HOW ITS DONE

RESEARCH AND SEED COLLECTION

We find trees species that existed prior to human intervention. We find this information to find seeds for in national parks, museums, sacred groves, and ancient artwork. During this phase we determine the type of native forest that we will be planting… depending on location and micro climate, we can have a fruit forest, pine forest, or even a flowering forest. We collect seeds and seedlings from forests to fill the shrub, sub tree, tree, canopy layers for our forest. During this phase we determine the size and density of the forest to be produced. Using this information, we develop ratios and density percentages for each tree species to develop a layout plan for the Planting Phase.

SOIL TREATMENT

We conduct tests on the soil to determine the gradation and nutrition supplements that are needed to make the soil a living breathing element of the forest. If the soil is lacking in gradation (which will impede water flow and retention) we will add local biomass (peat or begass) to improve the movement of water and support the network of roots that will be living here. We approach this and all phases from a non industrialized perspective and never directly add any nutrients to the medium. We add microorganisms, which will eat and multiply and give nutrients and life to the soil so that it becomes a soft and comfortable forever home for its new inhabitants.

GERMINATION

We carefully tend to the seeds we collected during the research phase in a propagation bed. After the seedlings are sufficiently grown (several leaves of growth), we transplant them from the propagation bed to their seeding bed pots. The plants then remain here to grown in their seeding beds under a shaded roof (approximately 60%) for 1 - 2 months. Shade is then decreased to 30% - 40% for the subsequent couple of months.

PLANTING OF SAPLINGS

After 2 - 4 months of tending to the plants in the germination process, we then transfer them and their pots to the location where they will be planted. They will remain in their pots for 1-4 weeks to acclimate to the natural conditions of their new home (lighting, wind, temperature).

Finally, we plant the carefully-tended-to saplings based on the layout plan we formulated during the Research and Seed Collection Phase. We make sure that saplings of the same layer are not planted not next each other such that the forest can have the proper consistency and density to allow for it to be self sustaining in the years to come. Lastly, we lay down a thick layer of mulch over top the base of the saplings, such that little to no water added to the forest would be lost to evaporation and that the roots stay insulated during cold weather throughout the Growth Phase.

GROWTH

The most significant period of growth happens during the first 3 months, all beneath the layer of mulch we laid after we completed transplanting the saplings from their pots into the ground. After 3 months, the roots reach a depth of about 3 meters! These roots are imperative to the health and longevity of the forest during the remainder of its lifespan. They create a tightly woven mesh that serves as a highway of nutritional exchange for the trees. Once the roots are established, more significant growth can be observed above the soil.

During the growth phase, we tend to the ecosystem by periodically watering and removing any weeds or invasive species that may be taking away water or nutrients from our forest. As time goes on, we gradually reduce the amount of tending to and water that we add to the growing forest, until it lives completely independently from human intervention and care. The tending process typically does not exceed more than 3 years.

LIVING FOREST

At this phase, the density of the forest creates an ecosystem that creates a self sustaining water cycle within the forest. The forest floor remains moist and rarely sees the sunlight, advantageously, weeds can no longer grow as steadfastly as they once did. The roots at this phase have created a network with each other such that they can share nutrients if any other trees or plants are lacking. In addition to the network of nutrients happening beneath the forest floor, the forest begins to feed itself. When leaves fall from their branches, once they reach the moist and dark forest floor, they very quickly begin decaying into biomass which becomes humus, which is food for the forest!

Once these cycles are established, the forest continuously regenerates itself over centuries to come!