Tiny forest planted with big green goals

The Duke Energy Foundation invests in green opportunity with UC's Tiny Forest and Perennial Pollinator Garden project. Photo/Alisha Sutcliffe

Powered in part by a $10,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, the University of Cincinnati is launching an interdisciplinary pilot project to bring together students and researchers. This collaboration is designed to address the issue of climate change while promoting sustainable community development and green investment opportunities in Cincinnati.

The Tiny Forest and Perennial Pollinator Garden project is a small-scale ecosystem initiative led by Ralph Brueggemann, adjunct professor at UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science. Utilizing an innovative device with sensors, this immersive nature-based experiential learning system will implement forward-thinking technology to promote sustainable development and combat climate change.

A ribbon-cutting event was held at the UC DAAP Annex site at 429 Riddle Road on Friday, Sept. 27. Stakeholders and students joined J. Chad Shaffer, Duke Energy's government and community relations manager, as he presented Brueggemann with a Duke Energy Foundation grant check. The contribution marked a significant step toward advancing sustainability efforts in the region.

The City of Cincinnati's Green Cincinnati Plan funded $5,000 toward the initiative through the Seeds of Change Youth Climate Action Grant Program and the Duke Energy Foundation gave a $10,000 climate resiliency grant.

"Climate change is reshaping our world, and the need for innovative solutions has never been more critical," Brueggemann said. "This project combines technology with environmental science to address these challenges head-on."

An interdisciplinary team, driven by a shared vision, explores the benefits of making a positive impact on the community through the Tiny Forest initiative. Photo/Alisha Sutcliffe

At the heart of this initiative is Brueggemann's concept of a digital device equipped with sensors to measure plant species characteristics for climate change mitigation. The device concept and its intellectual property are protected by a pending provisional patent titled Digital Technology for Immersive Nature-Based Experiential Learning.

At the UC 1819 Innovation Hub, this provisional patent is managed under Geoffrey Pinski, assistant vice president of the UC Technology Transfer office.

"Such a device is beneficial for UC students to join forces in global efforts aimed at sustainability," Pinski said. "UC researchers and students will have the opportunity to use a device like this to gather key data to solve real-world agricultural issues. This includes plant growth affected by factors like climate change."

UC's environmental engineering capstone students will design the prototype that will bring Brueggemann's concept to life, led by Professor Educator Drew McAvoy.

"The integrative team of computer science, electrical engineering and environmental engineering students will foster a mindset of curiosity, diverse thinking and practical problem-solving," McAvoy said. "They will design solutions to address strategic challenges and identify opportunities for impact."

The device technology will play a vital role in collecting real-time data on local ecosystems, including the Tiny Forest sister site and the UC Field Center, providing insights to drive actionable recommendations for enhancing urban green spaces.

The collaborative project emphasizes practical solutions to combat the disruptive challenges of climate change. The initiative focuses on three primary goals:

1. Create community impact: Build capabilities in vibrant economies and climate resiliency while promoting justice, equity and inclusion.
2. Accelerate sustainability: Establish modular, small-scale ecosystems to combat climate change through carbon sequestration, rainwater management and expanding tree canopies, especially in underserved communities.
3. Sustainability awareness: Provide outdoor learning labs to engage students and the community in sustainability literacy, integrating project-based learning across science, technology, engineering, art and design and mathematics (STEAM).

Wimberg Landscaping planted the pollinator garden with fast-growing native trees and perennial pollinator plants. Photo/Diana Lara

Wimberg Landscaping executed the design and installed the pollinator garden, featuring the planned addition of fast-growing native trees and perennial pollinator plants. The Wasson Way/CROWN is a collaborator and supports the implementation of the UC Perennial Pollinator Garden and Tiny Forest as it lies near Martin Luther King Drive, part of the 34-mile CROWN (Cincinnati Riding or Walking Network). This plan envisions an urban, off-road trail loop and linear green space in the heart of the Queen City.

Utilizing best practices from a pilot project in spring 2024, a dense "tiny forest" designed to optimize carbon absorption was planted at the UC Field Center under Ken Petren, the site's director and a professor of biological sciences. Petren followed the Miyawaki method of reforestation, which involves densely planting native tree species to create a self-sustaining, biodiverse forest in a brief time. Next year, students plan to deploy Brueggemann's digital device and supporting software at the UC Field Center to collect data, measure plant growth variables and identify optimal species combinations.

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