MINI has teamed up with Earthwatch Europe in the UK to improve the biodiversity of both flora and fauna through their “Tiny Forests” program.

The automaker planted its first Tiny Forest in East Wichel Park, near its plant in Swindon. It will be the size of just a tennis court but will contain 600 densely packed trees that are native to the area.

That, Earthwatch Europe reckons, will be capable of attracting more than 500 animal and plant species in just three years.

“Tiny Forests provide rich opportunities for connecting young and old alike with the environment and sustainability,” said Louise Hartley, Tiny Forest Program Manager at Earthwatch Europe. “We are delighted to be working with MINI UK to bring these inspiring spaces to Swindon and Oxford.”

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This is the first Tiny Forest in the Swindon area. Data from the project will be collected by the community and school children to determine its efficacy as a carbon sink, a flood mitigator, a social boon, and an encourager of local biodiversity. The move follows a similar project from Bentley to build bat boxes nears its Crewe factory.

“We are really pleased to be working with Earthwatch Europe and MINI UK to bring the first Tiny Forest to Swindon,” said Chris Watts, Chair of South Swindon Parish Council. “The Tiny Forest is being planted in the relatively new community of East Wichel. We hope it will become a unique feature for that community that people from across Swindon will visit.”

MINI already has plans for its next Tiny Forest. It will be planted in Oxford in 2022, and more are on the way, it says. Moreover, its future will also be “green”, as BMW recently announced that it will turn MINI into an all-electric brand in the early 2030s.