Next September, we will launch the participatory process for the creation and maintenance of an urban mini-forest at ISEG.
This process is part of the TERRARE research projectThe project is an action-research project for eco-social regeneration, coordinated by SOCIUS/CSG researcher Oriana Rainho Brás and supported by ISEG Sustainability. FCUL, a pioneer in the creation of urban mini-forests in Portugal, is a partner of the project.
Throughout the fall and winter months of 2023, eco-social workshops will be held to involve the university community and develop the necessary knowledge to create and maintain a forest according to the “tiny forest” method proposed by biologist Akira Miyawaki. This method follows the principles of natural succession, through the dense planting of native species that allows their rapid growth in small spaces of up to 300m2. The model of tiny forest brings several benefits such as the diversification of local fauna and flora, carbon absorption, water fixation, thermal regulation and soil regeneration. Members of the ISEG community are invited to participate in the creation of this forest, which aims to be a living and participatory laboratory from planning, design, implementation, care and enjoyment.
The project launch takes place this summer with the coverage of the land chosen for the mini-forest, next to the Francisco Pereira de Moura Library, at the back of the Francesinhas I building. This methodology will be applied to eliminate invasive weeds without damaging the topsoil, so that it is prepared for planting. The project also has the partnership of Valorsul – Valorização e Tratamento de Resíduos Sólidos das Regiões de Lisboa e do Oeste, SA., which will provide the organic compost to enrich the soil.
The TERRARE research project aims to reflect on the eco-social processes involved in the creation of an urban mini-forest, the participation of the university community and the dynamics of research on soil regeneration through reforestation and community involvement.
A forest for the university, a university for the forest. Positive values and actions in the present and for the future.