~ POSTPONED ~

This class will be moved to a later date. Stay tuned for more information! 

A Forest from Scratch?

In this time of widespread ecological decline, mini forests are rapidly emerging as small-scale, attainable solutions.

From lawns to roadways to city parks, one method for planting these mini forests–called the Miyawaki Method–offers a unique and effective series of steps for turning degraded spaces into beacons of biodiversity–and quickly.

Since its development in the mid-twentieth century, the Miyawaki Method has helped thousands of land stewards rewild the most unlikely places. This planting technique was developed by a renowned Japanese botanist, Akira Miyawaki, and uses intimate knowledge of succession and forest health to promote the establishment of woodland vegetation on otherwise depleted land. Miyawaki mini forests quickly outpace conventional restoration, becoming self-sustaining ecosystems in under 10 years. 

The benefits of this high-density, adaptable planting method are still being studied, but observed outcomes include:

• Slowing and stopping erosion,
• Filtering water and contaminants,
• Bolstering habitat, and ...
• Educating communities, many deprived of regular contact with nature.

The Horn Farm Center is home to some of the first deciduous Miyawaki experimentation plots in the United States.

This offers fertile ground for spreading the seed of mini-forest inspiration. 

In this class, we’ll tour the Horn Farm’s Miyawaki plots to showcase different stages of development and see rapid restoration in action. Discussing the ecological underpinnings of the method, we’ll cover foundational concepts including site prep, soil, succession, plant selection and placement, and upkeep. We’ll also engage hands-on by preparing a planting area and learning how to select appropriate trees and shrubs. 

Join us to learn this versatile, time-tested, and deeply satisfying approach to helping nature thrive! To learn more about the Miyawaki method and the Horn Farm's mini forests, visit our blog: Planting Seeds of Resilience: The Miyawaki Method

This program is hosted in partnership founder and lead land steward of Keystone Rewilding, Matt Cameron. 

Inside a Miyawaki mini forest at the Horm Farn Center, just two growing seasons after planting. 

Program Schedule

See below for a more detailed breakdown of this class. Schedule is subject to slight alterations based on weather and timing: 

9:30 - 11am | Miyawaki in the Field

• Historical and ecological background
• Tour of 2-5 year-old Miyawaki mini forests
• Hands-on : ground prep practice

11:15am - 12:15pm | Planning a Miyawaki 

• Hands-on : tree selection practice

12:15-12:45pm | Lunch
12:45-2:15pm | Sowing a Mini-Forest Revolution

• Hands-on : tree selection practice cont. 
• Tour of 8 year-old Miyawaki mini forest
• Concluding Q&A

Three-year-old Miyawaki mini forest in the winter at the Horn Farm Center 

Program Notes:

Timing: The anticipated duration of this program is 3 hours (1:30 - 4:30pm). However, an extra half hour is included to provide additional time for planting and Q&A if needed. Attendees can expect to spend between 3 and 3.5 hours at the farm for this program.

Environment: This class will take place outdoors. Please check the weather in advance and dress accordingly. Be prepared for walking on uneven terrain and potentially muddy conditions. This class will also involve hands-on work that includes digging and planting, so outdoor work clothes that you can get dirty are encouraged. All tools will be provided. 

Arrival: Parking takes place in the field above the farmhouse. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early so we can begin the class on time. 

Cost: The cost for this program is $76/person. Sliding scale options are available to increase accessibility.  

All programs are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances including inclement weather. Participants will receive an email in the days preceding the program for any changes or cancellations. You can review our current Cancellation and Refund Policy here. 

About the Instructors:

Andrew Leahy

Andrew is an avid forager and student of wild spaces, interested in rekindling ways of living on the landscape that are place-sourced and mutually nuturing. Moving to the Lower Susquehanna Region from the mountains of Northeastern PA in 2021, he currently serves as the Educational & Outreach Speciaist for the Horn Farm Center.

With an academic background in English literature and music composition, Andrew has since embraced ecological learning and lifelong wildcrafting, fostering his skills through the Horn Farm’s training programs and the Northern Appalachia School’s Foundations of Bioregional Herbalism program. In addition to leading monthly foraging walks and special topics courses, Andrew co-teaches the Horn Farm’s 10-week Forager Training Program.

Beyond the Horn Farm, Andrew enjoys hiking, biking, gardening, locavorous cooking, and  bioregional living. He leads a book club for the Lancaster Composting Co-Ops, volunteers as a land steward with the Lancaster Conservancy, and spends Saturdays selling produce at Green Circle Organics in Lancaster Central Market.

Matt Cameron

Matt Cameron has worked as a native gardener and land steward for almost a decade. He graduated from the Horn Farm’s Land Steward Training Program in 2022. Since then his work has been centered on restoring healthy ecosystems by treating gardens as living, interconnected parts of the wider landscape—spaces that support both human life and wildlife. His approach is shaped by a lifelong curiosity about how people have related to land across cultures and time. Matt studies primitive cultures, practices ancestral skills, and spends his free time trail running, rock climbing and exploring the outdoors with his two sons. Matt founded Keystone Rewilding to make rewilding and ecological resilience accessible at a grassroots level, empowering people to steward the land they already touch with care, intention, and respect.