The late Japanese ecologist and botanist Akira Miyawaki developed this planting method in the 1970s. He wanted to re-create lush native forests preserved in sacred areas near temples and shrines in Japan.
He imagined a place before people and what vegetation would have naturally existed. This concept of potential natural vegetation helped him select different native species for projects. He then planted a variety of trees tightly together. He found that these forests competed for sunlight and nutrients, which forced them to grow up to 10 times faster than if they had taken root on their own. {read}