Science celebrated at Tiny Forest at West Berkshire Community Hospital
Nature brought people together at the West Berkshire Community Hospital last month.
A science day was held at the on-site Tiny Forest as the hospital and charity Earthwatch Europe joined forces.
The Tiny Forest was planted in 2021 and is a dense, fast-growing, native woodland made up of 600 trees planted in a tennis court-sized plot.
This urban forest is up to 30 times denser than conventional tree planting and so maximises the benefits per square metre of land.
Organiser and wellbeing therapist at West Berkshire Community Hospital Christine Stockwell said: “The Tiny Forest not only supports the local wildlife and habitats, combats climate change and offers a range of educational tools, but it also brings a piece of natural beauty to the hospital.
“As a wellbeing therapist, I spend a lot of time with patients in our therapy gardens which are hugely helpful with supporting the treatment of our patients.
“Spending time in nature is proven to help our mental health, and I hope that our Tiny Forest will soon be another space for patients to use.”
The key environmental benefits of a Tiny Forest include carbon capture from the atmosphere, flood risk mitigation, supporting urban cooling, and its ability to attract more than 500 new animal and plant species over the first three years.
The Science Day was not only an opportunity to collect valuable data, but a way for members of the local community to connect with nature, engage with the research, learn about scientific methods used and understand the benefits of having a Tiny Forest in the local area.
Senior project manager for Tiny Forests at Earthwatch Europe Ben Williams said: “A Tiny Forest brings the benefits of a forest right into the heart of urban spaces, and it is brilliant to see the one at West Berkshire Community Hospital thriving.
“Hosting Science Days allows us to bring communities together, and it was wonderful to see the local children engage in our data collection which is so important for our research.”
