Seed bomb launch to mark milestone for urban mini forest project

The Gibraltar Horticultural Society and Whole Wild World will hold a seed bomb launch event at the Landport pilot Urban Mini Forest site on Friday December 12 at 12pm, marking what organisers describe as a major milestone in the creation of Gibraltar’s first Urban Mini Forest.

In recent weeks, volunteers and members of the public have been clearing, cleaning and planting trees at the site, while hundreds of schoolchildren across Gibraltar have prepared seed bombs, small clay and compost spheres containing indigenous seeds selected for the area. These will be dispersed during the event as the first step in transforming the site into a dense urban forest.

The event will be attended by the Governor, Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst, ministers, community leaders and environmental partners.

A short introduction will be delivered by Annabelle Mor-Codali, CEO of the Gibraltar Horticultural Society, followed by brief remarks from the Governor and the Minister for the Environment, Dr John Cortes. A group of pupils from participating schools will then lead the ceremonial dispersal of the first seed bombs into a designated area of the site.

The launch will be recorded by drone.

Ms Mor-Codali said: “This project is about giving the community a sense of ownership and pride.”

“The seed bombs are a symbolic first act—one that reflects hope, regeneration, and the power of community working together to make Gibraltar greener and healthier for future generations.”

The Urban Mini Forest initiative is delivered in partnership with the Department of the Environment, Whole Wild World and University of Gibraltar researchers, with support from volunteers, sponsors and local schools. The project aims to create a dense, fast-growing ecosystem using the Miyawaki method, a technique used worldwide to restore biodiversity in urban and degraded areas.

Schools that helped prepare the seed bombs have been invited to send small groups of pupils to the launch, while the remaining pupils will be encouraged to visit the site on another day to disperse their seed bombs more informally.

The Gibraltar Horticultural Society and Whole Wild World have invited members of the public to attend and take part in what they describe as a historic step towards a greener Gibraltar.