Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy staff and volunteers as they plant new trees in Pinebank Field, overlooking Jamaica Pond!

Registration is required in order to participate in this event. Those who register will automatically receive an email with further details, including the necessary waivers to sign and specific information on where to meet and what to expect on the day of the event.

Please email volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org with inquiries on this event or other volunteer opportunities.

The venue for this event is: 350 Jamaicaway, Boston, MA 02130

Boston Urban Forest Friends (BUFF) is a coalition of organizations, community groups, and individuals focused on increasing partnerships and collaboration around growing Boston’s urban canopy. Monthly meetings are held online and are open to the public. Everyone is welcome!

BUFF is coordinated by Speak for the Trees, Boston.

Slow down, unplug and awaken your senses on a guided nature therapy experience at Franklin Park, led by certified forest therapy guide Tam Willey.

Forest Bathing, inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, is a restorative sensory exploration that emphasizes slowing down and resting while connecting to nature. It is part of a global effort to tend to the stressful conditions of living in a modern industrialized civilization. All the prompts, invitations, ways of sharing and participating are optional and open to interpretation. Come discover for yourself what happens when we slow down and feel into the sensations of being surrounded by nature.

This program is geared toward adults (18+) and is capped at 15 participants. Registration is required. 

Tam Willey (they/them) is a nature therapy guide, trainer, mentor, and educator based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are the founder of “Toadstool Walks,” a guiding practice based in Boston. Tam has guided forest therapy in collaboration with The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Speak For The Trees, The Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Boston Harbor Now, Peabody Essex Museum, Mass Audubon, and more. Tam explores themes of belonging and attention through story and nature immersive experiences, facilitating ways of being together that support a culture of reciprocity and relational kinship. Tam’s guiding practice is informed by their diverse background, love for outdoor adventure, and more. Learn more about Tam at ToadstoolWalks.com.

Registration is required.

The event will be held at Franklin Park, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston, MA 02121).

Join Artist Jane D. Marsching for an evening of movement, writing, and drawing in conversation with one of our native trees: Black Cherry

Boston-based artist Jane D. Marsching creates interdisciplinary, research-based, experimental projects that foster an experience of wonder and invite us to communicate with the beings we live with.

She exhibits internationally and is the recipient of awards, fellowships, and residencies nationally. As a Professor at MassArt, she is Director of the Sustainability Minor and founder of the MassArt Resilient Pigment Library.

Black Cherry has self-seeded in the urban wild of Bussey Brook Meadow at the Arnold Arboretum. Participants will gather by the expansive Black Cherry and participate in sensory movement prompts. Then, participants will process and reflect through drawing and writing with ink made from Black Cherry.

By the end of the session, participants will generate their own oracle card (an image and text-based tool for intuition and divination), guided by the ecology and life of Black Cherry.

Registration is required.

The event will be held at the Arnold Arboretum (125 Arbor Way, Boston, MA 02130). 

Join Speak for the Trees at Frugal Book Store for an evening with Dr. Christine Carmichael, author of "Racist Roots: How Racism Has Affected Trees and People in Our Cities – and What We Can Do About It." 

Did you know that racism in America has not only affected people's social and political views, but it has also affected our cities' urban trees and green spaces? During this event, you'll discover how our nation's history with racism has impacted urban forests across the country. You will learn about steps you can take to participate in the movement and how you can help change our current system. Whether you are just learning about this topic or are a seasoned veteran, this book will show you what environmental justice truly means.

Dr. Christine Carmichael is the award-winning Founder and Principal of Fair Forests Consulting, LLC, which she began in July 2019. She holds a Ph.D. in Forestry with a Specialization in Gender, Justice and Environmental Change. Dr. Carmichael has published high-impact research and consulted with numerous non-profit environmental groups on ways to enhance multicultural partnerships. This talk is free to the public and will be held at More Than Words! There will be copies of "Racist Roots" for sale for those who would like to purchase a copy. If you are interested in environmental justice, this is just the event for you! 

Registration is required.

The book talk will be held at Frugal Book Store (57 Warren Street, Boston, MA 02119).  

Join Speak for the Trees at Frugal Book Store for an evening with Dr. Christine Carmichael, author of "Racist Roots: How Racism Has Affected Trees and People in Our Cities – and What We Can Do About It." 

Did you know that racism in America has not only affected people's social and political views, but it has also affected our cities' urban trees and green spaces? During this event, you'll discover how our nation's history with racism has impacted urban forests across the country. You will learn about steps you can take to participate in the movement and how you can help change our current system. Whether you are just learning about this topic or are a seasoned veteran, this book will show you what environmental justice truly means.

Dr. Christine Carmichael is the award-winning Founder and Principal of Fair Forests Consulting, LLC, which she began in July 2019. She holds a Ph.D. in Forestry with a Specialization in Gender, Justice and Environmental Change. Dr. Carmichael has published high-impact research and consulted with numerous non-profit environmental groups on ways to enhance multicultural partnerships. This talk is free to the public and will be held at More Than Words! There will be copies of "Racist Roots" for sale for those who would like to purchase a copy. If you are interested in environmental justice, this is just the event for you! 

Registration is required.

