Brookline Needs Help Watering Town’s Shade Trees Amid Drought

BROOKLINE, MA — The Brookline Department of Public Works is seeking the community’s help watering shade trees in town amid the ongoing drought.

Severe drought conditions have had a detrimental effect on the approximately 60,000 public trees in Brookline, the town said. To offset that impact, residents are to help the town by watering street trees to protect them from extreme conditions.

The Brookline Parks and Open Space Division waters trees on public property Monday through Friday, and either Saturday or Sunday, but the amount of trees that would benefit from watering is beyond staffing capacity.

Community members can help care for the public trees by providing additional water to any street trees or landscape that they are able to reach.

While all trees suffer in the current drought conditions, residents are asked to give priority to newly planted trees, specifically those planted in the spring. Trees surrounded by hardscape, such as streets and roads also are high-priority watering locations.

“Numerous residents have already volunteered to tend to shade trees near their homes, and I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to help take care of our urban forest,” Commissioner Erin Chute Gallentine said in a statement. "Our trees are suffering in these severe conditions, and it has become difficult to care for all of them at once. The community's help is not only needed but truly appreciated.”

Information on how to care for street trees and the amount of water needed can be found at https://www.brooklinema.gov/1832/Caring-For-Your-Street-Tree.

The town also has a limited number of tree gator bags, which slowly release water into tree roots. Tree gator bags should only be use for trees with three inch trunks or smaller.

Residents who are interested in obtaining a tree gator bag may call the Parks and Open Space Division office at 617-730-2088 or email parks@brooklinema.gov.