Mission

To bring together people, organizations, and resources to expand awareness about trees and the public health benefits they provide, increase the equitable distribution of trees, and help Boston's urban forest grow and thrive, advancing climate resiliency.

 

  1. All trees - private and public - are a public good.

  2. We value trees and Boston’s urban tree canopy coverage for their environmental, social, economic, and health benefits - benefits that are inequitably distributed.

  3. In the era of climate change, green space in urban areas is needed more than ever to build a resilient and healthy Boston.

  4. Our work and the city’s work need to center residents’ voices and be rooted in community concerns and actions.

  5. We celebrate diversity in our work, in people’s experiences and backgrounds, and in our urban forest, and are committed to building a supportive and diverse group that can speak to different needs, cultures, values, and concerns.

  6. We encourage educational outreach opportunities around trees and their connection to issues of racial, environmental, and social justice.

  7. Resources and actions need to be distributed in a way that dismantles decades of white-supremacy and systemic inequity and racism.

  8. Programs in urban forestry should be developed to expand opportunities for  residential stewardship and workforce training in urban forestry, with a focus on communities of color and underrepresented groups.

  9. Local communities and organizations, municipal departments, private corporations, and foundations need to work in concert towards a shared vision for Boston’s urban forest.

Guiding Principles: