Boston Tree Alliance Program

This program provides grants and technical support to community-based organizations. Its goal is to create grants and build capacity to plant and care for trees on privately-owned land, with a focus on increasing canopy in environmental justice neighborhoods and specifically areas that are documented heat islands.

The City will use $1 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the first three years of the program.

The program will form a coalition of nonprofit and community-based organizations, "the alliance." The Alliance will work together to increase and care for Boston's tree canopy on private land. Participating organizations may support:

• The identification of planting locations in environmental justice neighborhoods
• Tree planting and care projects
• The creation of educational materials
• Training on tree planting and care strategies
• Tracking of health and progress of tree planting and care projects funded through this program

The City of Boston hired Mass Audubon to be the program’s fiscal agent and convene the Alliance. Mass Audubon will co-create the Alliance governance structure, grantmaking process, tree tracking system, and educational curricula with Alliance members. Mass Audubon will not take over tree planting activities already occurring in Boston

The program aims to plant several hundred trees over the next three years during the ARPA funding cycle. The Alliance will identify more funding sources to sustain the program long term.

The Boston Tree Alliance Program's goal is to increase access to trees, address urban heat island impacts, and improve public health in environmental justice communities.

The Alliance will focus on areas where high extreme heat risk overlaps with social vulnerability.

All tree planting and maintenance will be on privately-owned land. The Alliance will identify eligible planting areas and projects across the entire City of Boston. The Urban Forest Plan’s Neighborhood Strategies data and the Heat Plan focus areas are initial scoping tools. The Alliance and feedback from Boston communities will inform tree-planting locations.

Fill out our interest form and select that you would like to plant trees on your property. Tree planting can only occur during the spring and fall. An urban forester will need to visit your property to determine tree species and suitable planting locations. You must allow urban foresters at least one annual property visit. These visits will ensure the tree survives.

The alliance will have its first convening in September 2023.