Tiny Forest Groene Woud

The first European Tiny Forest is located in the Darwin Park in Zaandam next to the busy Twiskeweg and within walking distance of the local environmental education centre and two primary schools. Scroll through the pictures to see how the forest has developed throughout the years.

This is the very first Tiny Forest in the Netherlands and even on the European continent. It was planted on December 10th 2015 in the municipality of Zaanstad by local schoolchildren, volunteers, civil servants, Hoek landscaping and IVN nature education.

To the mini documentary

Planted by

Primary schools, Hoek landscaping, municipality of Zaanstad

Plant date

10 December 2015

Surface planted

225 m2

Number of trees

600 trees

Surface outdoor classroom

10 m2

Biodiversity, education and community

In the first few year the forest was used for outdoor lessons. Between 2017 and 2022 ecologists monitored the biodiversity of the forest with the help of citizen scientist.

Tree species list

Alder (alnus glutinosa)
Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)
Almond willow (Salix triandra
Aspen (Populus tremula)
Basket willow (Salix viminalis)
Black poplar (Populus nigra)
Common buckthorne (Rhamnus catharticus)
Common medlar (Mespilus germanica)
Common pear (Pyrus communis)
Common yew (Taxus baccatu)
Crab apple (Malus sylvestris)
Crack willow (Salix fragilis)
Downy birch (Betula pubescens)

Eared willow (Salix aurita)
English hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata)
European ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
European beech (Fagus sylvatica)
European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia)
European violet willow (Salix daphnoides)
European white elm (Ulmus laevis)
Field maple (Acer campestre)
Goat willow (salix caprea)
Gray willow (salix cinerea)
Grey alder (Alnusindicana)

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
Large-leafed lime (Tilia platyphyllos)
Laurel willow (Salix pentandra)
Purple willow (Salix purpurea)
Scotch elm (Ulmus glabra)
Sessile oak (Quercus petraea)
Silver birch (Betula pendula)
Small leaved lime (Tilia cordata)
White willow (Salix alba)
Wild cherry (Prunus Avium)