For Immediate Release:
10/31/2024 10:14 am
WORCESTER, Mass. – The City of Worcester shared Thursday the results of its forest health assessment, which it conducted during the spring and summer months for properties held by the Worcester Conservation Commission.
The project involved an aerial urban tree canopy (UTC) assessment of more than 800 acres of City-owned conservation lands to examine existing forest canopy health and quantify the environmental benefits these urban forests provide to the Worcester community. The study found that these forests store ±24,711 tons of carbon and sequester ±799 tons of carbon per year, in addition to providing stormwater absorption and air quality improvements. These benefits alone are estimated to provide an annual value of $156,224. These forests are an important asset for Worcester as we continue to experience increasingly frequent extreme heat and precipitation events caused by the climate crisis.
As a follow-up to this aerial assessment, site visits were conducted for eight different groups of properties (422 acres), located within state-designated Environmental Justice neighborhoods, to document each property’s existing conditions and develop specific land management recommendations. Overall, the forests were found to be in a healthy condition. However, property management needs and signs of tree disease and invasive species were noted at most sites.
The management recommendations developed in the individual reports aim to improve the ecological integrity of the forest habitats and the recreational value of these specific properties moving forward. Recommendations include strategies such as increasing public awareness, managing invasives, and managing unique habitats through measures like prescribed burns.
The full findings of the UTC assessment and the individual reports for the eight properties where field work was conducted can be viewed on the Conservation Commission website at https://www.worcesterma.gov/planning-regulatory/planning-initiatives/forest-health-assessment.
