WORCESTER—The City of Worcester Department of Sustainability and Resilience is calling on the public to join in a series of Community Planting Days for Worcester’s inaugural Miyawaki Forests.
These forests, characterized by their small, dense, and layered urban plantings, play a crucial role in cooling “heat islands,” enhancing air quality and biodiversity, and promoting climate resilience.
The first Miyawaki Forest, spanning approximately 6,400 square feet, will be planted in a section of the McGrath Parking Lot, adjacent to the Worcester Public Library at 3 Salem Square and McGrath Boulevard. Meanwhile, the second Miyawaki Forest, covering 10,000 square feet, will be established in Plumley Village at 16 Laurel Street, featuring small pockets of community gathering spaces alongside the greenery.
The planting is thanks to a $409K climate resilience grant from the state in September of last year. Administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), these grants “support communities in identifying climate hazards, developing strategies to improve resilience, and implementing priority actions to adapt to climate change.”
In the recent round of funding, Worcester was among 79 projects that received action grant funding. Additionally, the city committed an extra 25 percent from its funds and provided in-kind support, contributing to the total project cost.
Miyawaki forests are named after Dr. Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist renowned for his pioneering method in creating fast-growing native forests. These forests are characterized by their dense arrangement and multi-layered structure, aiding in carbon dioxide absorption and the management of stormwater run-off.
“We thank the Healey-Driscoll administration for this grant as it will help grow our tree canopy and bring relief to urban heat islands as we continue to prepare our community for a changing climate,” said City Manager Eric Batista in a statement following the grant award.
The MVP program, created in 2017, provides funding for community-driven climate resilience planning and action. A total of 349 out of 351 of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns are participating in the program and more than $131.5M has been awarded for local climate resilience planning and projects, according to the announcement.
The McGrath community planting days are Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to noon and Saturday, May 11, from 1-3 p.m. and 3-4:30 p.m. The Plumley Village planting days are Wednesday, May 1, from 4-6 p.m. and Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The sites were determined to be Worcester spaces most in need of relief and considered ideal for these densely planted, multi-canopied, small urban forests that improve air quality and health and reduce urban heat and flooding.
Guillermo Creamer Jr., who ran for Worcester mayor during the last election, serves as the project’s community liaison, partnering with numerous community organizations to engage neighbors from start to finish.
Those interested in attending a Community Planting Day can RSVP here.
