Nedlin plants a Tiny Forest

Next to De Regenboog primary school in Hoensbroek, a real forest has recently started to grow. 620 trees on 200 m², a forest as large as a tennis court. With 26 different species of trees and shrubs, the first Nedlin Tiny Forest is a paradise for birds, insects, and small mammals. And for people too, as children and local residents can enjoy this special place with its outdoor classroom.

Native Species

The Tiny Forest concept comes from the mind of Indian engineer Shubhendu Sharma. He bases his work on the forestry method of Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese tree expert. According to Miyawaki, the most sustainable and resilient forests consist of native species. Therefore, each Tiny Forest contains at least 25 different tree species, chosen based on thorough research into the region's original vegetation. For Tiny Forest De Regenboog, these include species like sweet cherry, black poplar, wych elm, and English oak.

Shrubs like red dogwood, goat willow, and guelder rose also have a place in the forest. “The trees are planted very close together,” says Luuk de Win, director of Nedlin, “so they push each other upwards.” Initially, pioneers will shoot up: species that can handle fluctuations in temperature and nutrients well. “This way, the forest can grow quickly.” Later, the climax trees will follow: trees like the common ash and wych elm, which can fiercely compete for their place. Eventually, Tiny Forest ‘De Regenboog’ will develop into an ash-elm forest.

Reflecting on a Sustainable Future

Amidst all the greenery stands a wooden lesson board surrounded by thick tree trunks: the outdoor classroom for the children of the adjacent primary school. "The children designed it themselves," says co-director Stef de Win. This way, they connect with the philosophy behind the Tiny Forest, and there is space for nature education, facilitated by IVN.

That awareness is one of the most beautiful aspects of this project for Stef and Luuk, perfectly fitting the values of a family business that wants to make a difference. “Planting trees is one of the ways to combat climate change. This makes it a wonderful initiative to involve children in. It gives them the chance to think about the future and what a sustainable future means.”

A True Collaboration Project

For Stef and Luuk, the involvement of De Regenboog is particularly special because they spent their primary school years there. On the planting day, they even had the pleasure of welcoming the former principal, now 81 years old. Representatives from the municipality of Stein and IVN, the main partners, were also present. These organizations invited local groups to join the initiative, including the primary school, the neighborhood association, the local scouting group, and the IVN branch.

“IVN is in de lead”, vertelt Luuk. “Zij brengen alle partijen samen. De gemeente heeft de grond beschikbaar gesteld en deelt in de kosten voor aanleg.” Indirect zijn ook de klanten van Nedlin bij het project betrokken. “Sinds twee jaar geven we onze klanten geen kerstcadeau meer, maar stoppen we dat geld in het Tiny Forest-initiatief van IVN. Elk jaar geven we aan dat we deze sponsoring doen. We krijgen daar mooie reacties op van klanten die ermee bekend zijn.”

A Good Neighbor

The Nedlin Tiny Forest has truly proven to be a collaborative project and a wonderful way to get to know the neighborhood and municipality in a different light. “All those parties worked hard to make this project a reality,” says Luuk. “They were also present on the planting day. The fact that so many people were involved was a lovely surprise for us. We found it very special to see.”

The second Tiny Forest is already in the planning stages, this time in the municipality of Stein. This project will also be a collaboration with the municipality and IVN.

For initiator and sponsor Nedlin, the Tiny Forest is a way to be ‘a good neighbor.’ This is one of the goals in our Sustainability Program. Luuk: “Being a good neighbor means seeking connections with your surroundings and trying to contribute something positive. Ideally, in a sustainable way. How wonderful is it to return to your roots, just a stone's throw from our laundry in Hoensbroek? It’s special to be able to do something extra right here.”