What Is the Miyawaki Method?
什麼是「宮脇式植樹法」呢？
Most of us know the term old-growth forest, which refers to natural forests that are still mostly free of human disturbance (though not necessarily free of human presence). These forests have reached maturity and beyond—a process that often takes centuries. As a result, they host incredible biodiversity and sustain a complex array of ecosystem functions.
我們大多數的人都知道，所謂的「原始森林」是指至今大致都還沒有受到人類干擾自然生長而成的森林(雖然難免還是有人類在附近出沒)。這些森林已經達到了成熟期，經過一個歷時數百年的演替過程。結果就是，它們能夠承載不可思議的生物多樣性，而且能永續複雜交織的生態系統的諸多功能。
The Miyawaki Method is unique in that it recreates the conditions for a mature natural forest to arise within decades rather than centuries. At the heart of the method is the identification of a combination of native plant species best suited to the specific conditions at any given planting site. As we’ll see, determining this combination of special plants is not always so straightforward.
宮脇式植樹法的特色，是在短短幾十年創造出成熟森林所需的條件，而不是透過天然林漫長的數百年。這個方法的精髓，是要找出地區的特定條件下，最適合種植的原生物種的組合。而我們將明白，決定物種組合要包括哪些植物，並不都是容易的事。
More than just the species selection, the Miyawaki Method depends on a small collection of core techniques to ensure the success of each planting. These include improving the site’s soil quality and planting the trees densely to mimic a mature natural forest. It’s also necessary to lightly maintain the site over the first three years-which can include weeding and watering. Amazingly, though, if the simple guidelines are followed, after that point a Miyawaki-style forest is self-sustaining.
除了植物種類的選定，宮脇植樹法有配套的技術以確保每次的種植皆可以成功。這些技術包括改善種植地的土壤品質、密植樹木來模擬成熟森林的狀況等等。在種植的前三年需要投入適度的照顧，包括除草、澆水等。然而，奇妙的是，只要遵守一些簡單的原則，在那個時點之後，宮脇植樹法所打造的森林接下來就會自行生長。
The trees grow quickly (as much as 3 ft [1 m] per year), survive at very high rates (upward of 90 percent), and sequester carbon more readily than single-species plantations. The Miyawaki Method is also special for its emphasis on engaging entire communities in the process of dreaming up and planting a forest. Whether you are three years old or eighty-three, chances are you can place a knee-high seedling into a small hole in the ground. At the very least you can appreciate and cherish the return of quasi-wilderness to a space that was once vacant.
樹木會長得很快(每年可長高至3尺[1米])，存活率很高(90%以上)，固碳的能力比單一樹種的經濟林要強。宮脇植樹法很特別的地方是它強調社區大眾參與的過程，共同擁有並打造一座森林的遠景。不管你是3歲的小孩或者是83歲的資深公民，都有機會把只有及膝的小樹苗種到地上挖出的小洞𥚃。至少，在原本的空地上種成近似荒野的成果，那是你可以欣賞和珍惜保有的。
讀後
原始森林的保護，還是最重要的。經過幾百年森林演替而變得成熟的原始林，有最高的生物多樣性，那是無法被取代的。
宮脇式植樹法，則可以運用在一些淺山公園的植被上，路旁及都市中的畸零土地，河濱及其公園，也是可以考慮的地點。
現在都市中的植株，都種植得太單一性，而且太講究美觀及防颱等等想法，往往傾向於修剪得太厲害、太頻繁，這些都有礙於迷你森林的形成。維護都市景觀的想法，應該考慮怎麼讓大自然自行成長才好。
在人行道種上一年生的花，那是多麼既花錢又不環保的方法啊！
*：“Mini-Forest Revolution,” Hannah Lewis, 2022, Chelsea Green Publishing
2024/4/24 Mini-Forest Revolution Damakey
