The project “Mini-Forests, Great Impacts” began in January 2025 and lasted for nine months, as part of the biodiversity and climate adaptation initiatives promoted by the Landscape Laboratory of Guimarães, in collaboration with the Municipality of Guimarães and the schools participating in the PEGADAS (acronym of Programa Ecológico de Guimarães para Aprendizagem do Desenvolvimento Ambiental Sustentável, in English Guimarães Ecological Programme for Learning Sustainable Environmental Development – the Portuguese word Pegadas means Footprints). Throughout this period, more than 1,500 people took part directly, including 400 students from three pilot schools, citizens, and Parish Councils.

The initiative consisted of creating small, dense forests in school settings, using native species and following the Miyawaki Method, an intensive planting technique that enables the rapid regeneration of natural ecosystems and increases local biodiversity. The participating schools transformed degraded or underused areas into educational micro-forests, engaging the entire school community in a hands-on learning process about ecology, climate, and sustainability. These forests were planted densely and diversely, imitating the natural composition of native ecosystems.

The implementation took place in several interconnected stages, according to the Miyawaki Method:
 i) Site identification and preparation – beginning with the selection of a small area within or near the school, usually a degraded or vegetation-free site. The soil is analyzed and improved with organic compost and natural materials, creating ideal conditions for plant growth;
 ii) Selection of native species – choosing trees and shrubs that represent the potential natural vegetation of the region;
 iii) Intensive and random planting – several species are planted in high density (3 to 5 plants per m²), promoting positive competition that accelerates growth and strengthens ecosystem resilience;
 iv) Monitoring and maintenance by students – watering and weeding during the first two years, while recording the forest’s development and observing the appearance of new forms of life.

These mini-forests provide multiple environmental and educational benefits: they improve air quality, increase soil water infiltration, reduce local temperature, capture carbon, and serve as outdoor classrooms. Pedagogically, they help connect subjects such as natural sciences, geography, citizenship, and art through direct experience.
 

Pegadas Guimarães
Pegadas – Environmental Education Program – Landscape Laboratory
What is the Miyawaki Method?
Mini-Forests, Great Impacts
 

SDG 4 – Quality Education
Educational activities applied to the regeneration of nature, improvement of biodiversity, and enhancement of the urban ecosystem.

SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
Community engagement in the responsible use of natural resources to create a sustainable urban space.

SDG 13 – Climate Action
Promotion of human and institutional capacity regarding the mitigation, adaptation, and impact of climate change.
 

1. What environmental and educational benefits do the mini-forests implemented in Guimarães provide?
2. What are the main stages of the Miyawaki Method?
3. How does the Miyawaki Method contribute to the rapid and healthy growth of forests?
 

PEGADAS is a pioneering municipal environmental education programme created to involve schools, associations, and families in building a more sustainable territory. Through activities related to environmental monitoring, sustainable mobility, and waste management, PEGADAS forms a true network of knowledge and climate action across the municipality.
It is recognized as a good-practice example in education for sustainability and has been fundamental in strengthening Guimarães’ environmental strategy, contributing directly to its distinction as the European Green Capital 2026.
 

EDU.IN – Associação para a Educação Integral