Rewilding Philadelphia will be an active and engaged presence in the Kensington neighborhood community. Neighbors will be recruited, trained, and hired to participate in site surveys and preparation, the selection of appropriate plant species, and the development of a planting layout that supports cooperative community uses of the site, such as an outdoor classroom, a performance space, a nature playground, or a place for community gatherings. Participants will become members of Rewilding Philadelphia's Community Crew, with the knowledge and skills to implement future tiny forest projects throughout the city.

Ongoing creative and educational programming will establish awareness, understanding, support, and ultimately participation in this multifaceted, long-term project. For two years after first planting, the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) will supervise the Community Crew to maintain the site. After this initial period, the newly established tiny forest will become a self-sustaining ecosystem, expected to mature up to 10 times faster than a natural forest (i.e., 20-30 years rather than 200-300 years). The site will remain a public space and community asset owned and administered by NKCDC.

Philadelphia artist and educator Pedro Ospina will be embedded as a forest artist-in-residence, collaborating with the growing community of neighbors, plants, and animals fostered by Rewilding Philadelphia, to infuse the entire area with art and wonder. This residency will be supported by unique access to materials recycled from the city's waste stream, made possible by a partnership with Recycled Artists in Residency (RAIR).

Rewilding Philadelphia also provides a platform for scientific observation, as researchers from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University will work with community scientists to monitor the ecological impacts and outcomes of the forest planting. This research will focus on indicators that particularly affect the urbanized, formerly industrial neighborhood of Kensington, including lead soil contamination, the urban heat index, tree canopy coverage, and biodiversity.

• Pete Angevine

  Instigator and Organizer

• Pedro Ospina

  Artist in Residence

• Ethan Bryson

  Miyawaki Method Consultant
  Natural Urban Forests

• Ryan Strand Greenberg

  Executive Director of Civic Engagement
  Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

• Catherine Reuter

  Community Farmer and Urban Agriculture Manager
  New Kensington Community Development Corporation

• Nadia Malik

  Porch Light Program Director
  Mural Arts Philadelphia