Especially in urban communities, trees are vital to the health of a neighborhood and its residents.  Trees lower temperatures by providing shade, and they remove air pollution, especially particulate pollution that has been linked to asthma and other repertory diseases that are more common in urban areas.  According to the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, 100 mature trees remove five tons of carbon dioxide and more than 1,000 pounds of other air pollutants each year.  Urban forests are also known to dramatically reduce the “urban heat island effect.”  On a household level, one large shade tree can reduce air conditioning cost by 30% and reduce heating cost by 10-25% by blocking wind. Trees have also shown to have dramatic effects on the neighborhoods they are planted in through their capacity to help foster a sense of community by creating attractive and engaging meeting places.  

MetroFuture supports efforts to increase the region’s urban tree canopy, such as the City of Boston’s goal of increasing canopy coverage from 29% to 35% by planting 100,000 trees before the year 2020.  Assuming that other urban municipalities have canopy coverage comparable to that of Boston, MetroFuture identifies a need for 1.2 million trees in order to achieve 35% canopy coverage in the region’s urban communities.  Studies show that planting and maintaining 100 urban trees will cost $82,000 over the lifetimes of the trees while generating $225,000 in economic benefits, specifically storm water and air pollution control and increased real estate value.

Regional urban forestry efforts will require a more comprehensive understanding of Metro Boston’s existing urban forest canopy and the condition of existing trees and forests.  A recent study of the forest canopy in Boston’s Franklin Park found that many of the trees in the forest are nearing the end of their lifespan and there are not enough younger and mid-sized trees to replace those that will be lost.  Such research is critical to guiding effective planting and forestry management programs.  

Tree and forest inventories are one important component of a comprehensive “community forestry program” through which public and private tree canopy efforts are coordinated.  Existing models for such programs include Grow Boston Greener, a public private partnership comprised of City of Boston and its partners in Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition (BUFC).  The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is one such partner and provides support for community forestry programs.  

Municipalities can also retain and increase tree canopy through regulatory means.  There are a variety of tree preservation ordinances that help to protect existing trees on public and private property; zoning and site plan review guidelines can also require tree planting and establish baseline planting and maintenance standards so that trees will flourish. 

19.a    The Commonwealth and private funders should support efforts to catalog and increase the urban forest canopy

19.b    Urban municipalities should establish community forestry programs based on the criteria of the US Forest Service and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation

19.c    Municipalities should adopt tree preservation ordinances and mitigation programs

19.d    Municipalities should establish baseline planting and maintenance standards (through zoning or site plan review) for trees in new development or redevelopment

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