WORCESTER – Students from Clark University’s Graduate School of Geography have contributed to surveying the Main South area and identifying ideal locations for adding tree cover to the area.
Student researchers in the school’s Human-Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) inspected streets in the areas and created a map which identified tree planting locations in January. The students used a ground survey of air temperature and surface temperature from a study performed by HERO fellows years ago.
The team recommended the city add Linden, Sweetgum, Pin Oak and Honey Locust, all of which have a high rate of survivorship in urban settings, to the area around Park Avenue by Maywood Street.
“The trees are already providing benefits to residents because they are shading the sidewalks and provide a more pleasant walking environment,” said Professor John Rogan. “As the trees mature, they will shade the streets and lower the air temperature, reduce noise from cars and provide habitat for native insects (caterpillars) …and birds too.”
Rogan and his students have a history of fostering and sustaining community participation in environmental initiatives, according to Clark. The initiative depends on neighborhood buy in for success.
Clark’s Vice President of Government and Community Affairs, Joseph Corazzini, proposed the initiative to the City of Worcester Forestry Division last November.
“Part of what we are trying to do is apply our research to our community when there is overlap,” Corazzini said. “Through the Collaborative for Community Engagement we hope to do more projects like this that use faculty expertise and student work to address issues within the community.”
The partnership led to identifying locations for 75 trees to be planted in the area.
