As Boston's summer heat continues, there has been growing recognition of the importance of trees as critical infrastructure to help cool our city. This means that we must continue to plant trees and increase our urban tree canopy. But, with Massachusetts currently facing drought conditions, this is not enough! Without water, trees across Boston are struggling to survive during this hot and dry summer.

Speak for the Tree's Executive Director, David Meshoulam, spoke about watering and tree care in a recent Boston.com news article, explaining how "30 to 40 percent of the street trees planted in Boston don’t survive past their seventh year, with most of the mortality occurring in the first two years."

We all must lean in. By watering street trees regularly, community members could increase trees' chances of survival, thereby increasing the benefits of mature and healthy trees. In addition, with  60% of Boston's land under private ownership, there's an opportunity to grow the city's canopy through partnerships with private residents.

Want to help? The best way to contribute is to water your tree once or twice a week with around 15 gallons a week.