Our History
About Boston Urban Forest Friends
Recognizing the past great work of Boston Urban Forest Council’s 2007 “Grow Boston Greener” campaign, the Boston Urban Forest Friends (BUFF) began informally in 2019 by Speak for the Trees as way to reinvigorate urban forestry work in Boston. Residents and organizations, many already doing work in this area, were eager to explore how to come together to support each other and Boston’s forest. These on-again, off-again conversations became more formalized in 2020 with the leadership of a TerraCorps member, Natalie Merline. Natalie organized meetings, developed a website, and maintained meeting notes.
BUFF’s meetings and networking provides ways for groups to align projects, goals, and speak with a unified vision for Boston’s forest. With the City of Boston committed to a 20-year Urban Forest Plan, BUFF sees an opportunity to elevate the importance of Boston’s urban forest for generations to come.
Where We’re At Now
BUFF has become a space for community members to speak about issues concerning trees in their neighborhoods, various organizations and community groups to collaborate on shared goals and projects, and staff from the city to connect with residents. BUFF continues to grow our network to include more residents and groups outside of the environmental sphere, such as housing groups and health organizations.
Check out our Past Meeting Resources page to learn more about what we do.