Trager MicroForest Project
Founders Square
Louisville, Kentucky
2023 - Present
This project is possible through the generous support of the Trager Family Foundation.
Designing a healthier, greener and more livable city that connects people with nature and improves the way the community experiences the heart of downtown

As part of the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute’s New Vision of Health Campus the Trager MicroForest Project is intensely planting Founders Square located in the heart of downtown Louisville. This location offers a unique opportunity to reimagine urban greening and measure its impact on human health and the environment, moving us towards a model for cities that focus on fostering health and happiness.

Current research on the site includes study of the micro-climate as it relates to urban heat islands, urban greening and stress reduction, biodiversity and the microbiome of the square, soil health and more.

This project will create an engaging green space that serves residents, attracts visitors and adds to the vitality of downtown.


Phase One is under way
With the Master Planning process complete, phase one of the microforest began in April 2024 with the construction of the central raised forest area and new circular pathway. We also depaved significant areas in order to allow the existing perimeter trees more space to breath and more areas to incorporate understory greening.

Phase One design planting plan for the Trager Micro Forest
Phase One Planting Design


With the phase one construction almost complete, we will begin planting over 100 trees and shrubs this fall. You can follow the progress through our weekly post updates found at the bottom of this page.

The Trager MicroForest Project at Founders Square is not simply a beautification project. It extends the work of the Envirome Institute’s pioneering Green Heart Project, serving as a unique urban greenspace research and intervention initiative that will provide a template for future urban greening projects.

We will investigate:

  • Is it possible to lower the temperature both within and in the immediate vicinity of Founders Square to mitigate the urban heat island effect that plagues many cities, including Louisville?
  • Do intensely planted green spaces reduce the physiological and psychological stress that leads to chronic diseases?
  • Can even a small green space, when planted to mimic forest plant communities, increase micro and macro biodiversity?

Trager MicroForest Master Plan
Through public workshops in early 2023 and followup design and ideation sessions with our design consultants at Gresham Smith, we have developed a conceptual master plan that drives current construction.

aerial of current conditions of founders square
Trager MicroForest Project overhead design plan
rendering of microforest portal entrance
rendering of microforest 444 entrance
rendering of microforest central forest
rendering of microforest from Muhammad Ali Blvd and Armory

Current Conditions
We have installed two Chronolog stations in Founders Square, one at the southwest corner near Armory and Muhammad Ali Blvd, and a second at the northeast corner. These stations allow us to produce crowd-sourced timelapse videos of the progress of the Trager MicroForest Project that monitor changes over time.

Latest Trager MicroForest Project Related News & Notes