Boston's heatwave is sizzling, and while we seek cool relief, our young trees need a helping hand to survive the scorching temperatures. Recently planted trees, especially those in their first two years, are particularly vulnerable to drought stress. Here's how you can be a hero to your local leafy friends:

• Ditch the daily sprinkle: Aim for deep watering, soaking the soil around the base of the tree until the water begins to run off. This encourages roots to grow deep, searching for moisture during dry spells. Check out this video from our friends at TreePeople to learn how to properly water your tree.
• Mulch matters: A 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base (but not touching the trunk) retains moisture in the soil and reduces evaporation. Replenish mulch as needed throughout the summer. You can watch this video from our friends at TreePeople to learn how to properly mulch your tree.
• Mornings are best: Water your trees early in the morning, allowing the water to soak in before the scorching sun evaporates it.

By giving your young trees a good soak, you'll be ensuring a vibrant urban forest for years to come. Together, we can keep Boston cool and green!

In a July 10 Guardian article comparing the excessive heat in United States cities, Boston had the eighth strongest severity of the heat island effect. On a 90 degree day, communities differed by as much as 8.4 degrees Fahrenheit! (New York City beat out Boston with a difference of 9.6 degrees.) These heat islands are due in large part to historic systems of inequitable investment, such as redlining. This has led to many poorer communities and communities of color having lower levels of tree canopy coverage and higher amounts of black top and asphalt. This tree inequity has serious health implications, such as heat stroke, increased levels of cardiovascular disease, and higher levels of asthma. Trees are no longer a luxury - they are a necessity as Boston faces climate change and higher summer temperatures. 

Boston's street trees are getting a much-needed boost from a dedicated team of teens! The Teen Urban Tree Corps (TUTC) summer program kicked off this week with 24 enthusiastic Boston youth led by experienced team leaders and Joshua Reed, our education coordinator. These future leaders are diving into the world of urban forestry through a variety of engaging activities. They'll embark on field trips, get their hands dirty watering trees, conduct research projects, and even create outreach materials to raise awareness about the importance of our urban forest. We're excited to introduce you to these amazing TUTC participants in future newsletters, where we'll share their experiences throughout the summer! 

The 2024 BUFF Symposium on June 29 was an opportunity for community members and organizations to connect, celebrate, and learn about the collective work we are doing to plant, care for, and preserve trees in our urban forests throughout Greater Boston. 

Our meeting gave us the chance to learn through presentations and discussion and introduced many of us to profound questions and concepts about trees and how they fit into our lives. 

The symposium was hosted at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. With nearly 50 people in attendance, we welcomed concerned neighbors, tree advocates, city officials, scientists, educators, and arborists. A special thank you goes out to everyone who attended. Your enthusiasm and participation are what made this year's symposium truly special.

Speak for the Trees is seeking board members who can provide expertise, knowledge, and skills to grow the organization in the coming years. We're a growing organization with a big heart and an even bigger mission: "to plant, preserve, care for, and advocate for trees and expand the tree canopy in order to rebuild resilient neighborhoods and safeguard the health of all residents, repairing historic injustices that persist today as environmental inequities in urban communities." 

You can read the board FAQs and complete a board interest form here.