After more than two years of baseline research, construction and planting, the 0.65-acre Founders Square, located at Fifth Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, is now an inviting public space for everyone to enjoy. However, the Trager MicroForest is more than a refreshed urban park. It is a space for scientific inquiry into the impact of intense urban greening on human health and the wider urban environment.

“The vitality of downtown Louisville is inextricably linked to the vitality of the University of Louisville and the entire metropolitan community,” said UofL President Gerry Bradley. “This beautifully renewed green space will benefit not only residents and visitors to the downtown area, it also will serve as a research site for groundbreaking investigations into the connection between trees and health by UofL researchers.”

A 30-year lease with Louisville Metro Government allows the Envirome Institute to use Founders Square as an outdoor public laboratory. In the park, UofL researchers test the physiological effects of dense planting on human health and to what extent the forest  affects temperature and humidity in the area. For Phase One of the project, the central area of the park has been densely planted with trees, shrubs and ground cover to optimize cooling and reduce urban heat.

The Trager MicroForest Project builds on the Envirome Institute’s groundbreaking Green Heart Project, which found that adding trees to a neighborhood lowered residents’ inflammation levels.

Prior to planting and construction, UofL researchers collected baseline data on how spending time in the space affects stress levels and physiological responses compared with spending time in nearby downtown areas that lack greening. In addition to human studies, the researchers are monitoring air and surface temperatures, air quality and other measures to assess the impact of densely planted trees on the environment in and around the park.

“The Trager MicroForest is part of the wider mission of the Envirome Institute to pursue knowledge about health,” said Aruni Bhatnagar, director of the Christina Lee Brown Institute. “This little forest will not only provide a pleasant space to spend time in downtown Louisville, but it will also help us test how dense urban planting can improve human health. The results of this experiment could inspire and inform the planting of microforests in cities worldwide.”

The microforest is considered part of UofL’s New Vision of Health Campus, located just across Fifth Street, which will include specially designed laboratory space to study sleep, nutrition and exercise, as well as offices and public spaces to investigate how environmental factors impact human health. The development of this innovative campus affirms UofL’s commitment to the vitality of Louisville’s urban core.

“We are excited for this project and hope to see further growth in the greening of downtown Louisville,” Michael Trager-Kusman said. “We believe having public spaces like these will only contribute to the growth of downtown Louisville.”

The park’s opening marks the completion of Phase One of the project. Planning and design for Phase Two of the Trager MicroForest will begin in late 2025. Learn more about .��

• 0.65-acre site
• 119 new trees
• 242 new shrubs
• 750 tons of new top soil
• 220 linear feet of new pathways
• 178 linear feet of retaining wall

of the official opening on May 13, 2025. View the .��

The Envirome Institute has secured a 30-year lease with Louisville Metro Government to use Founders Square as an outdoor laboratory to research innovative ideas in urban greening. Patrick Piuma, director of the Envirome Institute’s Urban Design Studio, will oversee a project to intensely plant Founders Square with native plant and tree species while creating an accessible, inviting and functional public space for anyone to enjoy. The project at Founders Square will build on the Envirome Institute’s groundbreaking work with the , which is examining the scientific link between nature and human health.

“The Trager Micro-Forest Project is a transformative project connecting people with nature, starting in the heart of our city,” said Michael Trager-Kusman. “The members of our family are honored to support learning about the impact of scientifically planned and planted green spaces in the city we love.”

The project will provide an opportunity for UofL researchers in multiple disciplines to work with members of the community and other organizations to track and measure changes in human health and well-being and to study the project’s impact of biodiversity, micro-climates, economic development and public safety. The learning from this project can be used to inform the way city planners integrate nature into urban environments everywhere.

“This is an exceptional project for UofL’s Envirome Institute at the New Vision of Health Campus, and we are delighted to have the Trager family’s generous support as we embark on new fields of inquiry into the impact of the built environment on human health,” said Lori Stewart Gonzalez, interim president of UofL.

“The Envirome Institute is committed to the health and vitality of downtown Louisville, which is why we’re establishing our New Vision of Health Campus downtown at Fifth Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard,” said Aruni Bhatnagar, director of the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. “The Trager Micro-Forest Project is not simply a beautification project. It is a scientific project, which will be the first of its kind in our region of the country.”

“The Trager Micro-Forest Project and the Envirome Institute’s New Vision of Health campus are catalysts for positive momentum during this pivotal time for downtown Louisville. These initiatives complement our commitment to a sustainable future, a commitment that requires vision and action. We expect these initiatives will spur additional economic development in the area while adding well-planned and maintained green spaces that make our downtown area more attractive for those who live, work and visit there. Thank you to the Trager family for their support of the Envirome Institute’s innovative and forward-thinking project,” said Mayor Greg Fischer.

In the past, Louisville’s downtown was a vibrant hub of activity, from shopping and industry to entertainment and culture. The Trager Micro-Forest Project is intended to excite and engage the community while changing perceptions of downtown and promoting a greener and healthier city.

Initial work on the Trager Micro-Forest Project is already underway. Researchers are analyzing current park usage and taking air and surface temperature measurements in Founders Square and surrounding properties, and they have completed an inventory of the existing trees. This past summer, they used ground-penetrating radar to peer beneath the surface of Founders Square to identify any possible underground obstacles. Community members will be invited to participate in activities on site and provide input into the project over the next few months, with plantings to follow.