Akira Miyawaki was an internationally renowned Japanese botanist and expert in the field of ecological restoration. He was born on January 29, 1928, in the city of Fukuyama, near Hiroshima. Miyawaki graduated from Yokohama National University and later obtained his PhD from the University of Tokyo in 1957.

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During his lifetime Miyawaki authored numerous scientific papers and books, while he greatly contributed to our knowledge of forests and their restoration. Miyawaki's work has shown that it is possible to recreate natural forest ecosystems in areas that have completely lost their original forest cover. His approach involves planting native trees in dense groups. This produces a forest that can sequester ten times the carbon and produce sixty times the biodiversity compared with standard reforestation techniques.

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Miyawaki’s first steps in developing his method came during his childhood, when he walked in forests around Shinto shrines. These forests were never allowed to be cut down due to their sacred nature, and as a result remained intact for well over 800 years. Miyawaki was able to see the composition and makeup of forests in Japan that were undisturbed by human activity. This led him to start planting trees with a composition based on those of the forests he saw around the shrine. In doing so, witnessed a dramatic spike in the growth rates of the trees. This led him to further refine these plantings and create the Miyawaki Method of reforestation.

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Miyawaki received many awards for his contributions to the fields of botany and environmental restoration, including the coveted Blue Planet Prize in 2006. Miyawaki’s method of restoring forests has been utilized worldwide, with his approach being successfully implemented in six continents. He was involved in creating hundreds of forests all over the world. Akira Miyawaki's work has helped reshape the way we think about forest ecology and restoration, providing humanity with a powerful approach to help heal the planet.