Cool your neighborhood -- plant a tree

Summary: Help us build oases with tree canopies in South Framingham's heat island areas.

Description

Cool your neighborhood -- plant a tree!

Join our group of Framingham residents and volunteers working to plant tree canopies in heat island areas of Framingham -- areas where temperatures are noticeably higher in warm weather due to a lack of shade and greenery. Or plant a tree on your own!

By planting trees, we bring cooling shade and natural beauty while helping to address climate change. We’re working closely with residents and the community to make trees and urban greening accessible to everyone.

Guiding Principles

1. Prioritize heat islands across the city, starting in South Framingham.

2. Shade city streets to reduce the heat island effect.

3. Create tree canopies in city parks.

4. Encourage equity in the placement of trees, reaching out to the city’s diverse residents.

5. Build an inclusive effort with community engagement across all aspects of our projects.
6. Focus on native trees, but not exclusively, so we can build biological diversity and include trees providing fruits and flowers.

Please join us! All skills are welcome -- from logistical planning to teaching people how to care for trees to helping build a coalition of interested community organizations.

We currently have groups focusing on two short-term projects:

Plantings at individual homes in heat areas.
School-based tree planting projects.

More information in our April 2025 and June/July 2025 newsletters. To volunteer, partner with us, or get further information, please feel free to contact us at info@energizeframingham.org.

Want to plant a tree on your own? Here are some tips for caring for new trees provided by Framingham's Tree Warden. Trees especially need care in the first two to three years after planting.

Deep Dive

Steps to Take

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