approach. After watching this great introduction to the Miyawaki method, Bruno and I gave our presentation.
In the image above, Bruno and I can be seen presenting on the right, and the topics we discussed can be seen on the screen. We provided some background of who Akira Miyawaki was, how he developed his method of planting, and shared some benefits of planting mini-forests in urban areas. I then talked briefly about tree equity and the ways Miyawaki forests can contribute to creating green spaces in lower-income neighbourhoods in cities.
Bruno then took the lead and guided the audience through a series of photographs of the four Miyawaki forests he has helped plant in Richmond (two examples are provided below). In the final portion, Bruno and I shared a few locations where audience members can buy the native species of trees and shrubs needed to plant a Miyawaki forest. We then talked briefly about the recent free Miyawaki method training course now offered through Green Communities Canada. We ended our talk with a question and answer period.
After our presentation, Bruno led a small group of participants to a patch of grass in front of City Hall in Sidney to share more of his knowledge about how to survey a potential plot of land suitable for a Miyawaki forest. Together, we chatted about different areas around us that might serve and discussed various issues we might meet when digging in a particular area. This gave people, including me, a realistic idea of the challenges that people can face when planning a site. Preparing the soil for a Miyawaki forest means digging down 1 metre (3 feet), which is deep enough to come across pipes or electrical wires. These practical matters need to be taken into consideration, especially in the kinds of urban environments where I hope to see new Miyawaki forests.
Here is a photo of us (Bruno on the right and me on the left) in front of City Hall standing on one of the patches of grass that served as a potential planting site we used to focus the conversation.
Overall, the event was a success. It was attended by approximately 80 people, and members of the audience seemed engaged. Several people asked questions during our presentation which spurned good discussions, and I hope that people left both informed and inspired.
For me, the event was a success because I got to learn more about Bruno’s Miyawaki forests. As previously covered in an Earth Literacies blog post by Elaine Decker, the first Miyawaki forest in BC was planted with Bruno’s help at Richmond Secondary School. Two more were then planted on grounds within Terra Nova Rural Park. Most recently, the Garden City Conservation Society and a team of volunteers planted a Miyawaki forest in Garden City Park.
This image shows the different species spaced out on the planting site. Bruno can be seen checking that everything is in place.
This image shows the group of volunteers who came to help transfer those potted trees into the ground and create the fourth Miyawaki forest in Richmond.
I was inspired by Bruno’s practical approach, and our talk benefitted greatly from his hands-on experience. I want to follow in Bruno’s footsteps and one day start to gain some hands-on experience as part of a team of volunteers. I am excited to hear about more Miyawaki forests being planted in cities across Canada and can only hope that our talk will motivate people to start thinking about ways to create their own mini-forest.
For the latest blog submissions to Earth Stories from Sean, as he documents his Miyawaki Forest Journey (and how you might do the same in your 'backyard'), check our Earth Stories Blog every couple weeks and / or subscribe to the Programs in Earth Literacies Newsletter where new articles will be posted and delivered via email.
A new Earth Stories Blog exploring Miyawaki Forests Blog Post #6 with Outdoor Educator Sean Steele
Above: Children helping to plant a Miyawaki forest as part of an IVN Nature Education program - Image source
A new Earth Stories Blog exploring Miyawaki Forests Blog Post #4 with Outdoor Educator Sean Steele
Earth Literacies presents a new Earth Stories (blog) series exploring Miyawaki Forests
When I found out that the organization I was helping to support didn’t get the grant to fund a Miyawaki forest on a small plot of land adjacent to a city park, I initially felt somewhat discouraged. But, almost immediately, I realized that this kind of news wasn’t about to take the wind out of my sails...
Earth Literacies presents a new Earth Stories (blog) series exploring Miyawaki Forests. "It all started with a blank slate. Or, in this case, an empty patch of soil beside a park. As a research lead with Seedlings Forest Education, an organization in Victoria, BC that facilitates nature-based learning for children, it was my job to help the leadership team think about what they could do with a new parcel of land."
