WORCESTER—The city is hosting two public events this month to update residents on the progress of its two Miyawaki Forests, small but dense plantings designed to boost biodiversity, combat urban heat, and improve air quality.
The Department of Sustainability and Resilience (DSR), which oversaw the plantings in 2024, puts on the first event on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 4 p.m., beginning at the Worcester Public Library. The program features a short talk before attendees move outside to tour the McGrath Parking Lot Miyawaki Forest at 3 Salem Square.
Visitors can take part in hands-on activities, including plant tagging, a scavenger hunt for children, and a macroinvertebrates “petting zoo.” Pizza and lemonade are provided.
A second program follows on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m., at Clark University’s Jefferson Hall, Room 218. That event’s focus is on the ecological function of the urban wild, with a presentation on how native, biodiverse plantings such as the Miyawaki Forests are revitalizing urban spaces and fostering climate resilience.
Miyawaki Forests, named for Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, are layered plantings that grow quickly and provide environmental benefits disproportionate to their size. Worcester’s two forests — one at McGrath Parking Lot and the other at Plumley Village, 16 Laurel St. — were planted last year to help cool “heat islands,” improve air quality, and increase biodiversity in the city.
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