News: City Hub campus goes wild with new microforest planted by students

On Wednesday 13^th November, wilding campuses manager Liz Morley planted 30 trees at our City Hub campus parklet with the help of A level photography students, Nigella Israel and Dorian Powers.

The new micro-forest is made up of cherry trees, blossom trees and rowans — a particular berry tree that provides food for a range of birds. The trees were planted in a particular way based on a Japanese technique called the ​‘Miyawaki pocket forest’, this means they were planted much closer together than in traditional forestry, creating a dense copse that mimics the way trees would naturally regenerate in an untouched woodland. 

Whilst getting stuck in with planting, Student Dorian said: ​“I feel like the Lorax speaking to the trees!”

Alongside tree planting, a group of students from Basford campus came down to plant spring flowering bulbs, pollinator friendly plants and sow wildflower seeds. 

The group were also joined by Kat, the gardener from the historic Bromley House Library in Nottingham and Beeston’s The Walled Garden, who also donated bags of leafmould to help feed the soil. Leafmould is one of the most important aspects of getting plants growing successfully as it helps to capture carbon to support biodiversity. 

Wilding Campuses Manager, Liz Morley said: ​“It’s amazing that our photography students were able to plant a small forest in just one afternoon!

“It’s brilliant that we were able to improve the soil with leafmould that was made less than half a km away, recycling what many people see as waste. These composted leaves will get our trees off to the best start, feeding them and helping the grow. 

“Later in the afternoon we were joined by a group of our students with learning difficulties and/​or disabilities that came to visit from our Basford campus. They did an amazing job of planting spring bulbs. They also sowed foxglove and borage seeds, both favourites with the bees and bound to attract pollinators. It was a lovely productive day!”