ADIEU TO THE MASTER FORESTER
DR AKIRA MIYAWAKI
Dr Akira Miyawaki sadly passed away last month, aged 93. His life should be seen as a celebration of all that is great about the human spirit and resolve when someone truly and deeply cares about nature.
Master forester and mentor Prof. (Dr) Akira Miyawaki is no more. On 16 July 2021, due to prolonged illness, he passed away at the age of 93. His family did the funeral rites on 23 July.
Akira was a man of action, responsible for pioneering the creation of 3000 forests and 40 million trees planted worldwide. He leaves a remarkable healing legacy and implementable knowledge that we can all take on and continue.
Akira Miyawaki (Miyawaki Akira), born on 29 January 1928, is a well known Japanese botanist and an expert in plant ecology, specialising in seeds and natural forests. He’s active worldwide as a specialist in restoring the natural vegetation on barren and degraded land.
From 1993, he has been the Director of the Japanese Center for International Studies in Ecology and Professor of Emeritus at Yokohama National University. In 2006 he was honoured with Blue Planet Prize.
Since the 1970s, Miyawaki has advocated the worth of natural forests and the urge to restore them. He considered that the Earth Summit(1992) in Rio de Janeiro did not protect any native forests (except very locally).
Rather than scrap them, I want to bring memory objects back to life as earth resources — for the sake of repose of souls, and for the future.” - Akira Miyawaki.
He used the ecological theories and the results of his experiments to formulate the “Miyawaki method” he quickly and successfully restored forests at over 1,300 sites in Japan and various tropical countries, especially in the Pacific area Restoration of Evergreen Broad-leaved Forests within the Pacific Region, in the sort of shelterbelts, woodlands and woodlots, including urban, port and industrial areas.
Miyawaki showed that rapid forest cover and soil restoration was possible by using an informed choice of pioneer and secondary indigenous species, densely planted and mycorrhized. Studying local plant ecology, he uses the species with crucial roles and complementary roles in the usual tree community.
Dr Miyawaki has now restored indigenous forests at over 600 locations throughout Japan.
The approach of Miyawaki is to plant seedlings of as many trees of the potential natural vegetation as possible, using mainly awning tree species native to that area.
From the day they’re planted, the v aried species and individual trees undergo a survival process through competition, leading to the creation of a diversified natural forest. Seedlings with extensive root systems are randomly planted in densely mixed plantings that match natural forest systems.
Forests offer biodiversity in their most natural form and fulfil the many functions of natural ecosystems, including absorbing carbon dioxide and soil protection from erosion. Since most tree species are selected from wild forests, the first ecosystem, including small soil animals, will be indeed and quickly restored.
He has been the tremendous inspirational force behind all our afforestation activities. We pledge to understand his dreams and make the world greener, healthier and happier future generations also enjoy the gifts of Mother Nature. Even during his last days, he was constantly immersed in fighting against global climate change. His forests and activities have left an ineradicable mark on future generations. Today, our entire We Grow Forest Foundation pays homage to this iconic soul, whose vision and mission inspired us to renovate and rehabilitate our beloved Mother Nature.
He has been the tremendous inspirational force behind all our afforestation activities. We pledge to understand his dreams and make the world greener, healthier and happier future generations also enjoy the gifts of Mother Nature. Even during his last days, he was constantly immersed in fighting against global climate change. His forests and activities have left an ineradicable mark on future generations. Today, our entire We Grow Forest Foundation pays homage to this iconic soul, whose vision and mission inspired us to renovate and rehabilitate our beloved Mother Nature.
May his soul rest in peace.
To know more about We Grow Forest Foundation please visit our website https://wegrowforest.org/ or contact us at on 9778411911 or email at us plant@wegrowforest.org
