Wiltshire, UK

Lumiar School Forest

A bee-friendly forest in Wiltshire.

Lumiar is a small, self funded school currently with 25 children. The school opens young minds, while encouraging creativity, responsibility and environmental awareness.

The children are full of enthusiasm and eager to learn and care for their environment.

By creating the bee-friendly micro forest, we bring children closer to nature, build biodiversity, boost bees, and have loads of fun!

Forest Maker James Godfrey-Faussett

After approx two years our SUGi Pocket Forests can be classed as self-sustaining at which point they can be handed over to nature and left alone for complexity to naturally develop.

360

trees

120

square meters

native species

The site of Lumiar School Forest in Wiltshire, UK

The pocket forest after 1 year growth

“Lumiar is a small, progressive school that engages children with fun hands-on nature-based activities and learning. Our aim is to create a unique bee friendly native forest with the help of the children and local community.”

— James Godfrey-Faussett

Forest Report: 1 Year

DATE: 20.04.2022

Survival Rate: 98%

Tallest Tree: 250cm

The tallest species is the wild cherry (Prunus avium), with an average girth of 20mm. The forest continues to thrive and reach a good canopy height - weeds are starting to slow due to the increased shade. This is all with zero watering even during the 2022 summer heatwave and drought.

The lower species such as common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), spindle (Euonymus europaeus) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) are really benefiting from the shade and the interaction offered by the taller faster growing species; they are starting to fill out the lower strata layer.

The forest soil shows a clear sign of healthy mycorrhizal fungi establishment.

Forest Report: 6 Months

DATE: 20.10.2021

Survival Rate: 99%

Tallest Tree: 150cm

Forest Report: Planting

DATE: 20.04.2021

Why a Bee Friendly Forest?

Bee populations are diminishing rapidly and alarmingly. By creating a tiny forest of specific native trees that flower successionally, we can offer the bees an almost continual food source and well as their favoured trees for winter hibernation.

The children study and monitor the bees and the many other forms of biodiversity that Miyawaki forests make possible.

SUGi Forest Maker

James Godfrey-Faussett

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