FEATURED
Holding out for a HERO
Clark University program studies the positive effects of trees in urban areas VEER MUDAMBI
trees in low-income neighborhoods leads to an effect known as urban hen we think of “green heat islands — areas of a city with a notably higher surface temperature initiatives” for comthan surrounding neighborhoods. munities, transitionAsphalt absorbs heat during the ing to renewable and day and reflects it back at night, so sustainable energy is what comes areas don’t cool sufficiently. In more to mind. For the last several years, densely populated areas, planting though, there’s been another ongotrees will mitigate this process. ing effort to make Worcester green Gateway cities are also characterin a more literal sense. ized by a high percentage of renters The goal of Clark University’s in older housing stock, which was Human-Environment Regional Obnot built with high quality insulaservatory program, or HERO, is to study the interconnections between tion and energy efficiency. There is relatively lower incentive to upgrade humans and the natural environment. While the scope is statewide, energy systems for such housing. Martin said that while she and the last 10 years have seen the program redirect its focus to a more her colleagues had discussed refocusing on Worcester in the last local level. “The common thread in our work couple of years, the COVID crisis accelerated the situation requiring is how people understand themlocal field work. selves in relation to the environIn all its 21 years, the HERO ment,” said Professor Deborah program has had a field component Martin, one of HERO’s primary with students traveling all over the faculty. In Worcester, this led to state. Working at Clark’s Hadwen working alongside the Department Arboretum, located about 15 minof Conservation and Recreation to study how to increase the city’s tree utes from campus, serves as a good alternative, said Professor John Ropopulation as well as its stewardgan, also of the HERO program. The ship and protection. arboretum was donated in the 1800s Every year, a cohort of students by horticulturist Obidiah Hadwen joins HERO in a full-year directed and boasts a number of exotic tree study, with an eight-week period species brought over from Asia. in the summer working as paid HERO helped add more trees researchers. When the 2008 Asian longhorned to the arboretum, something that hadn’t been done in 40 to 50 years, beetle infestation required the removal of thousands of trees in the according to Rogan. HERO students have set up their own projects at Worcester area, HERO studied the Hadwen, such as the impact of issue for a few years before branchmowing on species growth or quaning out to general urban forestry. tifying the effect of canopy cover Specifically, a planting initiative for on air temperature and quality by under-served communities, which taking air and surface temperature acted as a pilot for the DCR’s statereadings. wide Greening the Gateway Cities Once more, they teamed up program. Gateway cities are defined by the with the DCR to process data from heat sensors, in order to monitor Massachusetts Legislature as “midthe cooling effects of trees planted size urban centers that anchor regional economies around the state,” during the earlier greening initiafacing “stubborn social and econom- tive. The silver lining for the HERO ic challenges” while retaining “many program is that COVID provided a chance to slow down and analyze assets with unrealized potential.” existing data. From accumulated In other words, cities with lower data, it was learned that trees can than average median income and potentially mitigate heat islands higher than average renter populations, along with factors that reduce only five years after being planted. That is assuming, however, that investment in public programs, let new trees last that long. Planting alone tree planting. By increasing tree cover through- trees is only the first step — the out the state, Greening the Gateway second is ensuring their protecmay not only improve quality of life, tion and stewardship by the city. Martin said, but improve “energy ef- “People cut down trees without ficiency from the outside in.” Lack of really thinking about it,” said Martin.
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
O C T O B E R 8 - 14, 2020
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Above, Professor John Rogan discusses a project with students Ari Nicholson (center), and Ahna Knudsen on a trail in Clark University’s Hadwen Arboretum Below, students spread mulch on a trail in the Arboretum. RICK CINCLAIR
