Greening the Gateway Cities Program

DCR Urban and Community Forestry Greening the Gateway Cities Program is designed to reduce household heating and cooling energy use by increasing tree canopy cover in urban residential areas

A healthy urban forest ecosystems improves the quality of the water we drink, the air we breathe, the stability of our neighborhoods, and our sense of community and individual pride.

The DCR Bureau of Forest Fire Control and Forestry Urban and Community Forestry crews, hired within local communities, plant trees in target neighborhoods to increase tree canopy cover for environmental and energy efficiency benefits.

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Target Areas

This program, concentrated in Environmental Justice neighborhoods, targets areas within gateway cities that have lower tree canopy, older housing stock, higher wind speeds, and a larger renter population. GGCP is currently active in Barnstable, Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee , Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield and Westfield,  Barnstable, Everett, Malden, Worcester, and Taunton.

Join the Team

Greening the Gateway City team from Lynn

You can make a difference in  your community by joining the Greening the Gateway Cities planting team.  Increasing the urban canopy will help save energy, protect air and water quality, and improve overall community health.

Apply to join the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Greening the Gateway Cities urban tree planting program!

Tree planting laborer opportunities are available for the spring (April-June) and fall (September-November) planting seasons.

For more information, contact:

Kelly Meiler, [phone], [e-mail]

GGCP Grant Opportunities

Grant opportunities for Fiscal Year 2026 have been posted. Please visit Non-Profit Partnership grant or Greening the Gateway Cities Implementation grant
 

Non-Profit Partnership Grant

• Grants to support non-profits in their work to communicate GGCP objectives, raise awareness of the benefits of urban trees, and encourage residents to participate in tree planting.
• Eligible Applicants: Qualified non-profit 501(c)3 organizations
• Maximum Award: $30,000

Tree Planting Implementation Grant

• Grants will support tree planting, tree watering & maintenance, and other related activities that have a measurable impact on the urban canopy in Gateway Cities.
• Grants to support municipalities and/or non-profit organizations, as they identify and prepare urban areas for tree planting in coordination with DCR.
• Eligible Applicants: Gateway City municipalities and qualified non-profit 501(c)3 organizations
• Maximum Award: $100,000

Contact

For more information, you can contact:

Hilary Dimino - Division of Conservation Services

[phone]

[e-mail]

Contact Your Local GGCP Office

The GGCP operates all year long. Call your local GGCP office to determine if you are eligible to receive free trees or to schedule an appointment with a DCR Forester. Leave your name, address (including city), and telephone number.

Brockton  [phone]

Chelsea  617) 626-1459

Chicopee  [phone]

Everett  [phone]

Fall River  [phone]

Fitchburg  [phone]

Haverhill  [phone]

Holyoke  [phone]

Lawrence  [phone]

Leominster  [phone]

Lowell  [phone]

Lynn  [phone]

Malden  [phone]

New Bedford  [phone]

Quincy  [phone]

Revere  [phone]

Salem  [phone]

Springfield [phone]

Taunton  [phone]

Westfield   [phone]

Worcester  [phone]