free Trees & Seeds

Hyde Park & Mattapan were the only neighborhoods in Boston to lose more trees than gain, according t0 Boston’s latest tree-canopy assessment.

Native Trees, especially Oaks, are considered a keystone species — keystone meaning: essential — alongside reducing air-pollutants, lowering asthma rates, and cooling air temperatures, native trees have co-evolved with our native natural environment; they provide habitats and host a myriad of different animal species. Oaks can host more than 500 different species of caterpillars, and over 4,000 different species of animals and insects.

To put this into perspective:

Birds e.g, Chickadees, needs upwards to 6,000 to 9,000 caterpillars to successfully feed & raise their babies. A non-native tree, e.g, Kousa Dogwood, or a Bradford-Pear, can’t host our native insects, and therefore, birds can’t find insects to eat from them.

The benefits provided by a native trees start within the moment they become seedlings — the moment they are planted into the ground.

Come to Weider Park @ Dale Street, on May 17th, to get a free tree, or American Sycamore seeds — first come, first serve.