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.