After the reconstruction of Chandler Street in 2014, Wayne became concerned about the fate of Worcester’s urban forest. With the addition of new sidewalks in these once inaccessible areas, trees were losing the battle for space. Wayne was especially bothered by the Worcester Department of Public Works’ (DPW) decision not to plant new trees. The DPW cited local business discontent, hindrance of snow removal, damage to underground utilities, and ADA compliance issues as their reasons for this choice. The DPW relied heavily on this last claim, stating that new sidewalks had to be 40 inches wide for accessibility purposes. After some research, however, Wayne found that the 32-inch sidewalks would actually satisfy regulations, leaving plenty of room for trees to be planted in high traffic areas. With some persistent email conversations, Wayne began advocating for trees to provide shade and to foster community.

With the sidewalk issue seemingly resolved, business and property owners also became an obstacle for planting trees. If these people expressed discontent for new trees, then the DPW did not bother to plant any. When asked about this, the city of Worcester refused to acknowledge who actually gets the final say in the decision to plant new trees. Wayne argued that the people of Worcester truly do want more trees. The issue is that they do not always have the knowledge to fully understand the benefits that they can reap from them nor do they have the proper means to receive and take care of them. Wayne hopes to reach a general consensus in order to change that.

Wayne began working with the Worcester Tree Initiative (WTI) after they ran a sale on trees at his local Sam’s Club where he obtained 31 new trees for his neighborhood that previously suffered from ice storms and tree rot. He stayed in contact with WTI because he knew they had the knowledge and credibility to push his own lobbying forward. With their continued help and support, he has managed to plant several trees along the sidewalks of Chandler Street. Despite Wayne's efforts, he does not claim to be a “treehugger." He knows there is value in tree replacement, and believes their addition elevates the communal atmosphere and makes Worcester a more inviting place to be.