Every summer, student researchers in the Human-Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) program, led by John Rogan and Deborah Martin, professors in Clark University’s Graduate School of Geography, seek to improve environmental conditions in the state’s “gateway cities,” where residents sweat on streets and sidewalks without adequate tree cover.
This year, Rogan and his students had the opportunity to focus on an area closer to home. Through a unique partnership with Worcester, 75 new trees were planted in the Main South neighborhood to enhance the area’s natural beauty and contribute to a healthier, cooler environment for residents.
Last November, Joseph Corazzini, vice president of government and community affairs, proposed an initiative in which Clark could partner with the city’s forestry department to provide much-needed shade to the Main South neighborhood. Clark would invest $50,000 to purchase the trees, and Rogan and his students would help survey the area, create a map to identify planting locations, and work with others in Main South to maintain the newly planted trees.
Corazzini and Rogan worked with Robert Antonelli Jr., deputy commissioner of the Department of Public Works and Parks, and John Odell, division manager of asset management, to work out the details.
“The results of the meeting fit well with the overall ‘Green Worcester Plan’, which calls for increasing tree canopy cover along Worcester’s streets,” says Rogan.
In January, Rogan, along with Tanner Honnef (senior ’24), Espi Garschina-Bobrow (senior ’25), and Clio Bate (MS ’24), inspected the streets around campus and determined where 75 new trees would provide the greatest benefit to residents in terms of shade and aesthetics.
The team drew on a study the HERO grantees conducted for the city of Worcester years ago, which included soil surveys of air and surface temperatures. It found that Hawthorne Street, Woodland Street and Park Avenue were among the hottest streets in the summer because of the lack of tree cover. The team recommended that the city plant linden, sweetgum, swamp oak and black locust in these areas—all considered the best “street trees”—because of their high survival rates. They also identified planting sites with low tree cover and ample space for roots, and even suggested new planting sites on concrete sidewalks where tree pits were absent.
Rogan cites the long stretch of concrete sidewalk on Park Avenue at Maywood Street as particularly in need of planting. The trees overlook the former auto lot once owned by the Diamond Chevrolet group, which was reluctant to see trees planted there because the leaves would cover the cars, Rogan says. Clark bought the long-vacant 7.3-acre property in 2021.
“The trees are already providing benefits to residents by shading sidewalks and making walking more pleasant,” he says. “As the trees grow older, they will shade the streets and lower air temperatures, reduce car noise and provide habitat for native insects and birds.”
Rogan points out that the success of the tree planting effort depends on neighborhood buy-in, making it an ideal project for him and his students, who have a long history of encouraging and sustaining community involvement in environmental initiatives.
The partnership has clear benefits for Worcester, but requires neighborhood involvement for long-term success, Antonelli says.
“Neighborhood support is a key factor in the survival of a newly planted tree, as a tree that is cared for and guarded daily has a better chance of becoming a healthy tree in the future,” he says. “We are excited about this first program and appreciate the school’s financial commitment to the Main South neighborhood. We look forward to continuing the partnership in the years to come.”
By mid-July, Garschina-Bobrow, Kalon Shepard (graduating class of ’25) and Cole Murphy, an intern from Quinsigamond Community College, had begun examining the health of the new trees using HERO program protocols.
“Using this information, we can monitor the condition of the trees and intervene if problems arise,” says Rogan.
