Somerville High School Forest
Blossoming resilience in Somerville concrete jungle.
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Trees
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Square Feet
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Native Species
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Youth Impacted
This project is located at the grounds of Somerville's public high school, also adjacent to the public library and city hall.
Somerville is one of the most paved, least green cities in the Greater Boston area. It has a wide diversity of immigrant communities, working class roots, and a strong body of citizens who are artists and activists.
This SUGi Pocket Forest breaks up this urban heat island, bringing forth biodiversity, beauty, and the opportunity to engage with and learn from Nature.
Forest Maker
Maya Dutta
Forest Report: 2024
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Forest Age
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Average of Tallest 3 Trees
This summer we discovered fuzzy white caterpillars, feeding on bush honeysuckle. They were yellow woolly bear caterpillars - which will eventually become virginian tiger moths.
The forest has experienced some rabbit activity this summer, and we are prioritizing finishing installing the fence on the second half that doesn't have it. We will also add another layer of leaf mulch, and there are a few gaps where we will plant a few more native species to fill after we install the fence. It is beautiful to see the one swamp white oak was planted either by a squirrel or blue jay and came by itself where there was a gap.
The volunteers helped us maintain the pocket forest through the summer, every two weeks. We had a grass problem that was very aggressive, and their perseverant help was very important in helping care of the forest. From my first visit in April until now, it has been beautiful to observe the growth of plants and connect with the community. I look forward to continuing learning from the forest and taking care of it with the community.
Planting: October 2023
Native species
Selection
The students of Somerville High School
