For the past month we've been busy watering (and climbing) trees, going on community walks, and welcoming new staff. It's certainly been busy!

As you read our updates below, we hope you're inspired by our mission and work. As our community and work grows, so does our need for your support. Please take a moment to donate today and support our work in planting trees, educating youth, and expanding knowledge and appreciation of trees across Boston.

Keep reading for the latest updates! And thank you for your support and partnership.

With the successful completion of Speak for the Trees' final community tree walk in Mattapan, we are pleased to look back and reflect on the project, work, and partnerships. Our dual goals in developing these walks were for community groups and residents to learn about the importance of urban trees and for Speak for the Trees, in turn, to learn from community members. By collaborating with neighborhood groups and other partners, we aimed to foster a greater appreciation for urban trees and advocate for a greener, healthier future for all residents of Boston.

Starting in the summer of 2022, we collected surveys and stories from residents, went on walks and learned together about the science of trees. Over the course of 9 meetings across 3 different neighborhoods, we worked with residents, community leaders, municipal officials, storytellers, and researchers to explore the intersections of environmental justice, public health, and tree canopy cover.

The final phase of the project included six community tree walks led by community members, with two walks held in each of three neighborhoods: Dorchester, East Boston, and Mattapan. Attendees had the opportunity to hear personal stories about residents’ connection to trees and explore the inequities in tree distribution within their neighborhoods. These walks also served as a platform for strengthening partnerships and developing shared visions for an equitable urban forest that provides environmental, public health, social, and other benefits. 

We would like to express our deep gratitude to all the community members, partners, and supporters who contributed to the success of the Community Tree Walks, with special thanks to Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Edgewater Neighborhood Association, and Neighborhood of Affordable Housing for partnering with us on the community tree walks, and the EPA's Environmental Justice Small Grants Program for supporting the project. We are also so grateful for the partnership with BU URBAN, EmVision, and Everyday Boston to provide space for stories, science, and sharing.

In the coming months, we will be sharing videos and maps from these tree walks. Please your eyes open for them. If you you missed the walks, you'll be able to access on your own.

It's hard to believe, but we are now 4 weeks into our Teen Urban Tree Corps Summer program! In early July, the teens had the opportunity to participate in a tree climbing workshop lead by Bear LeVangie and Melissa LeVangie Ingersoll through the Women's Tree Climbing Workshop. When the teens aren't climbing trees, they have been busy caring for trees in Loesch Park and an additional 200 street trees in Dorchester. They have also been on field trips to sites such as the Boston Common and Public Gardens and Franklin Park. In the coming weeks these teens will continue to care for the trees on their routes and take additional field trips to expand their knowledge of trees, careers in urban forestry, and Boston's urban forest.

Below is a map of their watering routes in Dorchester. Bravo to the teens for all of their hard work!