Oak Street is located in a very dense, urban neighborhood with very few trees. Because of this, Oak Street became one of the earliest sites for intervention by the Worcester Tree Initiative (WTI). WTI chose to fill the green space across the street from Family Health community hospital with 6 Oak trees, bringing new foliage to the street.

WTI was founded due to the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) infestation that devastated the Worcester canopy.

Replacing the canopy lost by the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) takes time and dedication. Over the years working in WTI, Ruth and her family have learned a great deal about all that goes into planting a tree. She and her daughter often go from site to site watering and tending trees, making it a family effort to tend to these trees. Ruth says that throughout her time working with WTI she definitely has seen an improvement in Worcester’s tree canopy overall, but notes that there is a lot of work still to do. As the city of Worcester continues to develop, the canopy continues to face challenges. The urbanization and development of Worcester is impeding the canopy’s recovery from ALB.

Planting trees in urban neighborhoods greatly improves the energy of the community, the aesthetic of the street, and helps to encourage people to spend more time outdoors. Ruth and her daughter Charlotte are an excellent example of how taking care of trees can tie you to a community; planting trees on a sidewalk across from a health care center can make that ordinary sidewalk feel like a piece of home.