Tuscon, Arizona, USA
Rose Community Forest
Creating a resilient forest for a heat-vulnerable community
The creation of Rose Community Forest will transform a dusty parcel of land into a thriving ecosystem and community space.
Arizona now regularly experiences extreme heat, with temperatures reaching over 45° celsius/ 115° fahrenheit. This Miyawaki forest will include several Xeric (drought-tolerant) species of plant and the project will be critical to creating resilient areas of shade and encouraging cooler temperatures, that will in turn protect both people and planet.
Rose Community Forest will sit in the heart of suburban Tuscon. It will be an important haven for wildlife and provide a tranquil space for the local community to enjoy, thanks to a network of footpaths that will be integrated into the forest.
Visitors will be able to soak up the sights and sounds of nature, engendering an appreciation of our natural world and the importance of protecting it, whilst also offering some much needed respite to the chaos and digital overload of modern life.
Forest Maker Ethan Bryson
2,200
TREES
7,000
SQUARE FEET
20
NATIVE SPECIES
“Growing up in Tucson I remember waking up in the morning to the sound of white winged doves cooing. I loved to wander through the saguaro “forests” nearby where these beautiful birds shared a diverse habitat. When people think of the desert they imagine a barren landscape where nothing can grow. But there are descriptions about the riparian zone near Tucson’s Santa Cruz River from before the 20th century when massive flocks of birds would darken the sky for hours. With the help of the Miyawaki Method and looking to enhance the soil food web we hope to help accelerate the return of those conditions that once supported massive flocks.”
— Ethan Bryson, SUGi Forest Maker
Forest Design
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