Trees for Watertown applied in January for a grant to fund a mini-forest proposed by its working group, Forests for Watertown. The mere prospect of this funding accelerated collaboration and inspired new possibilities. We are happy to announce:

The Bosch Community Fund award is a very big boost to a very small forest, making it possible to plant the Watertown Community Miyawaki Forest this November in the southeast corner of the J.R. Lowell Elementary schoolyard.

The forest will be a patch of wild nature in the middle of the City, accessible to everyone and influenced by everyone. Shaped like a fat 'U' or 'V' to make a forest "hug," it will have seating suitable for an outdoor classroom or for community nature gatherings.

The grant enables us to donate a book fund to the School library for forest books, and to create a curriculum unit – "What is a Forest?" – available for any school.

One FFW team member, Liza Ketchum, has co-authored a book for young readers, Green Heart, Tiny Forest, about the Miyawaki Method, to be published in 2025. Its illustrator knew Miyawaki and planted a forest with him!

Forests for Watertown is collaborating on this project with the City of Watertown, the School District, Watertown Community Gardens, the surrounding neighborhood, and all of Watertown.

The generous grant award is matched by the City's in-kind and materials contribution to the forest. This project is in line with numerous Goals and Actions in the Resilient Watertown Climate and Energy Plan, adopted by City Council in 2022. The plan includes building Community Garden plots south of the forest next spring! It all works together.

Established in 2011, the Fund supports local investment, local impact, and local stewardship. By awarding over $45 million in grants to various 501(c)(3) organizations and educational institutions in 38 Bosch site locations, the Fund promotes the enrichment of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, the advancement of environmental sustainability initiatives and eco+STEM, a cross-section of the two.

Pictured above is one of the Drop-in YardArt days at the Library.

Our Neighborhood Forest will become a self-sustaining mini-ecosystem to cool and clean the air and give a home to biodiversity. But its biggest gift to the Watertown community will be an ongoing, ever-growing experience of nature in the City.

This summer, folks can get a closer and closer look at Mother Nature through a few ongoing projects.

We city folks almost never get to watch a baby tree grow. If you are interested in taking home a one-year-old Tiny Tree, either to visit or to stay forever, and you have a spot outside with partial shade, fill in this form. We'll contact you about Tiny Tree Takeaway events in May and June.

How many plants, animals, birds, insects, and worms can we detect today in the schoolyard? Next year, will there be more? Let's ... investigate. If you or your family or your Scout Troop or AnyKindOfGroup would like a closer look, fill in this form. We'll contact you about Neighborhood Nature Detective events happening through the Summer.

When the forest is planted with baby trees this November, it'll look like a field of twigs 🫤 surrounded by a fence to keep bunnies out. All through the summer we'll write and illustrate a "Story Walk" to hang on the forest fence and show visitors our visions of the future forest. It'll be big! If you fill in this form, we'll contact you about Story Walk Artist and Author events.

It's too late for the Party but not too late for the Info thanks to WCA-TV:

Watch Community Meeting: Forests for Watertown - April 30, 2024

We are few, with much to do, and it's much more fun to do it with you.