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Feds leaf it to Boston to plant, protect trees
By adamg on Fri, 10/06/2023 - 12:00pm
Mayor Wu and Sen. Ed Markey announced today that Boston has won an $11-million grant from the US Forestry Service to find ways to extend the life of the city's street trees and to help fund educational programs for young people looking to get into careers caring for those trees and other urban flora.
"We shook the money trees, and we got green for green," Markey said of the money, which comes from the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act fund.
The money will help fund city efforts to extend the often short life of its street trees in part by replacing some of the concrete that surrounds them with porous paving materials that can help get more rainwater to them while still providing a good surface for people with mobility issues.
Also:
As part of the City's commitment to equitably growing the urban forest, PowerCorps Boston provides training in climate resilience and the green industry for young adults from environmental justice communities. An "earn and learn" program, PowerCorps Boston pays members to participate in hands-on training that prepares them for living-wage careers. Over the course of a 6-month training program, PowerCorps Boston teaches Corps members a variety of transferable soft skills and technical forestry skills. PowerCorps Boston aims to promote workforce development for youth in growing industries and support environmental stewardship and City of Boston climate policies.
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Comments
Brighton Tree Ninja....
Quietly gets excited for the wrong reasons.
East Boston really needs more
East Boston really needs more trees
Inflation Reduction Act
Finally, someone is fighting rampant inflation by extending the lifespan of the city's trees. We'll all look out for savings at the grocery store. Thank you, Senator Markey.
Whatever
You can look for savings in your heating and cooling costs, dear. Also reduces your flood risks from runoff.
But I'm guessing you are one of those people who thinks that the president and not the energy companies control the cost of energy.
Awwww
You were looking for something meaningful, like a case of Bud and a dozen scratch tickets, weren't you? No wonder you're big mad.
Trees need trimming
I hope the young arborists can help trim the sidewalk trees where they're down blocking the sidewalk (and potentially poking people in the eye),and all the other places that need maintenance and care. I'm 100% all-in for more trees, but we don't take great care of the ones we have, either. (The city takes 6-18 months to respond to most 311's for dead trees, or for trimming trees)
I also think any job program like this, teaching a skilled trade, is very cool. I'm all for it from that perspective.
Why did they cut down the linden trees at Carson Beach?
The best way to extend the life of trees is to not cut them down.
Recently all the linden trees (about 5 of them) on Day Boulevard next to the Carson Beach parking lot north of the bathhouse were cut down. These were large, mature trees.
Does anyone know who or why?
Money saved by improving health of trees?
There is a cost for water that is not absorbed into the ground.
Reducing contaminants carried by stormwater reduces pollution. Reducing stormwater that goes into the sewer system reduces wear and tear on the sewer system. So both environmental and monetary costs are reduced.
Add the benefits. More trees equals better health. Better health equals less medical costs. Another reduction of costs.
Seems that investing in the health of trees by improving how much water they can soak up is one of those scenarios where the winning just keeps happening. This is making America great again!
Just to shake my fist at the sky for a moment...
The city definitely should be doing more to make permeable sidewalks and design trees plots that absorb runoff -- Considering that the city is also forcing new development and even people renovating single-lot homes to spend lots of money installing expensive Groundwater Catchment systems under driveways. If the city is going to offload this expense onto homeowners and developers, the city can also pony up to design some at least half-way competent tree and water management systems which benefits everyone.
In what city park these
In what city park these programs actually take care of the trees? I'd like to go there.
ugh
Meanwhile it still takes 2+ years to get a street tree replaced...