Teen Urban Tree Corps

Growing trees and leaders for Boston's future

Teens from the Summer 2022 TUTC program pose at the rose arch in the Harvard Arnold Arboretum.

Growing Trees and Leaders for Boston’s Future

Our Teen Urban Tree Corps (TUTC) Summer Program program is a 6-week paid summer program for Boston teens, age 14-18. Under the supervision of young adult Team Leaders, teens spend 25 hours per week learning about the importance of trees and how to care for trees through watering sessions, mulching, and identification exercises. At the same time, they get to know their neighborhood forests, and advocate for their community’s health and well-being. The 2023 program starts in late June and will run through mid August.

Are you a Boston resident ages 14-25 looking for an exciting and meaningful summer?

We’re hiring Team Leaders, ages 19-25…

…and also teens ages 14-18


Past Teen Urban Tree Corps Programs

A group of teens from summer 2022 standing on top of a research tower at Harvard Forest

Our teens learn about trees through field trips – including this one to a research station at the Harvard Forest.

In addition to field trips, learning activities, and professional development, this past summer our teens committed themselves to watering over 200 and mulching over 100 street trees in Dorchester.

In 2021, 15 Boston teenagers joined our reinvigorated summer program. Teens gained hands on experience in the field of forestry through field trips, talks from professional in the field of forestry, and the creation of micro-forest plans for their neighborhoods.

In 2020, TUTC went remote. We hired 15 Boston teens. They explored the history, the present, and the future of five community forests in Boston: North Dorchester, South Dorchester, Hyde Park, West Roxbury, and Roslindale. Each group produced an artifact or video about their community forest.

In 2019, with support from Boston’s Department of Youth Employment and Engagement and the Private Industry Council, SFTT launched its inaugural Teen Urban Tree Corps program. Nine Boston youth collected data on nearly 5,000 trees and empty planting sites in Roxbury and Dorchester.

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