SUGi

🇬🇧Talk & Walk | London | SUGi x Terra.do 📆 Saturday, 7th September | 10:00 - 13:00 🌳 Register Now https://lu.ma/k2xarr77 📍Chelsea Library ⏱️ Duration: 45 mins talk + 2 hour walk Limited to 40 spaces — first come first serve. About the event: Talk: — Welcome, Introduction Intro to speakers — Intro to SUGi — Principles and history of the Miyawaki method - Why our forests grow quicker and survive better? — The importance of Nature-based solutions in mitigating the climate and biodiversity crises. — Working in Nature-based solutions — Audience Q&A Walk: Visiting local SUGi Pocket Forest  — Heritage Forest — St Luke’s - Natura Nostra Forest — Serenity Forest — Holy Trinity Brompton - Natura Nostra Forest

🟢 Green Deserts: Landscapes that appear green and lush on the surface but lack biodiversity and ecological health. 🏙️ In cities across the world ‘green spaces’ are characterized by manicured grass lawns and orderly parks, and are often hailed as ‘urban oases'. However, these landscapes are deceptive. They are what we call green deserts, expanses that, lack biodiversity, ecological value and more often respite from extreme weather patterns.  📜 Did you know that manicured lawns were originally a symbol of status of the “aristocracy and gentry”. They would deforest larger parts of their land into grass instead of using it to produce food. 🟩 Green deserts symbolize a uniformity that prioritizes a single species of grass over a rich variety of plant life. However, the approach fails to provide sustenance or habitat for wildlife, undermining the ecosystems they are supposed to support as they require excessive water, fertilizers, and pesticides. These kind of resources, while maintaining the lawns’ pristine appearance, contribute to environmental pollution and water scarcity. 🍃 The ecological sterility of these spaces can change! What if we incorporate native trees, plants and wildflowers into these spaces? Native species that are well-adapted to local climates, require less water and maintenance and play a crucial role in reviving urban biodiversity creating habitats for humans and biodiversity to flourish. 🌎🌍🌏 From London, UK to Karachi, Pakistan: we have been implementing these changes in 53 cities around the world transforming pockets of green deserts into wild, native sanctuaries. 🌿 Some success stories: “Forest of Thanks” (the biggest Miyawaki forest in Europe) was planted in 2019 with 30,000 trees over 1 hectare in Parsloes Park (Barking & Dagenham) and our “Berkley School Forests”, in San Francisco, USA saw the transformation of unused lawns into Outdoor Classrooms for over 2000 students.  🐛 These are just a few pocket forests that offer glimpses into the potential of more diversity in our cities as they support a wide range of insects and birds, making them thriving urban micro-ecosystems. 🍄 When we stroll through our city parks and admire their neat lawns, is it time to consider a transformation? By embracing diversity and ecological design, we can turn these green deserts into vibrant, living landscapes that benefit both the environment and urban dwellers.

🌏We’re ramping up Nature-based Solutions by launching a busy fall calendar of planting over 30 SUGi Pocket Forests around the globe. 🌳Meanwhile, I’ll be joining a climate action panel at Terra Tuscany. Moderated by Kristin O'Connell together with Gregg Meyer and Lee Pearson we’ll dive into how we foster stakeholder engagement and drive lasting impact. 🧑🌾Community is central to all we do at SUGi, and I’m excited to share our story with a broader audience of doers and influencers. Thank you Marvin Rottenberg, Terras x illuminem  for making this possible. #TerraTuscany #SUGi #Biodiversity

Are you ready to join a fast-paced, dynamic global community? Do you believe in greening cities and reimagining urban experiences? Then, come join us at SUGi.  Creative Content Writer  🔗 Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/e8mJCQaB Note: applications sent per email (only) to the indicated address will be reviewed.

🇿🇦 From Cape Town’s first SUGi Pocket Forest to creating a joint movement of thriving ecosystems, community, love, and joy. After completing the SUGi Fellowship in 2021, Aghmad Gamieldien, founder of Mzanzi Organics and SUGi Forest Maker, has been planting pocket forests around Cape Town where they are most needed: transforming dumpsites and unused lots into spaces where community members can meet, interact, and reconnect with nature. So far, SUGi supported the creation of four pocket forests, with another in the works for the fall: the District Six Heritage Forest. These efforts have involved planting over 4,500 trees of 22 native species, impacting over 2,600 youths. The initiative, in partnership with local primary schools and community groups, not only introduces native trees and shrubs but also simulates the intricate layers of a natural forest, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem in the heart of the community. In short, the forests have become a hub for community engagement, serving as an outdoor classroom for local schools and a space where musicians create music alongside the students. “We cannot ignore our history, we cannot ignore the apartheid legacy of how our cities were planned and we cannot ignore the fact that our leafy suburbs in Cape Town are only leafy suburbs because someone planted trees there 100 years ago. So these trees were not planted in the Cape Flats in our townships. This project that we’re doing is holistically looking at how we transform our townships into leafy suburbs. How do we create green spaces that are lacking?” — Aghmad Gamieldien 🌳 Find out more about about the forests: link in Comments Forest Maker: Aghmad Gamieldien Mzanzi Organics Photography: Rizqah Dollie, Olwethu Singama, Christian Helgi and Aghmad Musicians: Sibusile Xaba and Biopelo

