We are very excited for Arbor Week, which will run from April 20th to April 27th. As part of the festivities, we are partnering with a number of neighborhood organizations to give away 600 seedlings to residents throughout the city. In order to make this happen, we need YOUR help bagging seedlings! Join us on Thursday April 18th for a family-friendly outdoor event. 

Slow down, unplug and awaken your senses on a guided nature therapy experience at the Arnold Arboretum, led by certified forest therapy guide Tam Willey. 

Join us for our first tree care event of 2024 at Harambee Park. We will be looking after the 50+ young trees that we planted in prior years. Activities include mulching, weeding, checking the tree stakes, and collecting litter around the park. All are welcome and encouraged to come! 

Join us at More Than Words on the 22nd, Urban Farming Institute on the 23rd, or Frugal Bookstore on the 24th for an evening with Dr. Christine Carmichael, author of “Racist Roots: How Racism Has Affected Trees and People in Our Cities - and What We Can Do About It,” to discuss racism and how it has affected our cities’ urban trees and green spaces. 

Join artist Jane D. Marsching for an evening of movement, writing, and drawing in conversation with one of our native trees: Black Cherry. Participants will process and reflect through drawing with ink made from Black Cherry. 

Calling all future Tree Keepers! Mekhi is excited to meet and teach you all. After much time and effort searching for possible venues, we are excited to announce the first class will be held on Tuesday, April 16th, and Friday, April 19th, with both classes being from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The venue for these sessions is the Speak for the Trees’ office at 60 Clayton Street, 2nd floor, Dorchester.

For those unable to attend, we will also have classes in East Boston, Mattapan, Roxbury, Hyde Park, and Allston-Brighton. Venue locations will be announced a week prior to the classes so keep a look out for an email with more details. Upon completion, you will receive a complimentary Lorax patch or sticker. If you have any questions, please email them to Mekhi, Tree Keeper coordinator, at [email protected]. 

We’re excited to welcome the newest “member” of our team: a fully electric Ford F150 Lightning pickup truck. We’ll be outfitting this truck with a water sprayer to care for the hundreds of trees we’ve planted. In the coming weeks we’ll be designing a wrap for the truck and be looking to you for suggested names and designs.

We want to thank Delta Air Lines and all those who have supported our purchase of this truck. It’s not too late to donate.

Boston Urban Forest Friends is a coalition of organizations, community groups, and individuals focused on increasing partnerships and collaboration around growing Boston’s urban canopy. Monthly meetings are held online and are open to the public. Our next meeting is Friday, April 12, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., and the Speak for the Trees team will share exciting updates regarding our Arbor Week events. You can register here. We look forward to seeing you!

Speak for the Trees has partnered with Emerson College during the Spring semester in the course “Behavioral Economics,” where students propose interventions that will change people’s behavior relating to urban trees.

There will be an end-of-semester event at Franklin Park Zoo on Friday, April 19, from 12:00  p.m.- 2:00 p.m., where we will explore ways that storytelling can inspire us toward environmental action.

Look through the eyes of animals as they navigate our shared environment, explore how human stories can deepen our care for trees, and help envision what environmental justice can look like in Boston. Featuring family-friendly live performances, interactive discussions and activities, a picnic lunch, and more! Registration includes free admission to explore the Zoo following the event. Be sure to register early, as tickets are limited.

Speak for the Trees is currently preparing for the upcoming Summer Teen Urban Tree Corps program and is excited to announce that our Team Leader application is live! Team Leaders are young adults, ages 19-24, who supervise youth participants in caring for Boston's tree canopy by engaging in tree identification, climbing, plantings, watering, and more. This is a temporary paid position at $20/hr for 30 hours a week. Team Leaders will work nine weeks from mid-June to mid-August, exact dates TBD. To apply, please send your resume and a cover letter, along with 3 professional references, to Joshua Reed, our education coordinator, at [email protected] and Jamila dePeiza-Kern, our Teen Urban Tree Corps program coordinator, at [email protected].

We are now welcoming Boston high-school-aged youth to apply to join as Summer Teen Urban Tree Corps (TUTC) program participants! TUTC participants will learn about the importance of urban trees and gain skills in urban forestry, including how to plant, care for, and advocate for trees. Participants will provide hands-on care to street trees and make connections in the world of urban forestry through various field trips and guest speakers. Participants will also assist Speak for the Trees to expand the watering program into a new community by sharing the skills and procedures involved with another youth-serving organization. The program will run from July 1st to August 16th, and participants will work 25 hours a week at $15 an hour.