What Can a Forest the Size of a Classroom Do?
In highly developed places, land often feels like it’s all spoken for—paved streets, crowded neighborhoods, office parks, and backyards squeezed into small rectangles. But what if we told you that even a patch of ground no bigger than two parking spaces could change the ecology of an entire block?
That’s exactly what’s happening in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where tiny, densely planted MicroForests are turning overlooked fragments of land into living ecosystems.
The New York Times recently spotlighted this growing movement. The results are inspiring. Small, scrappy parcels that were once dismissed as “too small to matter” are now becoming vibrant habitats. They cool the air, filter stormwater, and create places where both people and wildlife can thrive.
Why MicroForests Matter
1. Restoring the “in-between” spaces
Not every community can create a new park, but almost every community has slivers of land that go unused: the edges of schoolyards, vacant corners behind shopping centers, strips between sidewalks and parking lots. MicroForests thrive in these spaces, turning the overlooked into the indispensable.
2. Tangible benefits in just a few years
Because they are planted densely using a method inspired by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, MicroForests grow at an astonishing rate. Within just a few seasons, they begin to:
Cool streets and reduce the urban heat island effect
Absorb stormwater, reducing flooding and runoff
Create habitat for pollinators, songbirds, and other urban wildlife
And because they are planted with native species, these benefits ripple outward into the wider ecosystem.
3. Low maintenance, high return
Unlike a lawn, a MicroForest doesn’t demand endless mowing, fertilizers, or irrigation. Once established, they largely take care of themselves as resilient ecosystems that continue to mature with little input from people. This makes them not just ecologically powerful, but also economically sensible.
Scaling Up Small Interventions
What makes this idea revolutionary is scale. One classroom-sized forest might seem modest, but imagine dozens scattered across a city, or hundreds dotting suburban neighborhoods. Together, they stitch green back into the fabric of our developed landscapes.
In places where traditional conservation feels impossible, MicroForests show us that restoration can be flexible, creative, and deeply local. They bring ecological function to communities that have been told there’s no room for nature, and in doing so, they make room for hope.
Want to Learn More?
📖 Read the full New York Times feature here: Tiny Forests Bring Big Benefits in New Jersey
At Plan It Wild, we believe every square foot counts. Whether it’s your backyard, a forgotten lot, or the edge of a school playground, there’s always potential to rewild. Small steps, sometimes just the size of a classroom, can add up to transformative change.