146. Urban Microforest Success

Historically redlined urban neighborhoods often face disproportionate environmental challenges, including flooding, loss of biodiversity, urban heat island effects, and air and soil pollution. The Miyawaki afforestation method, featuring dense planting of native species in revitalized soil, offers a fast, nature-based solution for restoring ecological function in these communities. By accelerating natural forest succession up to ten times faster than traditional planting approaches, this technique enables rapid regeneration of degraded urban landscapes.In this presentation, Dr. Daniela Shebitz of Kean University and John Evangelista of Groundwork Elizabeth will share their approach to establishing and monitoring Miyawaki microforests in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They will present preliminary findings from their first four years of research, demonstrating how these forests can help mitigate flooding, reduce heat, and boost biodiversity in the urban environment. Their collaborative work has received national attention, including features in The New York Times (“50 States, 50 Fixes”) and on NBC's TODAY.Dr. Daniela Shebitz holds a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Science from the University of Washington (2006), as well as a B.S. and M.S. from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. An ethnobotanist and plant ecologist, her work centers on integrating traditional and local knowledge into the restoration of culturally significant plants and ecosystems. Her research spans urban communities and Pine Barrens in New Jersey, the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica, and the temperate forests of the Pacific Northwest. Dedicated to advancing sustainability in both education and the broader community, Dr. Shebitz focuses on conservation and restoration ecology, community-engaged learning, urban agriculture, and environmental justice. She chairs Kean University's Department of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, is a past President of the Society of Ethnobiology, and currently serves as Vice President of the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJHEPS).Mr. John Evangelista is the Executive Director of Groundwork Elizabeth. With over thirty years of experience in farming, construction and agricultural practices, John works closely with local, state and federal partners to study current urban agricultural practices and introduce them back into underserved areas through educational programs and activities for seniors, adults and children. As director for Groundwork USA's cutting edge environmental project known as the Climate Safe Neighborhood (CSN) partnership, John is working with local residents and stakeholders to increase awareness of the relationship between the city's history of housing segregation and the current and predicted impacts of climate change. Focused on the formerly redlined neighborhoods of Bayway and Elizabethport, and the green lined Elmora neighborhood, the project aims to identify and prioritize climate mitigation measures related to extreme heat, flooding, and CSO events. To learn more, go to:https://groundworkelizabeth.org/ https://www.today.com/video/why-microforests-are-being-planted-in-urban-areas-250008133972https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/climate/new-jersey-tiny-forests.html