– Jean-Baptiste from Restore Forest

First question Roseline, when you are at a party, how do you say in a few words who you are and what you do?

– Roseline from Alvéoles en ville

So who am I? A person who has no profession but passions. I’m rolling out a project called “Alvéoles en ville” with my associate partner Nathalie Lelong. It’s not a company, it’s a project that aims to create a network of cells of micro-forests in the city. Within the city and for the attention of companies, actors of the city. We have decided to focus only on the business world. Companies that have a real ambition to develop a network of micro-forests, in line with their strategy. We do not realize the micro-forests ourselves, it is the mission of our partner, Urban Forests.

– Jean-Baptiste

How did you discover the Miyawaki method of micro-forests and how you have applied it over the years?

– Roseline

I didn’t discover the Miyawaki method first. In my research on urban forests, I first discovered the company “Urban Forests”. On its site, Urban Forests showed the implementation of a planting method that had been designed by scientists and on which there was already a lot of feedback. Maybe not in Europe. But in the world, there was already a lot of feedback.

Since then, the company Urban Forests has become our partner through its founder Nicolas de Brabandère, for the development of micro-forest cells. Nicolas has a scientific background. He continues to train constantly, particularly on soil biology, which is one of the key factors for the success of micro-forests. He is someone who never stops questioning himself, who has no certainty. Today, nuance is true courage. Nicolas knows when to say “I don’t know”. For me, it’s reassuring compared to some people who shout loud and clear that they know everything about the Miyawaki method, or others who don’t know it but criticize it with a lot of certainty. Last summer with its heat wave was a real test for us. One of the micro-forests was planted in March 2022 before the summer drought. Not a single drop of water and temperatures at 38°C, with nighttime lows of 28°C. In the end, the micro-forest resisted very well thanks to the upstream work with a 90% survival rate.

On the side of “Alvéoles en ville”, our job is to first convince a large company to make it a global project and to support them from the start of the project and beyond the plantation. Quickly, they understand all that the project and the deployment of the micro-forest cells can bring them. In particular, we have set up a global project with a company, Foncière Logement, to create a network of at least forty micro-forests.

– Jean-Baptiste

“Alvéoles en ville” has already made a significant contribution to mini-forests. How is your business structured?

– Roseline

“Alvéoles en ville” never seeks land. We are looking for companies involved in the city, which could be interested in this ambitious project to create their network of urban micro forests. Our wish is to transform the city and its urban environment. We want urban residents to benefit from these pieces of nature.

Our role is to support companies to integrate into their strategy this project of creation of a network of mini-forests. Our strength comes from our mutual experiences. I mainly support companies in the feasibility study with Nicolas and in the project management side for the deployment of the network of mini forests. Nathalie Lelong, my partner, has accompanied many leaders in the communication of their strategy and the commitment of their teams. Her work is to make it as a project that makes sense and is fully in line with the company’s strategy. In fact, we support the company in its internal communication to involve all its stakeholders. Meaningful for everyone, far from greenwashing. We are only looking for companies that wish to carry this project: it will be carried by the management, the presidency, the directors and the whole community of the company and its stakeholders. Our support then covers very broad topics: strategy, communication, organization, coordination between the many stakeholders, awareness, information, deployment, technical monitoring, etc.

– Jean-Baptiste

This network of micro-forests that you are creating, these corporate projects, when did you start? And since then, how many micro-forests have you planted?

– Roseline

I had the first contact with a real estate developer at the end of 2020, who then connected me in May 2021 with the person who is still carrying out the project thoroughly at Foncière Logement. They have a property portfolio of more than 37,000 homes throughout France. On June 20th, 2021, at the request of the management team, I presented the project to the board of directors: its President and the board were immediately convinced by the project. The Board team then decided to commit to a network project of around forty micro-forest cells! Together, we transform lawn areas into micro-forests for residents. The project is part of Key commitments from Foncière Logement.

The first micro-forest was planted on November 25th, 2021. We planted two others in March 2022 then ten between September and December 2022. At the end of 2022, we have therefore already planted 13 mini-forest cells out of the 40.

We will certainly plant a dozen more in 2023. I am currently being asked to work on residential projects that are in the study phase because micro-forests are now systematically integrated into new projects in the study phase.

– Jean-Baptiste

Typically, for creators of classic mini forests, finding the land and money for the project is the biggest challenge. In your case of corporate project, what is your biggest challenge?

– Roseline

The challenge for us is to find a company that has already environmental and associated societal ambitions. Finding a company that really wants to create a network of several micro-forests is at the heart of our approach. We seek to engage with companies that really have this sincere desire to mobilize and with whom we can co-construct a real corporate project. We are looking for quality partnerships. We prefer to do well and thoroughly, rather than to do a lot. We want people to remember us because we did things really well and we brought companies a project that makes their eyes shine and provide a support from A to Z that they enjoy every day.

– Jean-Baptiste

What do you think is the most important step in order to finally have a project and a forest that will be sustainable?

– Roseline

For the forest itself, it is first the preparation of the soil that is really important.

