Trager MicroForest at Founders Square (Louisville)

Sitting in the heart of Downtown Louisville, Founders Square is an .65 acre urban park that has often sat empty. The Trager MicroForest Project seeks to revitalize that space with intense urban greening. At the same time, the microforest will be utilized as a research platform to investigate the link between targeted urban greening and human health outcomes.

Phase one, primarily focusing on the central area of the park, opened in 2025. 113 trees and 1000+ shrubs and grasses were planted across the site. Further additions will be made to the site as part of phase two, primarily focusing on the perimeter, but the bulk of the work on the site has been completed.

Throughout this process, research has been conducted across departments and disciplines. Clinical trials have taken place, in order to assess the links between urban greening and stress levels/cardiovascular health; this involves the collection of data on human participants utilizing the site such as saliva samples, heart rate variability, respiration, and urine samples. In addition, biological and environmental datasets are being collected to monitor the park as it grows and transforms. This includes soil health (pH levels, microbiome activity, heavy metal presence), avian surveys, bug surveys, ecosystem service analysis, microclimate monitoring, and more.

Year Published:  2025

State:  Kentucky

Landscape Context:  Inland

Housing Density:  Urban

Funding Type:  Private

Habitat Focus:  Developed, Planted/Cultivated, Forest

Organizations Involved:

University of Louisville Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville Urban Design Studio, University of Louisville Geographic and Environmental Sciences, University of Louisville Biology Department, Louisville Metro Government, Trager Family Foundation

Values:

Human Health Outcomes, Open Space/Habitat, Urban Forestry, Microclimate, Climate Resilience

Stakeholder Involvement:

Design of the microforest was informed by two workshops involving stakeholders. Phase one was informed by a 2-day workshop of approximately 40 participants from city offices, downtown businesses, downtown non-profits, university offices, and more. Phase two was informed by a 1-day workshop of similar size with generally the same participants.

Planning Process:

Louisville Metro Government provided a 30-year lease to the University of Louisville to revitalize Founders Square, an underutilized downtown park space. This would be heavily research-oriented. The Trager Family Foundation eventually pitched and provided financial support for the creation of a microforest in this space.

The Trager MicroForest Project Phase One focused on the empty center space of this urban park. A 2-day workshop was held by the contracted landscape designer, Gresham Smith, in which downtown stakeholders gave feedback on how the park could be redesigned and reactivated. This feedback was utilized to design phase one.

During design development, long-term research plans were also developed for the site.This started with baseline research that was conducted on the site prior to construction, consisting of human clinical trials, soil health studies, avian surveys, microclimate monitoring, bug surveys, microbiome assessments, ecosystem service analysis, and public life studies. This research would continue as construction began and was complete on phase one.

Design of phase two, focusing on the perimeter, was also informed by a workshop with downtown stakeholders held after phase one was complete. Since construction of phase one has been completed, usage of the space as it exists also heavily impacts the design for phase two. Research continues as the space evolves and grows, which can be utilized for design development.

Desired Outcomes:

The Trager MicroForest Project seeks to act as a platform for research on urban greening while improving a downtown public space. The project is attempting to improve human health outcomes, particularly related to stress and cardiovascular health. This improvement in health will stem from improvements in environmental conditions wrought by the new microforest: cooling from the new tree canopy, increased biodiversity, increased park usage, soil health improvements, and so on.

What it Accomplished:

Phase one of the Trager MicroForest Project saw 113 trees planted on the .65 acre Founders Square site along with 1000+ shrubs, grasses, and smaller plants. The park has since been utilized for multiple activations, including school field trips and social events.

A significant amount of research has been conducted on the site. Five weather sensors constantly collect data on microclimate conditions across the park. Three sets of clinical trials with 50+ participants have been conducted since 2023. Biological assessments, prior to construction of phase one and after, have been performed and utilized to inform management decisions such as soil remediation to improve plant health.

Additional data will be collected as the microforest ages. Preliminary data on environmental and biological conditions can be available upon request.