Accomplishments in 2024

TreesMedford - Our Progress and our Hope

TreesMedford had a productive year in 2024. From tree giveaways, to working with City Council on three tree ordinances, to organizing watering efforts, we have had a real impact on the tree canopy and the ability of people to reduce the heat where they live.  Our volunteers have logged hundreds of hours delivering trees during two tree giveaways, manning our booth at six events, writing three grants and watering many city trees. 

Tree Giveaways

Our Tree giveaway in Fall 2023 left us so enthusiastic about the potential to make a direct impact on the tree canopy in the hottest areas of Medford that we knew we had to try it again. So, 43 trees in 2023 grew to 53 trees in Spring 2024 and 83 in Fall 2024. In the spring people picked up their trees; this fall we found it more efficient to deliver nearly all the trees. Once again, Mystic River Watershed Association (MyWRA) staff contributed greatly to the effort, enlisting many of the volunteers and organizing the drivers and their crews. Medford is 179 trees richer for these three tree giveaways.

Funding

TreesMedford applied for several more grants to support tree planting on private land and for a tree inventory to support  the City’s management of its public tree canopy. Our previous grants had funded an inventory of street trees in most parts of the City, but did not include parks. TreesMedford received a small grant for a park tree inventory in 2024.  Assessment of the remaining street trees will be covered by a grant obtained by the city to develop an Urban Vulnerability Assessment. This assessment is the first step toward creating an Urban Forestry Management Plan, a badly needed and crucial tool for right-sizing the personnel needs of the severely undersized Forestry Department.  We are hopeful that the city will add the personnel and communications practices needed to keep its tree inventory data up to date and available to the public. 

TreesMedford was extremely pleased to have been able to match a generous donation from Tom Lincoln, a concerned citizen. This helped raise $20,000 for the purchase of trees and will help fund future tree giveaways. We also were the lucky recipient of a $500 donation from Wegmans for the fall tree giveaway.. Thank you, Wegmans!

Covid Memorial Grove

Our COVID Memorial Grove initiative was embraced by the City of Medford. TreesMedford helped select a site near Hormel Stadium and the McGlynn Middle School. The planning phase is now underway. Not only will this be a healing space for  those who lost loved ones or were affected by COVID, it will also improve our tree canopy. We are delighted that our concept is moving forward and will continue to advocate during its next phase of development.

Tree Ordinance

Way back in 2021 TreesMedford drafted a tree protection ordinance for the City. It was divided into three sections, establishing a Tree Committee, protecting trees on public property, and advocating for trees on private property. This fall the City Council moved to send the Tree Committee and the Public Tree Ordinance drafts to the City of Medford for costing out and for additional staff review. Trees Medford requested to have the Private Tree Ordinance sent back to us. Tree ordinances across the state have evolved greatly over the last three years, and we wanted a chance to incorporate what other communities have learned. Our consistent effort over the years is what is moving this forward at last.

Watering

Many trees suffered during our hot, dry summer. Twenty-four people volunteered to water city street trees for the first time this year.  We are concerned that the heat and lack of rain stressed many of the city’s trees beyond what they could tolerate. This year’s stress will make them more vulnerable in the coming year. Each dead tree increases the heat in our neighborhoods, reduces the property values of nearby houses, increases air pollution, increases the likelihood of flooded basements and exacerbates a host of other problems. We continue to explore ways to encourage more tree watering through city and private efforts.

Tabling and Outreach

Our outreach efforts are many-pronged. Each year we have a booth at Arbor Day, the Mystic River Festival, Circle the Square, the Farmers’ Market, Harvest Your Energy and Tufts Community Day. Together these opportunities enable us to reach hundreds of people with a message about the value of trees in Medford. We also use these events to find good homes for tree seedlings that eventually will shade our neighborhoods and reduce the summer’s heat. Work has also begun on a Significant Trees of Medford project, which we hope will highlight the many beautiful trees we have throughout the City.  We created and distributed door hangers to let people know that they could request a street or front yard tree from the city.  TreesMedford is excited to have an experienced social media volunteer working with us to get our message out. Her efforts have helped us advertise our tree giveaway program and meant that many more trees were planted. 

Our nonprofit status is now more than a year old, and we are pleased to report that the donation button on our website is fully functional!  Please try it! As an all-volunteer nonprofit, we need your donations and involvement to support tree watering, to buy seedlings to give away when tabling, and to purchase large trees and watering bags for tree giveaways, all of which will help cool our city as the climate warms.  We use donations as matching funds for the DCR grants that require them. TreesMedford thrives because of our volunteers, so If you would like to become more involved, we have a job for you. 

TreesMedford