Toulouse, France

Jolimont Primary Forest

A green lung for the ‘pink city’

Jolimont Primary Forest will be planted in the heart of Toulouse, the fourth largest city in France and nicknamed "the pink city". With a surface of 400 Sq m, this urban forest will be located in front of the entrance to the primary school. It will be an important oasis, bringing clean air and supporting biodiversity, along with physical and mental wellbeing, in this increasingly built-up municipality.

The project involves several local volunteer and community groups, working together with the school. The students will be involved in all stages of the project, from planting the trees according to the Miyawaki method, to watching and tracking their growth year after year.

SUGi looks forward to giving this land back to nature, making a contribution to the overall aim of re-greening this ‘pink city’ and encouraging the city community to reconnect both physically and spiritually with nature.

Forest Maker Micro-forêts Toulouse

600

TREES

200

SQUARE METERS

NATIVE SPECIES

The site of Jolimont Primary Forest in Toulouse, France

The pocket forest after 9 months growth

“Let's sow, plant without fear, there are no bad seeds. All plants contribute to the fight against global warming!”

— Elisabeth Guillabert, Lead Project Volunteer

Forest Report: 9 Months

DATE: 24.11.2022

Survival Rate: 96%

Average of Tallest 3 Trees: 130cm

Jolimont Primary Forest is yet another example of the resilience of the Miyawaki method, specifically in the case of drought. The forest certainly suffered due to the heat of summer 2022 but overall it held up very well and survival rate is excellent. The forest benefited from 4 hours of watering on July 7 and July 26 from a water tank, then 2 hours of watering on August 8 just before the watering ban. In mid-August, around thirty dry trees were counted, and by the end of September, after one or two showers, a few dry trees were growing back from the base. The Norwegian maple (Acer platanoides) is the tallest species currently.

Mushrooms have been observed in the forest - mushrooms are the fruit of underground fungal hyphae forming and a sign of important initial fungal colonisation in the soil.

This pocket forest is a real joy within the school community and for local people. The school pupils who planted these trees proudly show off their work to their families, whilst local residents are also increasingly coming to take a look at the forest. It is becoming a real community hub.