Today, Mayor Menino is proud to announce the Adopt-a-Tree pilot program, which empowers Bostonians to help young street trees planted by the City of Boston to survive for generations to come! Though we’re focusing on Mattapan, South Boston, and Roslindale to start, residents from all over Boston can begin caring for a tree.
How to Adopt-a-Tree
The infographic above explains it all, but the steps are easy:
- Go to adoptatree.greenovateboston.org. Click on a dot to get started. If you can’t find your tree, add it! Please add only young “street” trees (those with trunks less than 6 inches around? that are located in the sidewalk),
- Learn the ins-and-outs of caring for young trees at the website – like mulching, weeding, and watering the tree.
- Share your experience by sending pictures to info@greenovateboston.org.
With your help, we can make sure that in twenty years, we can continue to enjoy everything that Boston’s trees provide!
Why does the City need this?
Young trees have a hard time surviving in the urban jungle. And with climate change bringing more diseases, pollution and other stressors, young trees have an even slimmer chance of survival. In order to maintain and grow Boston’s tree canopy, we need everyone’s help!
Wait – what’s so great about trees anyways?
We’ve always appreciated the shade of a tree, but research is showing that trees are great for so much more. A Natural Resources Defense Council blog has a round-up of the most fascinating stats:
- In Baltimore, a 10 percent increase in trees meant a 12 percent decrease in crime after taking income, location, and more into account.
- Trees can improve air quality by as much as 15 percent, which can reduce the number of asthma attacks and heart disease.
- Boston trees sequester tens of thousands of metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – that’s thousands of cars taken off the road every year!
- Not to mention the huge benefits that trees do to prevent flooding, reduce stormwater runoff, and lower electricity bills…
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