Ascot Hills Micro Forest

This 10,000 square foot micro forest in LA features 850 native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials planted on a south-facing slope in Ascot Hills Park in Northeast LA. This micro forest adapts and modifies the Japanese Miyawaki Method of afforestation to create dense, climate-adapted native habitat in Los Angeles, taking lessons learned from the pilot micro forest planted in Griffith Park in 2021. All plants were grown from locally-sourced seeds in partnership with Grown in LA and North East Trees.

Biodiversity, carbon, and survivorship research is being conducted by students and faculty at Loyola Marymount University. At only 18 months old, the micro forest is already supporting 50% more biodiversity than an adjacent control plot, and is sequestering one ton of carbon annually, with an estimation of 55 tons of carbon sequestered per year after 20 years.

Planted: January 2024

Sponsor: Waste Management

Designed by: Seed to Landscape

Partners: LA Parks, North East Trees, Loyola Marymount University, Ascot Hills Park Advisory Board, Grown in LA, Natural Urban Forests