Professional Service
Friends of Lake Claremont
19/11/2024–19/11/2024Presentation title: 'Miyawaki Forests: bringing a touch of magic into our cities'
Presentation to the Friends of Lake Claremont on the benefits of urban greening and using the Miyawaki method for rapid urban greening.
Professional Service
Conservation Council of WA
27/10/2024–27/10/2024Presentation title: 'Miyawaki Forests: bringing a touch of magic into our cities'
Presentation as part of a Forest Fundraiser for 'Browned Off' documentary by Jane Hammond.
Professional Service
Transition Town Vincent: My Healthy Soils Program - community presentation
Transition Town Vincent
24/09/2024–24/09/2024Presentation title: 'Miyawaki Forests: bringing a touch of magic into our cities'
Presentation for Transition Town Vincent - Healthy Soils program on the benefits of urban greening and using the Miyawaki method for rapid urban greening.
Professional Service
Wildflower Association of Western Australia - community presentation
Wildflower Association of Western Australia
04/09/2024–04/09/2024Presentation title: 'Miyawaki Forests: bringing a touch of magic into our cities'
Presentation to the Wildflower Asosoication of Western Australian - northern branch
Service to the Institution
12/08/2024–12/08/2024Presentation for Nation Science Week for Murdoch University
Presentation title: 'Miyawaki forests: magic in our cities'
Service to the Profession
Miyawaki Forest and Urban Forests Symposium 2024, Yokohama Japan - Executive Committee
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Morino Project
05/2024–20/10/2024International Symposium: Miyawaki Forests and Urban Forests
－ Towards the Creation of Miyawaki Forests as Nature Labs in Schools
Objectives:
- To bring together key experts, enthusiasts and supporters of Miyawaki Forests and other urban forest initiatives to discuss how to increase the scale and implementation of urban forest ideas
- To bring together key organisations, such as UNCCD, UNEP, FAO, IUCN, WWF, UNESCO and ICRAF, who could help support and promote urban forest concepts globally
- To discuss experiences and strategies for urban forest implementation, in particular, school-forest experiences and strategies globally, and to come out with recommendations for scaling up and coordination.
- Explore the potential of Miyawaki forests as nature labs in schools.
- Discuss how these labs can connect young people and children with land, nature, and biodiversity.
- Showcase successful school implementations of Miyawaki forests.
- Share strategies for fundraising and resource mobilization for school-based nature labs.
- Highlight how Miyawaki Forests can be used to increase awareness about climate change, biodiversity loss and land restoration.
From October 10-14, 2024, the International Symposium on Miyawaki Forests and Urban Forests was held at Yokohama National University (YNU). The symposium featured presentations showcasing the diverse potential of Miyawaki forests in addressing urban and environmental challenges.
Total Number of Participants: 149 (87 from 27 overseas countries, 62 from Japan)
Secretary General: Makoto Nikkawa (Secretary General of MORINO PROJECT) info@morinoproject.com
Executive Committee: Kazue Fujiwara, Elgene O. Box, Grey Coupland, Teruko Sano, Mio Urata, Shin-ichi Suzuki, Kazuhiro Mizuta
Organizers: Muralee Thummarukudy, Director, Global Land Initiative, UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Bonn, Germany,
Organizers: MORINO PROJECT (鎮守の森のプロジェクト)
Professional Service
Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute
27/02/2024–27/02/2024The expert panel discussed aspects of WABSI’s research program Building biodiversity for thriving urban ecosystems identifies priority knowledge gaps along four key themes: Conserve – remnant vegetation, native fauna; Restore – habitat restoration, water for biodiversity; Design – best practice design, climate change resilience; and Equip – decision- making tools, value of ecosystem services.
There is a global network of forest makers that help build biodiversity and regenerate urban areas by planting Miyawaki or pocket forests, drawing inspiration from nature’s ecosystems. I was asked to discuss my research into Miyawaki forests – specifically what is the Miyawaki method, how do I create pocket forests and in particular, how do I involve local communities with this work.
Professional Service
14/09/2023–14/09/2023The Kids Teaching Kids program fosters peer-to-peer learning, where students from primary and high schools learn about sustainability and environmental, brainstorm solutions, and present their findings to other students.
The conference theme was "Hotspot Hot Shots: Standing up for what makes us unique" to highlight the huge biodiversity present in Mandurah and the Perth and Peel region. The aim to inspire students to become stewards of our local flora and fauna.
Grey was selected for the expert panel due to the Miyawaki forest outreach program, which engages children with environmental action and helps to bring biodiversity back into our city and urban areas
Professional Service
Rotary Club
03/04/2023–03/04/2023Presentation title: 'The remarkable capacity of Miyawaki forests to bring biodiversity back into our cities, and engage the community and citizen scientists'
Presentation to the Rotary Club Claremont on Miyawaki Forests and the benefits they can provide to the urban landscape and community
Professional Service
Rotary Club
14/03/2023–14/03/2023Presentation title: 'The remarkable capacity of Miyawaki forests to bring biodiversity back into our cities, and engage the community and citizen scientists'
Presentation to Rotary Club members on Miyawaki Forests and their capacity to green our urban landscape and engage the community in environmental action.