Supporter Spotlight: August Miller
This month, we’re proud to spotlight a community member whose curiosity bloomed into action. Inspired by a newspaper article and a deep connection to Japan, August Miller helped launch Issaquah’s first Miyawaki Forest, bringing people together to grow something lasting, local, and full of life.
Photo courtesy of Vedika Dietrich.
By August Miller
Loving wild places goes back to my parents, and especially my mom, who loved taking us to national parks. I’m forever grateful for that.
As for actually getting involved in conservation directly, this is all very new to me. It all started with a newspaper article back in 2023 about Miyawaki forests being planted in cities on the East Coast. I had lived in Japan for five years in the 1990s and feel a strong connection to the culture, so this Japanese approach to urban reforestation really captured my imagination. What really drew me in was that it focuses on using native plants and can reach the apex forest stage five to ten times faster than natural succession. And I’ll admit, the name similarity to Miyazaki, the renowned Japanese animation artist, gave it a magical forest aura to me—like in My Neighbor Totoro.
From that article, I got the bug and began learning what I could about the Miyawaki Method (see sugiproject.com and Mini-Forest Revolution). I began wondering if people in Issaquah would ever be interested in creating a Miyawaki pocket forest.
July 2025. Photo courtesy of August Miller.
I had no idea how to even start something like that, but I knew my good friend Anne Newcomb would know what to do. She is a forest steward with IATC and Green Issaquah, and telling her was the key to everything.
From there, she started a conversation with Dan Hintz, Issaquah’s Urban Forest Supervisor. He was super receptive. The organizers of the Shoreline Miyawaki Forest were also incredibly kind in sharing their insights with us. By June 2024, Dan, Green Issaquah Coordinator Tayler Nichols, and the Green Issaquah team had a site in mind.
Another key turning point was when IATC and Executive Director Kim Ngo agreed to partner with the City and lead the effort to apply for private funding. It was clear that Kim’s and Dan’s expertise, along with IATC’s reputation in conservation, were invaluable in helping us secure the funding. Amazingly, by November 2024, we were approved for funding from Forterra NW and the Foundation for Intelligent Life on Earth. By March 2025, we were planting 640 native plants (34 species) at the site on NW Dogwood Street in Issaquah (see issaquahalps.org/miyawaki).
Miyawaki Planting Day, March 2025. Photo courtesy of August Miller.
All of this blew my mind. People just kept saying yes. And it keeps on going with this inspiring volunteer enthusiasm—almost 50 for planting day alone! It felt like the table was already set, the conditions were ripe, and when the idea of a Miyawaki Forest came along, everything lined up. All these talented, caring people and organizations said yes. I’m still blown away by how, in this special place called Issaquah, something like this can actually happen.
Soon after planting day, I happily became the forest steward for this new pocket forest, and I love being in this role. I’m just a pup, still learning a lot about leading events and understanding what kind of care and maintenance the pocket forest needs. But I feel so lucky to have conservation experts like Dan, Tayler, and Park Ranger Alex Anderson guiding me from the city side, and Anne, Kim, and Program Coordinator Kira Telgen from the IATC side.
Miyawaki Planting Day, March 2025. Photo courtesy of August Miller.
I think it’s wonderful that Green Issaquah supports such a role. I love how this kind of project encourages regular folks to get involved and feel a sense of ownership in the forest health of our city.
IATC has been central to all of this. It’s the kind of organization that sways both the hearts and the minds of people to care about the natural habitat and beauty of where we live. And by extension, it inspires care for the planet we all call home. Since becoming involved with IATC and the Miyawaki Forest, I’ve learned a ton. But really, the biggest change has been in my heart. More than ever, I love where I live, and I love and care about making it healthier and more beautiful for all living things.
July 2025. Photo courtesy of August Miller.
Dogs may be humankind’s best friend, but I always think of trees as our oldest friends. Taking care of our green spaces with fellow community members is taking care of our shared home together. I believe that sentiment is at the center of the Miyawaki Forest method: that healthy native forests are essential to healthy communities. When people cooperate to care for a forest in their neighborhood, it engages their hearts. In turn, they begin to care more about the future of our planet home. To me, that’s what IATC is doing all the time. They are helping build resilience and public caring to protect our common home.
There’s also a particular trail in the Issaquah Alps that holds special meaning for me: the Tradition Lake Loop Trail. My life partner, Vedika, and I hadn’t discovered it until early in the pandemic in 2020. It quickly became our favorite place for long walks. To this day, I associate it with being in a place where I could touch beautiful nature and be reminded that Mother Earth was still in her usual rhythms and processes, even as the world around us was filled with huge societal unknowns. It was very soul-soothing, and still is.
Photo courtesy of Vedika Dietrich.
Meet August at our next Miyawaki event! Check out our events calendar for upcoming restoration events.