“We welcome Bostonians of all ages to join us during April school vacation week for events ranging from woodland plantings to the excitement of watching tree care professionals compete in a climbing contest,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “These celebrations invite people to take part in the greening of our city while learning valuable lessons in sustainability and stewardship.”
On Thursday, April 22 the Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s Urban Wilds Initiative hosts an Earth Day celebration at the Allandale Woods Urban Wild in Roslindale. From 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. there will be a free Nature and Wildflower Walk sponsored in part by Boston Natural Areas Network. Participants should meet at the trailhead located at the rear of the parking lot at Annunciation Church, VFW Parkway at Centre Street, Roslindale.
From 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. there will be a volunteer planting at the Vincent Road trailhead located at the southern end of Allandale Woods. Woodland restoration activities will include invasive plant removal and planting of native flowering understory trees. Ample parking for this portion of the celebration is located at Vincent and Morey Roads, West Roxbury. Volunteers of all ages, especially area residents, are encouraged to join in the Earth Day festivities.
On Saturday, April 24, the Dimock Center, 55 Dimock Street, Roxbury, will be the site of a coordinated, day-long Boston Shines project from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. that will involve tree removal, pruning, and planting. Activities will involve a major grounds cleanup, restoration of flower beds, and the planting of perennials. Massachusetts Arborists Association member C&C Maltby Tree Care will prune trees, remove diseased trees, and supervise new tree plantings. A team of volunteers from Cisco Systems will donate their time, as well as Dimock staff.
Grow Boston Greener and the Boston Urban Forest Coalition will also use the day as an opportunity to provide tree planting and care training from 10 a.m. to 12 noon for local grant recipients of Grow Boston Greener Tree Grants, including the Dimock Center which has received a Grow Boston Greener grant for new trees to be planted on the Center’s main campus.
The purpose of the training is for grant winners to learn how to execute site analysis and planting and maintenance. Each grant recipient must participate in the event as part of the grant requirements. The training will begin with a demonstration by tree planting experts from the Urban Ecology Institute and will continue with hands-on planting assistance. Following the training, the Grow Boston Greener Tree Grant Program awardees will be presented with their tree planting grants. All grantee tree plantings must be completed by June 1.
Grow Boston Greener (GBG) is a collaborative effort of the City of Boston and its partners in Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition (BUFC) to increase the urban tree canopy cover in the city by planting 100,000 trees by 2020. The planting of these trees will increase Boston’s tree canopy cover from 29% to 35%, by 2030 as the planted trees mature.
Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition (BUFC) is a coalition of non-profit, city, state, and federal organizations working to transform Boston’s urban forest in order to improve the urban forest ecosystem, public health, and quality of life for Boston’s residents.
On Arbor Day, Friday, April 30, the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Arborists Association will join together in Franklin Park from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the city’s official Arbor Day celebration.
Seven major tree companies with over 30 arborist volunteers will participate in the event. Spectators will get a firsthand look at the arborists’ tree pruning expertise including tree climbing, bucket work, and crane work. In addition, participants will also help to eradicate one of New England’s most invasive plants, the Glossy Buckhorn.
The day will include the thrill of a tree climbing contest held for professional arborist volunteers from Arborway Tree Care, Tree Tech Inc., Royer Tree Service, Inc., C&C Maltby Tree Care, Barrett Tree Service East, Inc., Northern Tree Service, Inc., and Hunt Landscape Co. Mayer Power Products will provide prizes for the winners of the tree climbing contest.
The Massachusetts Arborists Association (MAA) is a professional trade organization that serves the commercial arboriculture industry. The MAA advances the goals of its members through education, certification, networking, advocacy, and research support. Consumers can learn more about the importance of proper tree care and find a local, certified arborist at www.certifiedtreeandlawn.org.
For more information on the city’s Earth Day and Arbor Day events, please call (617) 635-4505.
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