In a unique collaboration between MINI and renowned Climate Science & Sustainability Broadcaster James Stewart, a recent journey through southern England has brought renewed focus to the outsized environmental value of small green spaces. Travelling between three of MINI UK’s Tiny Forest sites on a single charge in the all-electric MINI Countryman, Stewart uncovered not only the tangible growth of the forests themselves, but the growing impact they are having on communities, wildlife and public engagement with sustainability.
Planted in partnership with environmental charity Earthwatch Europe, MINI has established 14 Tiny Forests across the UK since 2021—each one no larger than a tennis court but densely packed with more than 600 native trees. Collectively, these micro-forests now span nearly 2,844 square metres, roughly the size of five professional basketball courts, and are estimated to attract around 500 new animal and plant species per site. This vision of small-scale biodiversity is a timely reminder of nature’s ability to thrive even in urbanised settings—when given the chance.
James Stewart, recently recognised by Harvard University as a ‘climate creator to watch’, documented his visit to three of these dynamic green spaces located in Oxford, Swindon, and Newbury. Navigating the journey in the new MINI Countryman Electric, which offers up to 287 miles* of electric range (*WLTP combined), Stewart demonstrated the viability of sustainable travel while drawing attention to the ecological importance of the Tiny Forest initiative.
Each stop on the route revealed how these miniature woodlands are evolving. Planted by over 1,600 volunteers—including schoolchildren, hospital workers, university students, and local councillors—each site not only serves as a haven for biodiversity but also as a tool for education and community wellbeing. Armed with gardening tools, comfortably stowed in the Countryman Electric’s generous 1,390-litre boot, Stewart measured the growth of saplings and recorded the flourishing ecosystems now emerging.
“I loved exploring these tiny forests,” Stewart commented after the journey. “Nature should be for everyone, and the fact that they’re so accessible for their communities is brilliant! We’ve never needed nature more than we do today, and understanding these brilliant ecosystems through citizen science is the perfect gateway into that connection with our planet.”
From Newbury to the grounds near MINI Plant Oxford and BMW Group Plant Swindon, each forest visited holds a strategic location—close to where MINI vehicles are manufactured and where local communities are already engaging with the brand’s sustainability mission. These forests are not just symbolic gestures; they are data-rich, living laboratories. With the support of Earthwatch Europe, MINI is continually monitoring each site’s ecological, social, and wellbeing impact, using citizen science to generate valuable insights into urban greening.
This latest project forms part of MINI’s broader commitment to championing sustainability through action, education, and innovation. By turning unused plots into thriving green spaces and powering awareness through accessible electric mobility, MINI is showing that meaningful change doesn’t always require grand gestures—just intention, collaboration, and a belief in the power of small things done well.
As the Tiny Forests continue to grow, so too does the message: sustainability starts locally, but its roots can spread far and wide.
