How to grow a forest in your backyard | Shubhendu Sharma

Summary

The speaker, an industrial engineer turned entrepreneur, shares his innovative approach to creating man-made forests that can thrive in urban environments. He details the process of soil preparation, native species selection, and layering to mimic natural forests. By harnessing nature's methods and starting with soil analysis, adding microorganisms, and planting in layers, they've successfully established 75 forests globally. These forests not only attract biodiversity but also regenerate themselves, requiring minimal maintenance, showcasing a sustainable model for urban greening.

Takeaways

• 🌳 The concept of a 'forest' can be adapted to various spaces, from large areas to small gardens.
• 🌱 The speaker has a two-year-old forest in their backyard that supports a rich biodiversity.
• 🐦 The forest ecosystem provides a natural wake-up call with bird calls, akin to a 'Disney princess' experience.
• 👩‍💼 The speaker is an entrepreneur who professionally facilitates the creation of such forests in diverse settings.
• 🏢 They have assisted a variety of clients, including factories, farms, schools, homes, resorts, apartment buildings, public parks, and zoos.
• 🌿 A forest is seen as an integral part of urban life, not just a separate natural area.
• 🌍 The speaker contrasts industrial production, which irreversibly converts natural resources, with nature's regenerative processes.
• 🌱 The process of creating a forest involves starting with soil, enhancing its properties with local biomass, and introducing microorganisms to enrich it.
• 🌲 Native tree species are identified and used, respecting the pre-human intervention ecosystem.
• 🌳 The forest is structured in layers, with careful consideration of tree species ratios and their ecological roles.
• 🌱 The forest's growth is nurtured through careful watering and weed management, eventually becoming self-sustaining.

Q & A

What is the age of the man-made forest mentioned in the script?

The man-made forest mentioned in the script is two years old.

How does the speaker describe waking up to the sounds of their forest?

The speaker describes waking up to the sounds of their forest as waking up like a Disney princess, indicating a sense of joy and enchantment.

What is the speaker's profession in relation to creating forests?

The speaker is an entrepreneur who professionally facilitates the making of man-made forests.

What types of locations has the speaker helped to create forests?

The speaker has helped create forests in factories, farms, schools, homes, resorts, apartment buildings, public parks, and even a zoo.

What is the speaker's perspective on the definition of a forest?

The speaker defines a forest as a place dense with trees, regardless of size, where one cannot simply walk into it.

How does the speaker's approach to creating forests differ from industrial production?

The speaker's approach to creating forests involves working with nature by bringing elements together and letting nature take over, as opposed to industrial production which separates elements from nature and converts them into an irreversible state.

What is the process of creating a forest as described by the speaker?

The process involves starting with soil, identifying its properties, adding local biomass to improve porosity and water retention, introducing microorganisms to produce nutrients, selecting native tree species, dividing them into layers, planting saplings close together, and maintaining the forest with watering and weed removal until it becomes self-sustaining.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of using native tree species in forest creation?

The speaker emphasizes using native tree species because they are the ones that existed before human intervention and are naturally suited to the local environment.

How does the speaker ensure that the soil has the necessary nutrients for plant growth?

The speaker ensures soil nutrition by adding microorganisms to the soil, which naturally produce nutrients by feeding on the biomass mixed into the soil.

What role do microbes and fungi play in the health of the forest according to the script?

Microbes and fungi play a crucial role in the health of the forest by forming a network throughout the roots, helping transport nutrients to trees and contributing to the formation of a healthy fungal network, which is indicated by the appearance of mushrooms after rain.

How does the speaker's method of forest creation mimic natural forest growth?

The speaker's method mimics natural forest growth by creating a dense network of roots and microbes, which hold the soil and recycle nutrients, and by allowing the forest to become self-sustaining through the production of humus from fallen leaves, which feeds the forest.