CLICK THE VIDEO ABOVE TO PLAY I am sure you have all heard that we are made from stardust. The calcium in our bones and the iron in our blood was created in the dust of an exploding star. Over time the dust cools and gathers itself into planets on which life can emerge. You’ve seen images of enduring stars, you’ve seen images of exploding stars (supernovae), and you’ve seen images of steadfast planets. But have you ever seen virgin dust gushing out of a star getting ready to explode? The James Webb Space Telescope just obliged us with such an image (see image above) and it’s an amazing vista to behold! In this first-of-a-kind image, shimmering purple eddies of dust are being cast off in all directions by a very bright star (WR 124) at the center. This swirling dust holds the potential to become the rocks on a planet’s surface, the water in its oceans and the air in its atmosphere. Given enough time, it can become the flesh, bones, and blood of a living organism. With yet more time the organism can develop sentience to build telescopes powerful enough to catch stardust in the act of its cosmic emergence. What we are witnessing is the ultimate generosity of a star that through its last few laboured breaths is scattering the seeds of life into the fecund emptiness of its mother’s womb. These cosmic seeds, forged out of the fire in its core and nurtured for millions of years in its belly, are ready to put down roots in other parts of the galactic expanse. Together with the gas in which they swirl, these proliferous seeds will grow into families of planets and stars, ready to evoke the sacred process of life if conditions permit. Such is the bequest of the stars to the story of cosmogenesis, a glorious pilgrimage our universe is in the midst of undertaking. Sarbmeet Kanwal, PhD Click Here to view our next Earth Literacies program Quantum Wisdom: Second Pillar of the New Cosmology with Sarbmeet Kanwal, Ph.D
Programs in Earth Literacies team member, Parker Cook, captured the excitement of a 10-hour day of forest planting and community building in a delightful 1-minute timelapse video. You’ll want to watch it over and over – seeing different things each time. Below is a quick guide with 5 scenes to help you track the range of people and chores that resulted in this bioregion specific community of plants that will grow 10 times faster, with 20 times more diversity into a 30 times denser than typical multi-strata breathing machine! Scene 1 (below) You’re looking North, with the L-shaped school on the Eastern side. Three ‘sections’ of the forest bed have been prepared with a meter deep mix of soil and humus and a topping of straw. At the top of the pic there are two red tents. In front of them are 400 plants identified by species and arranged in tree/shrub/ground cover categories.
Meet today’s – and tomorrow’s – earth protectors
Richmond School District (in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada adjacent to Vancouver) established an Environmental Stewardship Policy in 1998 which states:
“As a result of our shared guardianship of this planet, implementation of this policy shall be the joint responsibility of the Board, students and staff in collaboration with parents and our community.”The Green Team at Richmond Secondary School has wasted no time taking up their part in this work.
In 2020, RSS was one of 10 schools nation-wide to win $20,000 from Staples in the “Superpower Your School” contest which invited students to address environmental challenges with new technologies. The Richmond team’s project was the installation of solar panels at the school, producing electricity that is added to the school’s power grid making its carbon footprint lower than other schools. A TV located in the foyer details the daily energy consumption so that all students can see their impact.
Betsey Crawford, a colleague of Gertie’s (yes, our Gertie Jocksch who leads the Earth Literacies Team) from The Deeptime Network, is an artist, photographer, seeker and storyteller. On her inspiring website, she shares her exploration of the world identifying and understanding the powers of the universe that are at work in all she experiences:
The Soul of the Earth Website: https://thesouloftheearth.com/powers-of-the-universe/
This is a rich resource for understanding the epic beginnings of the universe, our origins, and our possible futures. It’s a great companion to the deep study of the individual powers of the Universe as explained by Brian Swimme, and explored in the ongoing Programs in Earth Literacies sessions with Bernice Vetter and Margie Gillis, Wednesday from Feb 2 to 16, 2022 - click here to learn more or sign up for the next session.