Faro, Portugal, Sept. 4, 2024 (Lusa) - Sharing practical knowledge in order to plant preferably edible species, regenerate soil and increase biodiversity is the aim of Portugal's ‘Biggest Mini Forest’ project, which already has more than 40 areas dedicated to this practice, according to a co-founder.
Mostly located in the Algarve, where there are 37 such plots, these two-metre by two-metre areas create a network of forests that encourage the regeneration of soil and ecosystems, while at the same time producing food, explained Luís Afonso, co-founder of the initiative with Ana Laura Cruz.
Afonso explained that the ‘Biggest Mini Forest’ project seeks to encourage anyone with a small area of land to develop regenerative agriculture, combining knowledge from two methods: syntropic agriculture from Brazil, which requires greater human intervention, and a Japanese model, the ‘Miyawaki’ method, that requires less maintenance.
With this knowledge, the focus is on natural regeneration and "islands of biodiversity are created that grow very quickly" - preferably, but not solely, using plants thta are edible or give edible fruits, he stressed.
"Our model, which was created by us, combines this knowledge in order to have this square [of land], which is something more practical, smaller, that manages to create and produce food, but at the same time regenerate the soil," Afonso explained.
According to organisers, in this way it is possible to "speed up the whole process of regeneration, of soil production" and "direct the system towards something more adapted to man, with the aim of satisfying his needs, but at the same time regenerating the soil."
The project organises workshops to pass on this knowledge to interested parties and the aim is to gradually have more areas devoted to this type of agriculture, Afonso said.
Since May 2023, ‘Biggest Mini Forest’ has already managed to create 43 edible mini forests, 37 of which are located in the Algarve, with Afonso adding that he has already received expressions of interest in attending these workshops from people in Spain and Belgium.
"We can start with a square of just four square metres and then expand it," he went on. "In other words, our model is always a square. We have a system that starts with a single square."
After three or six months, he emphasised, another square can be added next to that, with the aim being to have more and more areas contributing to regenerative agriculture around the world.
The idea is to have "the maximum number of people making a small oasis that is regenerating a place" and to have more and more people interested in "creating a significant impact" on soil regeneration and the preservation of biodiversity.
On Saturday there will be a workshop at Quinta da Fornalha, in Castro Marim, in the eastern Algarve, presented by the promoters as an introduction to "those who want to learn how to create their own edible mini-forest" and at which organisers will present the method, the characteristics of the two-metre by two-metre model, the selection of plants and nurseries, soil preparation and planting and irrigation techniques.
On Sunday, a ‘Biggest Mini Forest Celebration’ will take place, with field trips to mini forests at different stages of development, socialising and a conversation between two guests who are experts in the methods that inspired the project model, Sónia Soares (Native Forest / Miyawaki Method) and Diogo Santos (Pocket Garden / Syntropic Farming).
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