Berkeley Technology Academy

A school forest for peace and learning.

Berkeley, California, USA

Miyawaki Forest

School

City

Trees

Square Feet

Native Species

Youth Impacted

SUGi is delighted to bring yet another of its outdoor classrooms to students in Berkeley, with a new Miyawaki forest at Berkeley Technology Academy.

Berkeley Technology Academy (BTA) is a continuation high school diploma program designed to meet the needs of students aged 16-18, who have not graduated from high school, and are deemed at risk of not completing their education.

In restoring biodiversity, the forest at Berkeley Technology Academy will bring back blooming greenery, and the tranquil sights and sounds of nature. As such, it will be a space that cultivates calm and supports mental wellbeing for the teenage students of the Academy, as a reprieve from the chaos and digital overload of modern life.

Forest Maker
Neelam Patil

Forest Partner

“The forest will be an amazing resource for our neighbourhood and a source of peace for our school community. It will improve air quality and be a place students can learn from and study.”
Heidi Webb, Principal of Berkeley Technology Academy

Forest Report: 2023

0 Months

Forest Age

Survival Rate

Average of Tallest 3 Trees

This forest is a small oasis, situated next to a busy road. There are already many flowering shrubs and trees, with some lower plants such as native honeysuckle contributing to ground cover. The forest is not as fully grown as more mature Berkeley sites. It is still easy to tell apart the different plantings as they're not yet overflowing their spaces. We visited the forest near sunset, and saw a small moth and one native bee. We plan to come back during the day to be able to observe additional daytime bugs. There’s not as much leaf litter here as at the Malcolm X site, but it’s coming along.

The trees are still coming into their own - some have grown quickly and are amongst the tallest of the plants (e.g. red alder), while some trees are growing slowly and might take years to get to the height of some of the flowering shrubs.

Biodiversity Notes:

Planting: December 2022

“When we see natural greenery, the mind instinctively calms down. One feels at peace. Located on a busy thoroughfare, this forest will bring access to nature to many students, teachers, and community members.”
Neelam Patil, SUGi Forest Maker

Why Berkeley Technology Academy forest?

The site is currently an unused space with ornamental grass and a few shrubs that do little for biodiversity. By densely planting an abundance of native species, this project will create a protected pocket where wildlife can thrive in the middle of the city.

This forest will support the educational development of the students; the school has a Public Health career pathway where pupils learn about the importance of nature, fresh air and healthy food.