Brookton community comes together to transform old tennis court into native forest and yarning circle

The old tennis courts at the Brookton Community Garden were transformed into a forest of native trees with a yarning circle during a community planting day last month. The planting day on July 16 was hosted by Carbon Positive Australia and led by Dr Grey Coupland, with the Brookton Community Garden team helping to plant a Miyawaki ‘pocket forest’. Carbon Positive Australia chief executive Louise Tarrier said the small forest was planted using the Miyawaki method created by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, which involves densely planting several native tree species to grow a multi-storey forest canopy. The method is commonly used to establish forest ecosystems on degraded land in urban areas within a shorter amount of time. Ms Tarrier said it was the first pocket forest they had planted within a community space in WA. “They (Brookton Community Garden) cleared the old asphalt of the old tennis court and then prepared the ground, which was thick dark clay so that was quite interesting,” she said. “Dr Grey designed the forest layout and in the middle is a space for a yarning circle so people can come and use the forest and then have this space to yarn.” Ms Tarrier said the planting day was a good opportunity for the local community to work on a project together. “All of the community came out, Olive Bennell did a welcome to country and we had the Brookton Bandicoot Girl Guides come out and help,” she said. Ms Tarrier said the forest would have benefits for the local community as well as positive impacts for biodiversity and the climate. “It provides a wonderful amenity for the general public because it provides shade, a yarning circle and it’s also a great way to get the community involved and working together on a project that benefits everybody,” she said. “We know that when people actively take part in planting trees they have ownership, which is really interesting because when people tend to feel ownership of the space it’s often well-looked after into the future.” Community groups interested in planting a pocket forests can contact, pollyanna@carbonpositiveaustralia.org.au