Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $1 Million for Tree Planting in Gateway Cities

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $1 million in grants to support tree planting and expand the urban forest canopy in Gateway Cities across Massachusetts. Six municipalities, two non-profit organizations, and one state university will receive awards through the Greening the Gateway Cities (GGCP) Implementation Grant Program. An additional seven projects are receiving awards through the GGCP’s Non-Profit Partnership Grant Program.  

“Expanding our forest canopy is one piece of the larger puzzle to combatting climate change in Massachusetts,” said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “With continuous heat waves leading to higher energy bills and greater greenhouse gas emissions, our Greening the Gateway Cities Program leverages our state resources and engages residents to help plant trees and enhance public health. Reducing the urban heat island effect is a top priority, and our non-profit partnerships through the GGCP will help cool our neighborhoods, towns, and cities.”  

"I am beyond thrilled that the City of Holyoke has been awarded funds through the Greening the Gateway Cities initiative that will benefit a local park and various neighborhoods downtown with new growing trees,” said State Senator John C. Velis (D-Hampden and Hampshire). “With increased tree canopy cover, communities like Holyoke can reduce household energy usage and provide an overall better quality of life for residents.  I am grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their commitment to this important program and our Gateway Cities throughout the Commonwealth.” 

“The Greening Gateway City initiatives address important inequities, including the overheating that occurs in urban areas,” said State Representative Patricia A. Duffy (D-5^th Hampden). “I’m so grateful that the Healey-Driscoll Administration recognizes this and supports these efforts. I’m looking forward to seeing these beautiful trees in my city.”   

The GGCP is a partnership between the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Urban & Community Forestry Program, and Gateway Cities and local grassroots organizations. Tree planting in Gateway Cities is essential to achieving state climate goals by decreasing energy usage, reducing the impacts of flooding from stormwater runoff, mitigating the extreme heat in urban areas, and improving overall public health.  

Trees cool neighborhoods and reduce the “urban heat island” effect, where areas deficient in greenery and abundant in impervious surfaces, such as buildings and roads, create significantly hotter living conditions and adverse public health outcomes. In 2024, GGCP expanded eligible planting areas, to encompass environmental justice neighborhoods in Gateway Cities.  

The GGCP Implementation Grant awardees will facilitate tree stewardship and impervious surface removal to increase energy savings from reduced heating and cooling costs. The GGCP Implementation Grant awardees are: 

• City of Everett – $150,000 to plant 62 public trees and create and prepare 150 new tree pits to be planted by the Greening the Gateway Cities Program.
• City of Holyoke – $149,760 to prepare 88 tree pits to provide public planting locations for the Greening the Gateway Cities Program. Additionally, the City will plant 42 trees in a neighborhood park.
• City of Lynn – $123,981 to prepare 80 new tree pits, and provide assistance to Greening the Gateway Cities Program, in order to plant 110 new public trees. In addition, the City will provide tree stewardship and assist with community engagement to promote GGCP.
• City of Malden – $150,000 to prepare 80 new tree pits to provide new planting locations for the Greening the Gateway Cities Program. Additionally, the City will install permeable pavement around urban tree pits to increase water absorption and plant a pocket forest.
• City of Salem – $120,000 to plant and steward 100 trees, along entry routes into Salem.
• City of Taunton – $105,000 to plant 30-35 trees in two municipal cemeteries. Additionally, the City will install permeable pavement around 80 urban trees to aid with stormwater absorption and protect against soil compaction.
• GreenRoots – $150,000 to plant 150 public trees and expand the Tree Keeper program (a community driven tree stewardship program).
• Groundwork Southcoast – $150,000 to plant 65 trees in 3 open space locations in New Bedford, including planting a micro forest.
• Salem State University – $31,950 to plant and steward 36 new trees on Harrington Campus. 

The Non-Profit Partnership Grant awards will provide funding for non-profit partners to conduct outreach to residents and business owners interested in receiving free trees from the Greening the Gateway Cities Program (GGCP). These partnerships ensure DCR can maximize tree planting and tree stewardship in environmental justice neighborhoods within Gateway Cities. The GGCP Non-Profit Partnership Grant awardees are:  

• GreenRoots – $35,000 to increase the capacity of the TreeKeeper Program, a community driven tree stewardship program.
• Groundwork Lawrence – $35,000 to conduct door-to-door canvassing, literature mailings and tabling at community events to raise awareness of GGCP tree planting within Haverhill environmental justice neighborhoods and communicate the benefits of urban canopy.
• Groundwork Southcoast – $35,000 to conduct door-to-door canvasing and disseminate literature in New Bedford environmental justice neighborhoods, as well as increase awareness of the program via social media.
• Growing Places – $48,778 to grow community awareness of the GGCP in both Leominster and Fitchburg, conduct door-to-door canvassing, connect DCR foresters with new landowners for tree planting in environmental justice neighborhoods, literature mailings and tabling at community events to increase knowledge of the many benefits of urban tree planting within both communities.
• Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust – $24,520 to conduct door-to-door canvassing, social media outreach, tabling at community events to raise awareness of GGCP tree planting, as well as conduct training and educational programs.
• Salem Sound Coastwatch – $35,000 to conduct outreach and generate interest in the GGCP program, and recruit residents to have tree(s) planted on their property as well as identify high priority planting locations across the designated planting zone in coordination with DCR.
• Wildlands Trust – $52,300 to conduct social media and community outreach, literature mailings, and tabling at community events to raise awareness of GGCP tree planting and communicate the benefits of urban canopy in environmental justice neighborhoods within Taunton & Brockton.  

###