Ruth Seward, Worcester Tree Initiative
Asian longhorned beetle is a death sentence for any tree it infests. In order to successfully recover from it, cities and communities must be strategic about the trees they choose to replant and how they work together to bring back their urban forests. Worcester Tree Initiative (WTI) was formed in 2009 in order to help replant the 30,000 trees that were initially cut in the Worcester area following an ALB infestation. WTI continually engages with residents in the ALB Zone by offering community planting opportunities as well as tree care education programs. Through partnerships with the City of Worcester Forestry Department, the Dept of Conservation and Recreation and the community at large, 30,000 trees were successfully replanted but the work of WTI remains relevant today as a community advocacy and engagement program of Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Learn how to use the lessons learned in this highly impactful program in your own response to invasive insects.
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