For the project, it’s the participatory side that is great. We have had great experiences with participatory plantations. In the follow-up also, it is necessary to make aware the companies which will manage these micro-forests. It is exciting. We have created with Nicolas a monitoring grid so that each company makes a regular inventory of all our mini-forests. As soon as there is a problem, they contact me. The management of micro-forests is essential.

The green space companies that manage residences are used to watering, pruning, making things “clean”. Three elements for which it is necessary to change their way of thinking and their way of doing. Letting Nature take care of these three key elements is crucial for the development of the micro-forest. There is a whole pedagogical work on this.

We have also created a comic strip with a comics author. It’s a fun and effective way to explain micro-forests to young and old alike. Foncière Logement has just ordered 1,000 new copies!

– Jean-Baptiste

From a project management point of view, what is your best experience in getting the company and the community on board?

– Roseline

In my opinion, this is our strength given our respective experiences. Nathalie knows very well the business world and its complexity, more than 25 years of experience in communication and project management. For my part, my experience of supporting change in business – I am also a coach – completes my knowledge of landscaper/urban planner. We are two passionate people and manage to share our story and our motivation to carry out these projects. We identify the right people in the company, our relays who want to follow this adventure, by seeking a strong commitment from management.

– Jean-Baptiste

In all these projects that you set up with companies, what is the part that you appreciate the most?

– Roseline

During 25 years of practicing the profession of DPLG landscape architect and urban planner, the most satisfying moments were when I managed to convince elected officials that the landscape is a land development value, because it is always in full evolution.

We named the project “Alvéoles en ville” so that the city breathes like the cells of our lungs and also to create a network like that of the honeycombs of bees. We want the cells of micro-forests to become an element of the development of the city. As always, what brings me real happiness is convincing our partner companies and involving them with us in city improvement projects.

Meeting new people is also one of the enriching moments of the project. In companies, I like to discuss with those who become our internal spokespersons. Also during the plantation events. Next week, we are initiating a new network of cells by planting the first one with Nicolas, the managers and more than 100 employees of the company, it will be great!

For this micro-forest, we set up a scientific monitoring. I enjoy it because I’ve never done it. Thus, I contacted the research laboratory of a regional university and spoke with four researchers with different backgrounds. Learning, embarking on adventures in areas that I do not know, I love it!

– Jean-Baptiste

In the end, what is your secret mission, your real objective behind these micro-forest plantations? What are the real benefits you see?

– Roseline

It’s both to make the city breathe and to bring nature back to the city. What we want is to “enforest” the city. Nature, for me, is without human intervention. The Wageningen University in the Netherlands has studied the positive impact of urban micro-forests. It highlighted the contribution to biodiversity and its enrichment. The number of species of insects, birds, small mammals is constantly growing.

The objective is to bring nature back to the city, to the neighborhoods. With Foncière Logement, we are planting most of the micro-forest cells in renewal of urban districts. I like it a lot because we bring natural cells to less well-off neighborhoods. Micro-forests must be accessible. Micro-forests on motorway embankments, why not, but that doesn’t interest us. On land that has no use, it’s good, it always brings a benefit. But our objective is to improve the city with these cells so that they can be in contact with its residents. And it isn’t easier!

– Jean-Baptiste

In a year, if I come back with a bottle of champagne, what will we celebrate? What is your biggest challenge or goal for the coming year?

– Roseline

As long as I’m having fun, I want to push this project to the end. One day maybe, I’ll pass the torch because I want to set up a new project.

Currently, my challenge is to see the first micro-forest that we planted on November 25th, 2021 in Champigny sur Marne grow. It has already grown well, it was not watered during the heat wave. My objective is therefore for Foncière Logement to be thrilled and want to come and drink champagne with us on the edge of this micro-forest!

– Jean-Baptiste

What three resources or books have been helpful to you on your urban nature restoration journey?

– Roseline

I don’t have any particular books to recommend. I studied landscape architecture at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage in Versailles, so I already had a good theory base. My reflections were then nourished by the press and research. In particular, the World Health Organization released at the time of COVID 6 prescriptions for a #HealthyRecovery, two of which are: “Protect and preserve the source of human health: nature” and “Build healthy and livable cities”. This shows the benefits of nature on health. When I wrote the book “Health and living well at work – 100 questions to understand and act” with the HR Head of the AFNOR group, we also integrated the definition of health by the WHO which is: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and does not consist only in the absence of disease and infirmity”. This definition appears in the 1946 preamble to the WHO Constitution and has not been amended since. For me, health is global. Micro-forests play a large part in this. It is prevention. In addition, when we plant, it helps to create social relationships. Without a social link, the human being dies. The link is vital.

– Jean-Baptiste

Who is the next person you would recommend me to meet, to inspire me on mini forests or even more broadly on the conservation of nature in the city?

– Roseline

There is a person that I love, it is Francis Hallé. He has an incredible approach and vision of plants, trees and the environment in which trees live in interdependence. I love listening to him.

There is also Akira Miyawaki’s assistant, Kazue Fujiwara. They are truly reference people. They have an approach that I like. They say: “I experiment, I advance step by step and I do not advance that I know everything”. We learn by walking.

– Jean-Baptiste

Last question, if you had a huge billboard with a message for everyone to see, what message would you like to convey?

– Roseline

I will write “Breathe! Take advantage of living environments and bring them back to life! “.