A master gardener and a forest steward from Little Forests Kingston will present Little Forests: Minuscule but Mighty in Napanee on Monday, March 4 at 1 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church Hall, 179 West St.
It is open to the public, free of charge, donations welcome.
The talk will focus on how to re-enchant cities by collaborating with plants, soil, organisms, climate and geology.
The event is hosted by the Lennox and Addington Stewardship Council, Friends of the Napanee and Salmon Rivers and of Wilton Creek Watershed.
A Little Forest is a small area of densely packed, fast growing native trees and shrubs. Dr. Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist, developed the technique to restore natural vegetation on degraded lands.
Little Forests increase the urban canopy and biodiversity, providing habitat for birds and small animals. They decrease the impacts of climate change, absorbing carbon dioxide and cooling the air. They buffer against the effects of extreme rain events and provide flood control services free of charge.
Napanee has lost many of the trees that once lined its streets. Planting trees helps to regain its natural infrastructure for this and future generations. For homeowners, there are also pocket little forest kits for backyards.
Joyce Hostyn is co-founder of Little Forests Kingston (LFK), a master gardener, a permaculture designer, and an adjunct professor at Queen’s University in the Master of Earth and Energy Resources Leadership program. Hostyn believes each person is a node in a mycelial network of transformation, wilding the cities one garden, one neighbourhood, one little forest at a time.
Josh Cowan is a Forest Steward at LFK. He was an early member of the group and helps coordinate their projects. Having worked in a variety of sectors in non-profit management in the urban setting, Cowan is grateful for the privilege of being immersed in the natural world.
Planting a Little Forest will bring the community together, nurture biodiversity, and restore native species to the land. All of this, while supporting restoration of the soil. Experience the delight of a deepening relationship with the land.
To register for the March 4 talk e-mail lastewardship@gmail.com.