Urban Forest Plan
We're planning for the protection and expansion of Boston's urban forest.
The Boston Urban Forest Plan is a strategic long-term investment in:
- the health of the trees and canopy in Boston, and
- the City’s diverse residents.
In Boston, nearly 700,000 people depend on the many benefits provided by the trees in our urban forest. The work we do here will have a regional effect.
-
Have questions? Contact:
Parks and Recreation -
Get the latest updates
Follow us on social media or sign up for the Healthy Places newsletter. You will learn about ways to get involved and receive the latest information on the:
- Urban Forest Plan
- Heat Resilience Study, and
- Open Space and Recreation Plan.
About
The development of an Urban Forest Plan will help the City deliver a thriving, collaboratively sustained urban forest.
Our goal is to create a strategic plan that is based on science, and defined by the needs and desires of the community. We want to ensure that the urban forest will be better managed both today and 20 years from now.
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE
On March 14, 2022, we hosted a citywide virtual open house. We invite you to take a look at the presentation or video recording of the meeting to learn more about the urban forest and draft goals and recommendations. Plan publication is slated for late spring 2022.
Latest news
Latest newsOct 21
Urban Forest Plan: View the Street Tree Map!
Explore the public street tree inventory!
Schedule
Newsletter signup
The Urban Forest Plan is working closely with several other initiatives. We will be issuing a joint newsletter called Healthy Places Boston. By signing up, you can get updates on news, events, and opportunities to get involved with the:
- Urban Forest Plan
- Heat Resilience Study, and
- Open Space and Recreation Plan.
Community Advisory Board
Community Advisory BoardThe Community Advisory Board (CAB) is made up of:
- Collaborating Partners
- an Equity Council, and
- an Intergovernmental Working Group.
By coming together, we hope to create a plan that represents community-supported values and objectives. We want to create a plan that can be carried forward to implementation. Collaborating Partners will be key in shaping an inclusive and informed planning and design process.
These three bodies will work together through a series of workshops and meetings:
1. The Equity Council (EC) is composed of:
- community members, and
- representatives from grassroots, community-based organizations living or working from or in historically excluded and marginalized communities.
Representatives are selected directly through a separate process.
2. The Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) brings together leaders and staff from various City departments and agencies.
3. Collaborating Partners are made up of representatives from key partners and players, such as nonprofits and institutions. They also include engaged members of the general public.
Kristine Acevedo, Fields Corner Civic Association (CP)
Fatima Ali-Salaam, Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council (EC)
Jeffrey Alexis, City of Boston Public Works Department (IWG)
Alex Alvanos, Boston Food Forest Coalition (CP)
Pat Alvarez, Southwest Boston CDC (EC)
Mary Arenas, CCDS/ East Boston (EC)
Carl Baty, Rounding the Bases/ Dorchester (EC)
Arnetta Baty, Rounding the Bases/ Dorchester (EC)
LaRay Brison, Edgewater Neighborhood Association/ Urban Farming Institute (EC)
Laquisa Burke, West of Washington Neighborhood Group (EC)
Andrea Burns, City of Boston Age Strong Commission (IWG)
Mela Bush-Miles, Alternatives for Community Environment (EC)
Alex Camhi (CP)
Lara Caralis, Beautify Eagle Hill/ Eagle Hill Civic Association (EC)
Zoe Davis, City of Boston Environment Department (IWG)
Mike Davis, Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) (IWG)
Sheila Drakeley (CP)
Ahnaf Eram, Dorchester YMCA (CP)
Charlotte Fleetwood, City of Boston - Transportation (IWG)
Shani Fletcher, City of Boston - Department of Neighborhood Development (IWG)
Max Ford-Diamond, Boston Parks and Recreation Department (BPRD) (IWG)
Kaira Fox, City of Boston Office of Neighborhood Services (IWG)
Isabella Gambill, A Better City, Green Ribbon Commission (CP)
Andrew Gapinski, Arnold Arboretum (CP)
Melanie Garate, Mystic River Watershed Association and Latino Outdoors (CP)
Christopher Gonzalez, Eversource /Mass Tree Wardens Association (CP)
Gerard Gorman, City of Boston Public Works Department (IWG)
