Miyawaki Method · Portugal · Since 2022
High-density native mini-forests in shipyards, schools, companies and care homes — growing 10x faster than a conventional forest.
About the Project
The Ilhas de Biodiversidade project was born in 2022 with the planting of the first Miyawaki mini-forest inside the Lisnave naval shipyard in Setúbal. Since then, 9 islands have been created across Setúbal, Lisbon, Sesimbra, Seixal and Oeiras.
Founded by Vítor Gordo, the project combines documentary photography, scientific monitoring and community engagement to create self-sustaining ecosystems in unlikely spaces — shipyards, schools, motorway stations, care homes.
"What we plant today, the next generation will call a forest."
The Method
Developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, this method replicates the principles of primary forests: high density, multi-layered diversity and rich soil. The result is a forest that grows 10 times faster, with 20 times more species and up to 30 times denser than conventional methods.
Portfolio
In Preparation · Nov 2026
Escola Sant'Lago, Setúbal · Ecowitt sensors planned from day one.
Real-Time Data
Ecowitt sensors on 3 islands continuously measure soil moisture, temperature and rainfall. Open data, real science.
Surface readings at Lisnave's 2nd island, Mitrena shipyard, Setúbal: a 21.2°C differential the same day, metres apart. The forest isn't decoration — it's climate infrastructure.
Volumetric water content in soil at 10 and 30 cm depth
Soil and air temperature — correlation with seasonality
Accumulated precipitation to correlate with growth
Photographic record of species observed in each island
Partners
Naval shipyard · 3 islands · Partner since 2022
Escola Superior de Comunicação Social (ESCS), Lisbon
School of Engineering, Lisbon · 2 islands
A5 Service Station, Oeiras · 90 volunteers
Public school · Seixal
Ground cover · Amora island
Irrigation pots · Escola Secundária Amora (ESA)
National network of Miyawaki mini-forests
Part of the Mini-Forests Network of Portugal — a network of 6 organisations dedicated to expanding the Miyawaki method nationwide.
Our 9 planted islands plus the 10th in preparation, across the Lisbon and Setúbal region, alongside the other mini-forests of the national network registered on the ODS Local portal — the municipal platform for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our 9 planted islands plus the 10th in preparation, within the 69 mini-forests registered in Portugal.
See the network on the ODS Local portal ↗Press
As part of the Osaka in Portugal programme, the Osaka Expo 2025 Biodiversity Island was planted at Escola Secundária Sebastião da Gama, in Setúbal, with an 8th grade class, teachers and Lisnave employees.
National television report on the islands planted at shipyards, service stations, schools and nursing homes, featuring photographer Vítor Gordo.
Biodiversity islands create high-density micro-forests
In Setúbal, at Lisnave, there is a micro forest inside the shipyard
Network to create miniforests across Portugal
Miyawaki Forests — Capgemini Portugal
Setúbal: Biodiversity takes centre stage at Lisnave
Mini-forest network and the Portugal–Japan connection
What if we could create forests in urban (and industrial) settings?
Lisnave to have a new micro-forest planted by the workers' families
Documentary
youtube.com/@ilhasdebiodiversidade
youtube.com/@ilhasdebiodiversidade
youtube.com/@ilhasdebiodiversidade
youtube.com/@ilhasdebiodiversidade
youtube.com/@ilhasdebiodiversidade
youtube.com/@ilhasdebiodiversidade
youtube.com/@ilhasdebiodiversidade
Blog
Autumn begins today, and it is also the first anniversary of this urban mini-forest in Setúbal. 150 native trees turned an unused schoolyard corner into a miniature climate refuge — we went back to see what a year of growth has changed.
Read more →I photograph whatever shows up inside the islands — a bumblebee on a flower, a ladybird, the insect hotel. Those photographs became illustrations, and the illustrations became organic cotton t-shirts. For every piece sold, we plant two native trees or shrubs in the next island.
Read more →45 months after planting, we measured the temperature at Lisnave, in Setúbal. Asphalt at 39.2 °C, ship hull at 37.7 °C, inside the MiniForest at 28.0 °C. The first Biodiversity Island in an industrial setting in Portugal brings the on-site temperature down by 11.2 °C.
Read more →Contact
If you have a company, school, institution or urban space where a mini-forest makes sense — talk to us. Every island starts with a conversation.