The book talk will be held at the Urban Farming Institute (487 Norfolk Street, Mattapan, MA 02126).  

Join Speak for the Trees at More Than Words for an evening with Dr. Christine Carmichael, author of "Racist Roots: How Racism Has Affected Trees and People in Our Cities – and What We Can Do About It." 

Did you know that racism in America has not only affected people's social and political views, but it has also affected our cities' urban trees and green spaces? During this event, you'll discover how our nation's history with racism has impacted urban forests across the country. You will learn about steps you can take to participate in the movement and how you can help change our current system. Whether you are just learning about this topic or are a seasoned veteran, this book will show you what environmental justice truly means.

Dr. Christine Carmichael is the award-winning Founder and Principal of Fair Forests Consulting, LLC, which she began in July 2019. She holds a Ph.D. in Forestry with a Specialization in Gender, Justice and Environmental Change. Dr. Carmichael has published high-impact research and consulted with numerous non-profit environmental groups on ways to enhance multicultural partnerships. This talk is free to the public and will be held at More Than Words! There will be copies of "Racist Roots" for sale for those who would like to purchase a copy. If you are interested in environmental justice, this is just the event for you! 

Registration is required.

The book talk will be held at More than Words (242 E Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02118).  

This Earth Day, join XR Boston’s Rebels and others to throw a party in honor of our planet in downtown Boston.

This is an event for everyone, and will be celebratory in nature, featuring art, music, chanting, and a short walk through the district to share our love of the planet — and the need for greater action to protect it — with fellow Bostonians. They will gather on the Greenway (exact location TBA) at 4pm on Monday, April 22. Join them in celebration, love, and rage for the planet!

This event will take place in accessible public spaces.

This year’s Muddy River Cleanup—the Conservancy’s largest annual volunteer event—is r on Saturday, April 20 from 10 am-12pm. Registration is now open, and they need your help to restore and maintain all 1,100 acres of the Emerald Necklace!

Visit their website to learn more about the 2024 cleanup, now in its 16th year, and sign up today to reserve a spot in the park of your choice! 

Join Speak for the Trees for their first tree care event of 2024 at Harambee Park on Saturday, April 20th, from 10 am-1 pm. We will be looking after the 50+ young trees that we planted in prior years. Activities include mulching, checking the tree stakes, and collecting litter around the park. Anyone is welcome and encouraged to come! Registration is required.

The Tree Care Event will be held at Harambee Park (930 Blue Hill Ave, Boston, MA 02124).

Slow down, unplug and awaken your senses on a guided nature therapy experience at the Arnold Arboretum, led by certified forest therapy guide Tam Willey.

Forest Bathing, inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, is a restorative sensory exploration that emphasizes slowing down and resting while connecting to nature. It is part of a global effort to tend to the stressful conditions of living in modern industrialized civilization. All the prompts, invitations, ways of sharing and participating are optional and open to interpretation. Come discover for yourself what happens when we slow down and feel into the sensations of being surrounded by nature.

This program is geared toward adults (18+) and is capped at 15 participants. Registration is required. 

Tam Willey (they/them) is a nature therapy guide, trainer, mentor, and educator based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are the founder of “Toadstool Walks,” a guiding practice based in Boston. Tam has guided forest therapy in collaboration with The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Speak For The Trees, The Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Boston Harbor Now, Peabody Essex Museum, Mass Audubon, and more. Tam explores themes of belonging and attention through story and nature immersive experiences, facilitating ways of being together that support a culture of reciprocity and relational kinship. Tam’s guiding practice is informed by their diverse background, love for outdoor adventure, and more. Learn more about Tam at ToadstoolWalks.com.

Forest Bathing will be held at the Arnold Arboretum – Bussey Gate Entrance, Hemlock Hill Road (At Bussey Street)  Boston, Massachusetts 02130.

In celebration of Arbor Week, Speak for the Trees and WS Development will be individually bagging 600 seedlings that will be distributed to neighborhoods in Boston. We'll be bagging a variety of tree species, including Concolor Fir, White Oak, Shagbark Hickory, and Washington Hawthorn. Interested in volunteering to help bag seedlings? Visit the events page to register for any of the following shifts:

• 11:00 am-12:00 pm

• 12:00 pm-1:00 pm

• 1:00 pm-2:00 pm

If you would like, you are welcome to sign up for more than one shift! 

The seedling bagging will be held at The Rocks at Harbor Way (111 Harbor Way, Boston, MA 02210).

Boston Urban Forest Friends (BUFF) is a coalition of organizations, community groups, and individuals focused on increasing partnerships and collaboration around growing Boston’s urban canopy. Monthly meetings are held online and are open to the public. Everyone is welcome!

BUFF is coordinated by Speak for the Trees, Boston.

Kathleen Segerson, board of trustees distinguished professor of economics at the University of Connecticut, will present “Designing Effective Environmental and Conservation Policies: The Role of Collective Approaches” on Monday, March 25th from 12:15 pm-1:15 pm. This seminar will be held in-person (PUID holders only) and available via livestream (open to all).

