Exploring the "100 Tiny Forests" Project: We Need Your Input!
Would you be interested in helping us build a greener, cooler, and more connected Medford?
TreesMedford is currently exploring a potential new initiative to bring "Tiny Forests" to private yards across the city. Before we secure funding or officially launch, we want to hear from you: is this a project you would want to participate in?
If realized, the goal of this project is to build an interconnected network of native plants—a continuous green infrastructure corridor—to cool our urban heat islands, support local wildlife, and provide critical habitat. By linking these individual plots together across neighborhoods, we can create vital stepping-stone pathways that allow at-risk pollinators and insects to safely navigate and thrive in our urban environment.
TAKE OUR SURVEY
What is a "Tiny Forest"?
A Tiny Forest is a miniature, thriving ecosystem right in your backyard. Each proposed installation is a densely packed, roughly 9-foot diameter circular garden featuring a carefully selected mix of about 20 native canopy trees, understory shrubs, and perennials designed to mimic our natural local environment. This specific density is engineered to maximize ecological value, creating a robust, self-sustaining refuge that actively supports the pollinators essential to our local food web.
The Proposed Program: What We Would Provide
If community interest is strong and this program moves forward, Tiny Forest installations would be provided completely free of charge to selected yards. (If funded, our tentative target planting period would be Spring of 2027). For selected properties, TreesMedford would coordinate and cover the costs of:
Site Assessment: An initial check for aggressive invasive species.
Site Preparation: Full soil excavation, organic soil amendments, and protective fencing.
Planting: The native plants and the complete installation process.
Ongoing Support: Professional maintenance check-ins and expert support for the first 3 years.
Your Potential Role as a "Forest Guardian"
In return for this free installation, we would ask participating residents to step up as the Guardian of their new Tiny Forest. This would mean committing to:
Watering: Providing regular, consistent watering to ensure the young plants establish successfully.
Maintenance: Keeping an eye on the plot and performing light weeding to prevent invasive plants from moving in.
Reporting: Letting the TreesMedford team know about any significant issues or plant mortality.
Access: Allowing periodic access to the planting site so TreesMedford volunteers and student-scientists can conduct ecosystem analysis and monitor pollinator activity along the linkage pathways.