SUGi Talks 🎙️🌿 EP.12  — Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild with Lucy Jones Journalist & Author What would happen our minds if one day we woke up to a world with no trees, forests, or even grass? If birds and butterflies were a thing of the past, and green spaces were non-existent. What if our only experience of Nature was through a simulation on a screen?    This is the stark future depicted in the opening of Lucy’s book Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild. It traces her own journey through addiction and depression, recalling the healing impact of Nature in her own recovery while diving deep into the studies and research that point to why being in Nature makes us feel good. In this episode of SUGi Talks we speak to Lucy about why she felt compelled to write Losing Eden, and together we explore the research that explains the science behind our profound connection to the living world. List to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/e5MK26ga Make sure you Like and Subscribe wherever you get podcasts for more SUGi Talks. 🌿 Photo by: Stuart Simpson/ Penguin

🇮🇳 Enhancing green cover and combating drought in 12 schools. 🏫 These forests together help to build sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient schools throughout the district and expose the children of these schools to the knowledge of plants and their ecological, cultural, and health benefits on which the ancient Ayurveda is based. 🌳💧The Aurangabad region is severely affected by loss of green cover and drought, where ground water now runs as deep as 70 metres, driven deeper with the loss of forests that play a crucial role in balancing the water cycle. 💡Through this project, we hope to inspire the inhabitants of surrounding towns, who are the rightful custodians of these forests. The answer to the water scarcity issue lies in the effective conservation of forests, rivers, and lakes. These Miyawaki forests conserved with love will play their valuable role in creating an ecological balance which this region direly needs. Forest Maker CARPE | EcoSattva EcoSattva

Let’s talk dirt 🌱Soil preparation is one of the cornerstones of our methodology and the stage that takes the most time and effort. The wild growth of SUGi Pocket Forests are linked to the care that’s put in! The end goal is to produce a forest floor type soil where the texture is friable, almost spongy, with water and carbon retention balanced. Most importantly a thriving healthy soil biology is supported. “The soil dreams of being a forest”  – Magdalena Valdes SUGi Forest Maker & Founder of Bosko.cl

How fun — “Pocket forests”. #rewilding #reforestation. The health, wellness, biodiversity, social and ecological benefits are huge! Get with others to rewild your yard, neighborhood, town or city. Why the hell not? #letsgo 🌳 ~ Rob Create a pocket forest — “It’s a blip of land, barely bigger than a single tennis court, but still large enough to contain almost 1,500 plants representing 47 native species: oaks, hemlocks, beach plums, and shagbark hickories.” (for example in New York City) 🏙️ WHY do we want to create these tiny forests? Great answer — “greening cities and reimagining urban life” by planting miniature forests that improve biodiversity, build community, and foster climate resilience. Wahoo! I am totally in. 🪴 Your typical pocket forest — “Pocket forests are singular urban spaces very much worth visiting. They are designed to be thick, unruly, and unmanicured. They’re often made in forgotten places and feature native plant species that once flourished in their respective locations before development.” So many great benefits: 1: Oases for tranquility and reflection — “This is “urban acupuncture,” a “healing forest” that can improve the quality of life not just for the land, but for people who stroll or lounge nearby.” 2: Higher plant diversity — “the trees are packed tightly together, usually no more than a foot or two apart. Pocket forests are also unique for the huge variety of plant species they feature. The idea is to create urban spaces that mimic the old-growth forests that were cut down to build cities around the world.” 3: Higher survival rates — “Plants in pocket forests have a survival rate of about 90% — far higher than in more conventional reforestation projects.” 4: Carbon sequestration benefits — “Urban trees store more than 700 million tons of carbon, or “approximately 12.6% of annual carbon dioxide emissions in the United States.” 5: Biodiversity benefita — “Urban plants absorb rainwater, clean the air, and help improve the health of the soil. They also give shelter to birds, bugs, and other creatures that contribute to local biodiversity.” 6: Super cool social benefits — “Urban trees have also been associated with lower crime rates, stronger social cohesion, better immune systems, and improved mental cognition.” Lastly, as the climate gets hotter — “the cooling effects of tree shade will continue to grow more important. A mini forest, small but mighty, can help.” ❤️ Afar Harrison Hill SUGi Elise Van Middelem Christina Delfico Afforestt Ethan Bryson Natural Urban Forests #reforestation #urbanforests

📣 We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 SUGi x NAVA Photo Contest. Check out the winners here: https://lnkd.in/esgWUFK7 We received 10,061 submissions from 970 Photographers, so many of which really embodied the contest theme. The jury certainly had a tough time deciding, but felt that the selected winning images best showed us how to bring nature closer. ⭐️ Congratulations to the winners! Grand Prize Winner: Mauricio Holc Alt Landscape – 1st Prize: Peter Essick Alt Landscape – 2nd Prize: Owen Davies Climate – 1st Prize: Lucas Amorelli Climate – 2nd Prize: J Henry Fair Conceptual – 1st Prize: Pola Esther Conceptual – 2nd Prize: Bongani Natural Diversity – 1st Prize: Scifier Natural Diversity – 2nd Prize: Amirhossein Yousefi Keysar New Nature – 1st Prize: Nasrah Omar New Nature – 2nd Prize: Matthew Renew People & Nature – 1st Prize: David Olayide People & Nature – 2nd Prize: Finn O'Hara Urban Waterways – 1st Prize: Azim Khan Ronnie Urban Waterways – 2nd Prize: Francesca Berardi Urban Wildlife – 1st Prize: Jason Au Urban Wildlife – 2nd Prize: Kristine Vann People's Choice Award: Michele Lapini 🌳 Big Thanks to the judges: Christabel Reed: Co-Founder & Co-Director of Earthed & advaya Aya Okawa: Photographer   Nicole Archibeque: Co-Founder/Partner, NAVA Contemporary Daniel Diego Lincoln: Creative Director, SUGi