1,000 native trees planted to turn school playground into tiny forest

Year 4 students at Broulee Anglican College are turning a barren patch of their playground into a self-sustaining microforest, thanks to a partnership with the Microforest Collective. The project, part of their school curriculum, aims to increase shade, biodiversity, and resilience to climate change. Students, teachers, and volunteers worked together over the past week to plant around 1,000 native trees using the Miyawaki method, a Japanese technique that involves densely planting a mixture of local species to accelerate growth.

The microforest, expected to reach about 7 meters in height within two to three years, will be used as a model for other schools across the country. Students are learning social-emotional skills and connecting with nature through hands-on work. The project also features a water-harvesting system to address the sandy soil, capturing rainwater in underground trenches.