Somerville Planting 270 Trees This Fall

SOMERVILLE, MA — Somerville expects to plant around 270 trees this fall to meet its expanded goal of planting 350 trees each year.

The city published its first comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) this year to guide the next decade of urban forestry planning and policymaking.

The plan establishes a vision and an action plan to preserve and expand Somerville's urban forest, which is defined as all trees within a municipality.

The plan discusses the findings of the City’s most recent public tree inventory, sets goals for the next five to ten years, and provides recommendations on how to achieve them. It also details how to prepare for storms, manage invasive insects and diseases, optimize operations and policies, increase urban forestry funding, and expand public participation.

In a city, trees moderate extreme temperatures, improve air quality, mitigate stormwater runoff, calm traffic, increase property values and retail sales, and provide habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, among countless other environmental, economic, and public health benefits.

"Trees are an invaluable resource for our community and our climate. Here in Somerville, we have long invested in improving our urban forest, but as always, we must be strategic and data-driven in charting a path forward," Mayor Joseph Curtatone said in a statement. "This plan gives us the foundation we need to be deliberate in our approach and consistent in our action."

The plan builds on previous work and recommendations in Somerville’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (2016-2023), as well as the climate change mitigation plan Somerville Climate Forward (2018) and the City’s comprehensive plan SomerVision2040. All three called for the creation of an Urban Forest Management Plan to guide efforts to increase the city's tree canopy.

"We are thrilled to have completed this important plan, which has been a focus of the Public Space and Urban Forestry team for the last two years," said Luisa Oliveira, director of Public Space and Urban Forestry. "It provides the data for making decisions and guides our future tree policies and practices. It reflects the high caliber of urban forestry expertise we have cultivated in the City of Somerville and the passion for trees our residents share."

This plan was developed by the Public Space and Urban Forestry Division, with assistance from its consultant, Davey Resource Group, as well as input from various city departments, the Urban Forestry Committee, and numerous community members. The city received an Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to fund the development of this plan.

"Extreme weather events like those we’ve experienced this year really highlight the importance of having a healthy urban forest," said Dr. Vanessa Boukili, senior urban forestry and landscape planner. "I am proud to have been a part of creating a plan that not only provides details about our current tree canopy, but also presents a multifaceted approach for growing our tree canopy in a safe and equitable way."