Why is this important?

Trees, especially in dense neighborhoods, give people a sense of place, comfort and beauty.  From the grays of winter and the changing greens of spring and summer, to the flaming reds and golds of fall, trees provide majesty and color to the city.  The cooling effect of trees can reduce energy consumption by up to 20% in the summer.  Tree and shrub barriers can reduce noise levels by approximately one-half (in the range of 8–12 decibels).  Wind speed, a problem in urban plazas, can be reduced by more than 30% by planting rows of trees.  Beautification of the public realm increases community pride and the pleasure of the changing seasons.  In addition to trees, flowers are universally appreciated as a source of beauty.

How are we doing?

A comprehensive Boston Urban Forest Inventory was completed in the fall of 2006 with the help of 300 volunteers who hand-counted street trees and counted trees in open spaces such as parks using aerial photographs. It found that Boston contains about 500,000 trees.  With almost half of its land area covered by trees, West Roxbury leads all other Boston neighborhoods.  Roslindale is a close second with 46% tree cover, while both Hyde Park and Jamaica Plain have 40% tree cover.  On the other hand, East Boston has only 6% tree cover, and the central neighborhoods of the city (including Chinatown) have hyst 8%, with South Boston coming in at 9%. 

Each year the Boston Parks and Recreation Department plants about 100,000 bulbs in Boston, or an equivalent of 200 bulbs per 1,000 persons per year, and about 1,000 street trees annually.   In 2007, Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced plans to plant 100,000 trees in Boston by 2020.