Beau Miles’ Marathon, Single-Day Planting Project Sprouts a New Forest in an Australian Field

Beau Miles is an eccentric adventurer and dedicated nature enthusiast based in Australia. Passionate about sustainability and creativity, he repurposes items often considered waste into something meaningful. Through his YouTube channel, he explores the concept of urban foraging, delves into hands-on projects, and shares insightful stories in his book, The Backyard Adventurer. His creative pursuits range from constructing tiny cabins to investigating the ecological state of Sydney’s heavily polluted river. A standout achievement of his is the ambitious endeavor in which he planted a flourishing forest in just one single day.

Reflecting on this feat, Miles states, “Without being dramatic, it was easily the hardest thing I’ve ever done in a single day. But it was also fun—and the kind of thing that shifted how I intend to use my ideas and my body as a force for good. It was practical, hard, and an outcomes-driven use of time and energy.”

During this remarkable day, he managed to plant one tree every minute over the course of 24 hours, totaling 1,440 trees. Promising to monitor the project’s development, he committed to returning every two years for updates. In his recent video, Miles revisits the forest, documenting the flourishing wildlife that has taken up residence among the now healthy, young trees, and even shows himself enjoying a small fire made from gathered wood.

<p“This was a special day because I really felt like the project had landed,” Miles reflects. “I had a cup of tea in the new forest, from water boiled on a fire made from the forest itself. It’s perhaps the most profound cup of tea I’ve ever had.”

In a new initiative launched in July, Miles set a virtual one-month countdown aimed at transforming his streaming channel into a beacon of positive impact. With advertising funds, he plans to acquire and plant even more trees. To follow his inspiring journey, you can catch updates on YouTube, Instagram, and his website. (via Kottke)