Segerson is an environmental economist, with a strong interest in collaborative interdisciplinary work. Her research within economics is primarily applied theory focused on the incentive effects of alternative environmental and conservation policy instruments, with applications to groundwater contamination, hazardous waste management, land use regulation, climate change, nonpoint pollution from agriculture, and protection of marine species

This event is part of the David Bradford Energy and Environmental Policy Seminar Series organized by the Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment (C-PREE) in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and co-sponsored by the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI).

The City of Boston is organizing a volunteer clean-up at Mattahunt Woods on Saturday, March 23rd from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. This clean-up will include City staff and community members, who will work together to remove trash, weeds, and other debris from the natural area. They will also share information about the Mattahunt Woods Urban Wild Restoration Project in advance of the project’s construction, which will begin later this spring. 

Please see the event page (linked here) and the attached flyer for more information about suggested attire and the meeting location. You can sign up through the event page, the flyer, or this link.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Catherine McCandless, from the Boston Environment Department (catherine.mccandless2@boston.gov), or Nick from the Urban Wilds Program (nicholas.long@boston.gov).

Join Tree Eastie for a fruit tree pruning clinic on Saturday, March 23rd from 10:00 am-12:00 pm. The clinic will take place at Rockies Urban Wilds on Marginal Street in East Boston.

Contact treeeastie@gmail.com if you’d like to register.

Join Rock Creek Conservancy and the National Park Service for a panel discussion to explore why the words we use to talk about invasive species matter.

Science communication researchers and invasive plant managers will discuss the intersections of language, framing, and botany as we consider how we can continue to restore Rock Creek's forests while ensuring everyone feels included.

This program is offered via zoom; registration is required.

Join the Urban Ecology Collaborative on Wednesday, March 20 from 10:00 am - 11:00 am as they learn from Mia Wavrek in her talk titled, "Urban Climate Adaptation at the USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers."

Abstract: The USGS National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) is a partnership-driven program that teams scientists with natural and cultural resource managers and local communities to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate. In 2020, recognizing a gap in program delivery, the CASC network established an urban research priority with the desired outcomes of advancing climate adaptation science in urban environments, advancing equity in CASC program delivery, and improving the execution of the CASC and Department of Interior missions. As the dedicated ORISE participant supporting these efforts, Mia will highlight the history of the CASC urban research priority and implementation efforts to date, including the upcoming Climate Adaptation Virtual Symposium.

Presenter Bio: Mia Wavrek (she/hers) is an ORISE Research Participant in Urban Ecology and Native Plants with the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs). In this role, Mia supports the development of an urban research priority and is a core member of the CASC’s DEIA team where she is involved in the development and implementation of the CASC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) strategic plan. Her research focuses on climate impacts to native plants with an emphasis on climate-resilient species in support of lepidoptera and specialist bees.

Mia received a Master’s in Geology with a focus on urban forest management and conservation from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a Bachelor’s of Science in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Pittsburgh. Some of her favorite things to do include trying new restaurants and food, running, exploring different cities and neighborhoods, and snuggling her temperamental orange cat who barely tolerates it.

Come breathe deep together with H.E.R.O. (Healing, Empathy, Redemption, Oasis) at the beautiful Boston Nature Center in Mattapan on Saturday, March 16th from 11:00 am-1:00 pm. This Social Work Awareness Month, H.E.R.O. particularly acknowledges caregivers and nurturers who need replenishment of Nature's healing - but you don't need to be a social worker to come, all are warmly welcome! They will gather inside the Boston Nature Center for an introduction by Judith Foster, founder and president of H.E.R.O. Nurturing Center. They'll do a grounding and will go on an approx. 45-minute walk on one of the trails, it is not a challenging walk. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring your water bottle.

They are looking forward to seeing you, email jennysusannabc@gmail.com or call 857-998-0992 for questions.

This is a public meeting for representatives of nonprofit and community-based organizations who are interested in engaging with the Boston Tree Alliance Program. During this meeting, they will provide general updates about the program and next steps moving forward for this year. They will discuss recommendations from the Alliance subcommittees and the upcoming grant process for tree planting and care projects. This meeting occurs monthly every second Thursday of the month. 

The Alliance of partnering organizations is a coalition of nonprofit and community-based organizations that convenes through the Boston Tree Alliance Program. Through the program, this coalition works together to increase and care for Boston’s tree canopy.

Visit the Tree Alliance website to learn more about the program.

The Edgewater Neighborhood Association is hosting a virtual meeting on Wednesday, March 13th at 6:30 pm.

Key Community Concerns and Projects to Discuss:

• Local free opportunities for physical activity to improve health and well-being - Kay Savage from Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition

• Edgewater Food Forest at River Street - Jessie Dambreville

• Edgewater Neponset Walking/Biking Trail - Reece Cotton

• Lower Neponset Superfund Site Project

• Safety in the Edgewater Neighborhood

For more information, please email edgewaterneighborhoodassn@gmail.com.

Boston Urban Forest Friends (BUFF) is a coalition of organizations, community groups, and individuals focused on increasing partnerships and collaboration around growing Boston’s urban canopy. Monthly meetings are held online and are open to the public. Everyone is welcome!

BUFF is coordinated by Speak for the Trees, Boston.