If you drove along South Shore in Warwick last Saturday morning you may have seen a large group of people planting at Warwick Playground. The Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) was joined by their Junior Volunteers, members of the BZS Science Club, individuals from the Government of Bermuda’s Department of Parks, employees from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo and corporate volunteers from RenaissanceRe and Aspen Re to plant the second plot for the BZS Micro Forest Project.

After the success of the pilot Micro Forest planting last November, RenaissanceRe pledged $25K to support furthering the project for the next three years, with other corporates now joining them in support – including Aspen Re and AEOLUS Capital Management Ltd and other anonymous donors.

Working with the Government of Bermuda’s Department of Parks and these dedicated corporate sponsors, the BZS aim to use the Miyawaki method of planting a dense native and endemic forest to expand the project across the island; fitting them into backyards, school playgrounds, roadsides, or public parks, so that they can quickly develop as natural forests, becoming maintenance-free after the first three years.

Micro Forests are meant to have a high plant density including some beneficial weeds. They are not meant to be a formal planting arrangement. The “unkept” wild look is purposeful to help shade out invasives seedlings and provide excellent habitat for bees and butterflies. Ultimately the native and endemics will thrive at their different canopy levels which will help crowd out invasives plants  and reduce the need for maintenance over time .

The Bermuda Zoological Society is focused on educating future generations on the importance of climate change and encouraging them to become stewards of the natural world. While the Micro Forest Project will not solve the problem of climate change, the project is aligned with global carbon offsetting initiatives like the Trillion Trees organization and it is an innovative and effective habitat reforestation effort that is both sustainable and scalable.

To learn more about the BZS Micro Forest Project and the plans for expansion, please click the following link: Tiny Forests boosting biodiversity and fighting climate change.