Edwina Robinson (second from left) says transforming a quiet part of Canberra’s north is about more than just planting trees for a nice view. Photo: Mitch Porteous.
Something green is coming to north Canberra.
Since 2020, the Microforest Collective’s Edwina Robinson has worked with teams to plant microforests in three Canberra suburbs – Downer, Watson and Holt – as well as Blackall Park in Queanbeyan and St John’s Parish in Moruya.
Their latest effort, in Dunlop, is set to bloom from late March.
A microforest is a small area that is densely planted with native plants to increase biodiversity, create extra shade and, of course, sweeten a street’s view.
“You’ll still be able to walk your dogs; you’ll still be able to kick the ball if you want to; you can still run,” Edwina says.
“This will just give you a bit more shade and habitat in your area, particularly in summer.”
The Dunlop microforest will take over space on Buncle Place, behind the nearby Woolworths, and feature 1500 native plants, rocks for seating and a dry creek bed.
“At the moment, the playground doesn’t have any planting around it, so we’re going to create an extra garden bed that links the playground to the microforest,” Edwina says.
“We’ll just be creating a more attractive and more varied environment [with] a bit of biodiversity.”
It will be the Microforest Collective’s fourth project in Canberra, and Edwina says Dunlop was chosen after concerns were raised about a lack of shade and urban heat.
“In terms of suburbs, we were looking at those suburbs that had been identified in that CSIRO report as being at risk. That’s why we looked at Dunlop,” she says.
She says a CSIRO report showed Dunlop had 12 per cent canopy cover, not even half the ACT Government’s target of 30 per cent cover by 2045.
Edwina at the Downer Microforest, which was built in 2020. Photo: The Climate Factory.
Landscaping and construction works are scheduled to start on 24 March and will last for about a week (if weather allows).
Canberra-based company JT4 Garden Service has been brought on to complete the first stage of the works, which will include digging trenches to catch rainwater.
“We do what’s called water harvesting, which is trapping the rain water that falls on the site and holding it so it can infiltrate into the surrounding soil,” she says.
“That really helps get the micro forest established.”
Afterwards, Edwina says several planting days will be scheduled from April onwards, during which residents and volunteers can get their hands dirty.
Monthly meetings of a volunteer maintenance group are also on the cards once the plants start to sprout.
For Edwina, the spread of the microforest movement to communities across the ACT and NSW is thrilling, with established ones being used by regular visitors and parent’s groups.
“It just shows the actions a community can make when they come together. We can do it ourselves in our public spaces – but also in our home gardens, too,” she says.
“You can take these ideas home.”
Despite being built in different locations, the projects are tied by a common thread of planting seeds so cities and towns can become more environmentally and community friendly.
“It’s really nice [to hear from people] that we’re creating some really nice spaces outside for people to enjoy and get away from town or suburbia,” says Edwina.
For further information on the Microforest Collective, as well as how you can plant one in your suburb, visit Microforest Collective.
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