The Grow Boston Greener (GBG) program is a competitive mini-grant program of Boston
Natural Areas Network in partnership with the City of Boston that provides funding of up to $2,500 for tree plantings in
neighborhoods throughout the City of Boston.
Overview: The Grow Boston Greener program was launched on Arbor Day, April 30, 2007.
An inventory of the City’s trees showed that Boston had an overall tree canopy cover
of 29%. The GBG vision is to plant an additional 100,000 trees by 2020 to increase
the urban tree canopy to 35% and make Boston a cooler, cleaner, healthier city. The
goals of GBG are to increase tree canopy, mitigate heat island effect, reduce energy
consumption, improve air quality and improve storm water management.

Existing Urban Tree Canopy of Boston by Neighborhood
| |
Borough Land Area (acres) |
Existing UTC (acres) |
Existing UTC (percent) |
| Allston/Brighton |
2703.4 |
652.3 |
24% |
| Back Bay/Beacon Hill |
594 |
135.9 |
23% |
| Central |
912.2 |
68.9 |
8% |
| Charlestown |
854.7 |
99.2 |
12% |
| East Boston |
3004.6 |
194.5 |
6% |
| Fenway/Kenmore |
815 |
234.3 |
29% |
| Hyde Park |
2763.2 |
1165.8 |
42% |
| Jamaica Plain |
1971 |
826.3 |
42% |
| Mattapan |
1783.7 |
671.4 |
38% |
| North Dorchester |
1477.4 |
260 |
18% |
| Roslindale |
2364.4 |
1094.4 |
46% |
| Roxbury |
2525.1 |
589 |
23% |
| South Boston |
1955.5 |
169.3 |
9% |
| South Dorchester |
2556.9 |
819.8 |
32% |
| South End |
680.7 |
99.8 |
15% |
| West Roxbury |
2832.9 |
1388 |
49% |
Beyond "the simple act of planting a tree" our planting programs focus not
only on planting trees, but on the community-based stewardship activities necessary to ensure the trees'
survival. To realize the above goals we must not only plant trees, but plant trees that will
survive, thrive and that will ensure the unique benefits that a mature, healthy urban forest canopy
provides.
Funding for the GBG program is provided by the support of corporate and philanthropic
donors through the Fund for Parks and Recreation in Boston.
Click here for more information on donating to Grow Boston Greener
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