Outlines

00:00

🌳 Urban Forest Creation

The speaker, an entrepreneur and industrial engineer, discusses the concept of creating man-made forests in various spaces, from large areas to small gardens. They share their personal experience of waking up to the sounds of a diverse ecosystem in their own backyard forest, which is only two years old. The speaker's professional work involves helping various establishments like factories, farms, schools, and public spaces to establish such forests. They emphasize that forests are not just isolated natural habitats but can be integrated into urban environments. Drawing from their industrial background at Toyota, the speaker contrasts the irreversible industrial production process with the cyclical nature of natural systems, where products can revert to being natural resources. They have facilitated the creation of 75 such forests worldwide, utilizing locally available elements and letting nature take its course.

05:02

🌱 The Science of Forest Regeneration

The speaker elaborates on the process of creating a forest, starting with soil analysis and enhancement to support plant growth. They explain the importance of soil porosity for water retention and the introduction of microorganisms to naturally produce nutrients. The speaker discusses the identification of native tree species by studying pre-human intervention ecosystems, sacred groves, and historical records. They describe the stratification of forests into shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy layers, and the strategic planting of saplings to avoid competition for space. The use of mulch to maintain soil moisture and the initial stages of root development are highlighted. The speaker also details the forest's growth, the role of microbes and fungi in nutrient distribution, and the self-sustaining cycle of the forest once established. They conclude by explaining how this method allows for the creation of a mature forest in a fraction of the time it would naturally take, with minimal ongoing management.

Keywords

💡Man-made forest

A man-made forest, as described in the video, is an artificially created ecosystem designed to mimic the structure and biodiversity of a natural forest. It can be established in various spaces, from large areas to small gardens. The video emphasizes the importance of these forests in urban environments, showcasing how they can be integrated into our daily lives and contribute to biodiversity. The speaker's own backyard forest serves as a personal example of this concept, attracting various species and serving as a wake-up call filled with bird calls.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in an area, including the number of species, their genetic diversity, and the complexity of their interactions. In the context of the video, the man-made forest is highlighted as a habitat that attracts and supports a wide range of species, contributing to the overall health of the ecosystem. The speaker's experience of waking up to bird calls exemplifies the direct impact of biodiversity on personal well-being.

💡Urban existence

Urban existence pertains to the way humans live in cities and built-up areas, often characterized by a separation from nature. The video challenges this notion by suggesting that forests can be an integral part of urban landscapes, not just isolated natural areas. The speaker's work in creating forests in various urban settings, such as schools and public parks, illustrates how nature can be reintegrated into our cities.

💡Natural habitat

A natural habitat is the natural environment in which a plant or animal species lives and to which it is adapted. The video discusses how human development has led to a departure from our natural habitats, with cities like São Paulo being built on former forest lands. The speaker's initiative to create man-made forests aims to reconnect humans with their natural habitats and the broader ecosystem.

💡Industrial production

Industrial production is the process of manufacturing goods through mechanized processes and the conversion of natural resources into products. The video contrasts this with the natural system, where elements are combined in a way that is reversible and sustainable. The speaker's background in industrial engineering and car manufacturing at Toyota is used to draw a parallel between the linear, extractive nature of industrial processes and the cyclical, regenerative processes of nature.

💡Native tree species

Native tree species are those that naturally occur in a particular region without human introduction. The video emphasizes the importance of using native species when creating man-made forests to ensure the ecosystem is in harmony with the local environment. The speaker describes methods of identifying native species, such as surveying national parks and sacred groves, and consulting historical records and artifacts.

💡Soil preparation

Soil preparation involves conditioning the soil to provide the necessary conditions for plant growth, such as porosity, water retention, and nutrient content. In the video, the speaker details the process of assessing and amending the soil to create a suitable environment for the forest. This includes adding local biomass to improve soil structure and introducing microorganisms to naturally produce nutrients.

💡Microorganisms

Microorganisms are tiny organisms that play a crucial role in ecosystems, including decomposition and nutrient cycling. The video explains how introducing microorganisms to the soil in a man-made forest helps produce nutrients naturally, contributing to a healthy and self-sustaining ecosystem. This approach aligns with the video's theme of working with nature's processes rather than against them.

