As part of our commitment to nature and environmental education, MST students have been actively participating in tree-planting and reforestation efforts. On 13 October, MST partnered with Silva, a nonprofit company dedicated to reforesting the Shonan International Village Meguri no Mori.
Invited by Silva and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (UNCCD), along with the G20 Global Land Initiative team, MST students participated in the International Symposium's "Planting Tree" event. During the event, MST students were symbolically recognized for their commitment to creating forests that could thrive for 9,000 years, promoting sustainability and environmental restoration for future generations.
A month later, students and teachers joined the Nurturing Forests Festival and the reforestation techniques our students are learning, like “Wind Mowing,” mulching, and composting are helping them gain hands-on experience in forest conservation and sustainable practices.
At the core of Silva’s approach to reforestation is the nurturing care of “baby plants” (young saplings between 3 to 5 years old) as they grow strong enough to thrive independently in the forest.
Silva teaches methods such as Wind Mowing, where wild plants are folded rather than uprooted to limit their nutrient competition with saplings. This allows the wild plants to remain part of the ecosystem without overtaking nutrients that the baby plants need. Mulching is also vital, as it retains soil moisture and warmth, which will be especially important during winter months, while also nourishing the saplings as mulch biodegrades.
This trench, filled with layers of leaves, charcoal, soda (a bundle of branches) will foster a thriving environment for microbes that create soft, nutritious soil. As the trench matures, we hope to see a lush “green carpet” spreading across the MST Garden, creating a habitat for native wild plants.
The Greening Garden and MST’s collaboration with Silva offer our students more than a chance to beautify their surroundings. These projects instill lessons in environmental stewardship, respect for nature’s ecosystems, and the power of working together to nurture life. Here’s to a greener future, one seed, one leaf, and one garden at a time.
–Naoko Kikkawa, Sustainability Lead