Andrew Haile, West of Washington Neighborhood Group (EC)
Erica Holm, Emerald Necklace Conservancy (CP)
Chu Huang, Chinatown Residents Association (EC)
Johanna Hynes (EC)
Nigel Jacob, City of Boston Office of New Urban Mechanics (IWG)
Mark Kennedy, City of Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) - Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Division (IWG)
Sarah Leung, City of Boston Disabilities Commission (IWG)
Todd Liming, City of Boston Public Works Department (IWG)
Hannah Lyons-Galante, MBTA (CP)
Olivia Marciano (CP)
Atyia Martin, Black Boston COVID-19 Coalition (EC)
Bill Masterson, Tree Eastie (EC)
Susan McCollin- City of Boston Office of Resilience and Racial Equity (IWG)
Kay Mathew, Friends of Melnea Cass/ Madison Park CDC (EC)
Irene McSweeney, Boston Water and Sewer Commission (IWG)
David Meshoulam, Speak for the Trees, Boston Urban Forest Friends (CP)
Liza Meyer, Boston Parks and Recreation Department (IWG)
Nupoor Monani, Boston Planning and Development Agency (IWG)
Danilo Morales, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Center (EC)
Gloribell Mota, Neighbors United for a Better East Boston (EC)
Jenna Mu (CP)
Grace Ng, Boston Planning and Development Agency (IWG)
Aaron Nobles, Southwest Boston CDC (EC)
Vivian Ortiz, Livable Streets Alliance/ Safe Routes to School/ Mattapan (EC)
Maggie Owens, Boston Parks and Rec Department (IWG)
Kai Palmer-Dunning, Reclaim Roxbury (EC)
Margaret Pokorny, Charlesgate Alliance, Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay (CP)
Barry Reaves, Boston Planning and Development Agency (IWG)
Judith Rodriguez, Healthy Cities Lab at Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health (CP)
Nayeli Rodriguez, City of Boston Office of New Urban Mechanics (IWG)
Noemy Rodriguez, GreenRoots (EC)
Maridena Rojas, The Boston Project Ministries/ Talbot-Norfolk Triangle Neighbors United (EC)
Rachele Rosi-Kessel, Roslindale Green and Clean (CP)
Nancy Smith, City of Boston Office of Emergency Management (IWG)
Victoria Stock, Allston Civic Association (CP)
Jalina Suggs, Union Capital Boston (EC)
Paul Sutton, Boston Parks and Recreation Department (IWG)
Zahirah Truth (EC)
Bill Walczak (CP)
Vernon Walker, CREW (EC)
Joel Wool, Boston Housing Authority (IWG)
Jill Zick, Boston Planning and Development Agency (IWG)
- Community Advisory Board commonly asked questions
- Urban Forest Plan: Community Advisory Board (CAB) workshop #1 of 3 (July 19, 2021)
- Urban Forest Plan: Community Advisory Board (CAB) workshop #2 of 3 (August 23, 2021)
- Urban Forest Plan: Community Advisory Board (CAB) workshop #3 of 3 (September 27, 2021)
Consultant team
- Boston-based firm experienced in the planning, design, and construction of complex urban projects
- Specialists in planning efforts that center equity towards successful outcomes that progress multiple goals, social and environmental
- Will use a range of engagement strategies to reach diverse communities through activities that produce mutual learning and opportunities for input
- Tree people, trained as planners and arborists
- Women-owned small business leading in urban forestry master plans in cities across the country
- Experts in urban forestry and the inner workings of municipal forestry policy, management, and operations
- Boston-based expert with strong knowledge of local conditions, histories, and relationships
- Will help ensure equity is centered throughout process and in outcomes
- Has academic expertise and awareness of latest research on diverse issues related to environmental justice, equity
- Specialists in the planning of workforce development linkages with urban forestry
- Strong expertise in national cases, best practices, tree equity
- Oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the United States
- Canopy inventory experts who will assess the current state of trees in Boston
- Specialists in geospatial analysis and systems will help set up a system that will help the City’s long-term management of the urban forest
- Boston-based firm with extensive experience with citywide stormwater management practices
- Will provide technical expertise to ensure best health and function of urban trees
- Will support the construction and implementation of best practices
Commonly asked questions
Have a question about the project? Take a look at some of the commonly asked questions we've answered so far.
Commonly Asked QuestionsRelated projects
More resources
resourcesCaring for boston's urban forest
Want to learn more about tree care in Boston?
Explore