💡Forest layers

Forest layers refer to the different strata of vegetation in a forest, including the shrub layer, sub-tree layer, tree layer, and canopy layer. The video discusses the importance of replicating these layers when creating a man-made forest to mimic the structure and biodiversity of a natural forest. This layered approach ensures a balanced ecosystem with various species coexisting and contributing to the forest's health.

💡Mulch

Mulch is a layer of material spread on the surface of the soil to help retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weed growth. In the video, the speaker describes using a thick layer of mulch in the man-made forests to protect the soil and young saplings from extreme temperatures and to maintain soil moisture, which is essential for the early growth of the forest.

💡Self-sustaining ecosystem

A self-sustaining ecosystem is one that can maintain its functions and biodiversity without external inputs once established. The video concludes by highlighting the goal of creating man-made forests that become self-sustaining, regenerating themselves over time and requiring minimal human intervention. This is exemplified by the forest's ability to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and recycle nutrients through the decay of organic matter.

Highlights

Man-made forests can be created in various sizes, from acres to small house gardens.

The speaker's own backyard forest is just two years old and attracts significant biodiversity.

The speaker is an entrepreneur who professionally facilitates the creation of such forests.

Forests can be integrated into urban environments, including factories, farms, schools, homes, and public parks.

A forest is defined as a dense area of trees, regardless of size.

The world was once predominantly forested before human development.

The speaker and their team create forests professionally, using natural processes rather than industrial methods.

Nature produces by bringing elements together, unlike industrial production which separates them.

The speaker's team has created 75 forests in 25 cities worldwide by working with nature.

Soil preparation involves identifying its properties and enhancing it with local biomass for better water retention.

Microorganisms are added to the soil to produce nutrients naturally, rather than adding them directly.

Native tree species are identified through research and surveys to ensure the forest's ecological authenticity.

Forests are structured in layers: shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy, with specific ratios and species percentages.

Seeds are collected and germinated, with care taken to plant trees of the same layer apart to avoid competition.

A thick layer of mulch is used to maintain soil moisture and protect the roots from extreme temperatures.

The forest's root system forms a mesh that holds the soil and supports a network of microbes and fungi.

As the forest matures, it becomes self-sustaining, with a dense canopy preventing weed growth and retaining moisture.

The forest floor remains moist due to the dense canopy's ability to condense moisture from the air.

Decaying leaves on the forest floor create humus, providing food for the forest and supporting its exponential growth.

These forests are designed to regenerate themselves indefinitely, with minimal management needed once established.

The speaker's method can create a 100-year-old forest in just 10 years by growing trees collectively.

Transcripts

This is a man-made forest.

It can spread over acres and acres of area,

or it could fit in a small space --

as small as your house garden.

Age of this forest is just two years old.

I have a forest in the backyard of my own house.

It attracts a lot of biodiversity.

(Bird call)

I wake up to this every morning,

like a Disney princess.

(Laughter)

I am an entrepreneur

who facilitates the making of these forests professionally.

We have helped factories,

farms,

schools,

homes,

resorts,

apartment buildings,

public parks

and even a zoo

to have one of such forests.

A forest is not an isolated piece of land where animals live together.

A forest can be an integral part of our urban existence.

A forest, for me,

is a place so dense with trees that you just can't walk into it.

It doesn't matter how big or small they are.

Most of the world we live in today was forest.

This was before human intervention.

Then we built up our cities on those forests,

like São Paulo,

forgetting that we belong to nature as well,

as much as 8.4 million other species on the planet.

Our habitat stopped being our natural habitat.

But not anymore for some of us.

A few others and I today make these forests professionally --

anywhere and everywhere.

I'm an industrial engineer.

I specialize in making cars.

In my previous job at Toyota,

I learned how to convert natural resources into products.

To give you an example,

we would drip the sap out of a rubber tree,

convert it into raw rubber

and make a tire out of it -- the product.

But these products can never become a natural resource again.

We separate the elements from nature

and convert them into an irreversible state.

That's industrial production.

Nature, on the other hand, works in a totally opposite way.

The natural system produces by bringing elements together,

atom by atom.

All the natural products become a natural resource again.

This is something which I learned

when I made a forest in the backyard of my own house.

And this was the first time I worked with nature,

rather than against it.

