We are building a forest!

Purchase College is pleased to launch a new forest restoration project! We will transform a 2.8-acre area, currently overrun by invasive plants, into a thriving young forest filled with 1,800 native trees. Most of the site will be planted, while trails and gathering spaces will remain open for students, faculty, and visitors to enjoy.

This project will bring many benefits: cooler air around nearby dorms and parking lots, cleaner water, better carbon capture, and more wildlife habitat. To give the forest its best chance, we’ll use protective fencing and plant in different densities—some areas in traditional tree spacing and others as dense “MicroForests” inspired by the Miyawaki method. This approach helps trees grow faster, block invasives, and provide shade and biodiversity more quickly.

Students will play a big role—over 30 will gain hands-on experience as summer technicians and interns, learning the skills of ecological restoration while preparing for careers in environmental work. We will also be relying on the community to help with tree planting volunteer days!

We’re also excited to share this project with the wider community. Because the site is easy to see and access, we’ll use it as a living classroom to show how forests grow, how invasive plants can be managed, and why urban forests matter for people and the planet.