Every day, scientists and environmentalists search for new and inventive ways to restore forests as ecosystems around the world continue to disappear. But often, the most impactful solution isn’t all that cutting-edge. Rather, it comes from seeking answers from our history. 

Akira Miyawaki, whose research transformed the way many people think about reforestation, understood this truth all too well.

Born in 1928 in Okayama, Japan, Miyawaki dedicated his life to studying plant communities and the way forests naturally develop. His work focused on how plants would naturally grow in a particular area if humans had not altered the landscape.

Through his research, Miyawaki began noticing something that would eventually reshape his entire approach to........

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