Since then,

we have made 75 such forests in 25 cities across the world.

Every time we work at a new place,

we find that every single element needed to make a forest

is available right around us.

All we have to do is to bring these elements together

and let nature take over.

To make a forest we start with soil.

We touch, feel and even taste it

to identify what properties it lacks.

If the soil is made up of small particles it becomes compact --

so compact, that water cannot seep in.

We mix some local biomass available around,

which can help soil become more porous.

Water can now seep in.

If the soil doesn't have the capacity to hold water,

we will mix some more biomass --

some water-absorbent material like peat or bagasse,

so soil can hold this water and it stays moist.

To grow, plants need water, sunlight and nutrition.

What if the soil doesn't have any nutrition in it?

We don't just add nutrition directly to the soil.

That would be the industrial way.

It goes against nature.

We instead add microorganisms to the soil.

They produce the nutrients in the soil naturally.

They feed on the biomass we have mixed in the soil,

so all they have to do is eat and multiply.

And as their number grows,

the soil starts breathing again.

It becomes alive.

We survey the native tree species of the place.

How do we decide what's native or not?

Well, whatever existed before human intervention is native.

That's the simple rule.

We survey a national park

to find the last remains of a natural forest.

We survey the sacred groves,

or sacred forests around old temples.

And if we don't find anything at all,

we go to museums

to see the seeds or wood of trees existing there a long time ago.

We research old paintings, poems and literature from the place,

to identify the tree species belonging there.

Once we know our trees,

we divide them in four different layers:

shrub layer, sub-tree layer, tree layer and canopy layer.

We fix the ratios of each layer,

and then we decide the percentage of each tree species in the mix.

If we are making a fruit forest,

we increase the percentage of fruit-bearing trees.

It could be a flowering forest,

a forest that attracts a lot of birds or bees,

or it could simply be a native, wild evergreen forest.

We collect the seeds and germinate saplings out of them.

We make sure that trees belonging to the same layer

are not planted next to each other,

or they will fight for the same vertical space when they grow tall.

We plant the saplings close to each other.

On the surface, we spread a thick layer of mulch,

so when it's hot outside the soil stays moist.

When it's cold,

frost formation happens only on the mulch,

so soil can still breathe while it's freezing outside.

The soil is very soft --

so soft, that roots can penetrate into it easily,

rapidly.

Initially, the forest doesn't seem like it's growing,

but it's growing under the surface.

In the first three months,

roots reach a depth of one meter.

These roots form a mesh,

tightly holding the soil.

Microbes and fungi live throughout this network of roots.

So if some nutrition is not available in the vicinity of a tree,

these microbes are going to get the nutrition to the tree.

Whenever it rains,

magically,

mushrooms appear overnight.

And this means the soil below has a healthy fungal network.

Once these roots are established,

forest starts growing on the surface.

As the forest grows we keep watering it --

for the next two to three years, we water the forest.

We want to keep all the water and soil nutrition only for our trees,

so we remove the weeds growing on the ground.

As this forest grows, it blocks the sunlight.

Eventually, the forest becomes so dense

that sunlight can't reach the ground anymore.

Weeds cannot grow now, because they need sunlight as well.

At this stage,

every single drop of water that falls into the forest

doesn't evaporate back into the atmosphere.

This dense forest condenses the moist air

and retains its moisture.

We gradually reduce and eventually stop watering the forest.

And even without watering,

the forest floor stays moist and sometimes even dark.

Now, when a single leaf falls on this forest floor,

it immediately starts decaying.

This decayed biomass forms humus,

which is food for the forest.

As the forest grows,

more leaves fall on the surface --

it means more humus is produced,

it means more food so the forest can grow still bigger.

And this forest keeps growing exponentially.

Once established,

these forests are going to regenerate themselves again and again --

probably forever.

In a natural forest like this,

no management is the best management.

It's a tiny jungle party.

(Laughter)

This forest grows as a collective.

If the same trees --

same species --

would have been planted independently,

it wouldn't grow so fast.

And this is how we create a 100-year-old forest

in just 10 years.

Thank you very much.

(Applause)