Why is this Important?

Since 2009, the city of Cambridge has lost 16.4 acres of canopy coverage every year; that’s the equivalent of more than 9 soccer fields! As of 2019, our canopy coverage was 26% and projected to decline to 10% by 2050 if we do not preserve our existing trees while also planting thousands more each year. By 2050 Cambridge will be much hotter than it is now and simulations project flooding of the Charles River, Alewife, and Fresh Pond areas. These major changes to our City can be slowed by investing in our Urban Tree Canopy.

City-wide statistics of Cambridge trees do not account for the disparities in canopy coverage between neighborhoods. For example, West Cambridge has three times East Cambridge's coverage, inequities that correlate to socioeconomic measures.

Canopy Crew is a paid green jobs and environmental careers discovery program specializing in urban forestry and environmental justice for Cambridge high school students aged 16-18. Across 44 sessions that run from the beginning of October through the first week of May, Crew members explore how trees impact equity and justice issues in Cambridge and explore career opportunities in urban forestry, environmental science, and community outreach while preserving and expanding our shared tree canopy. Using the Cambridge Urban Forest Master Plan as a guide, Crew members become ambassadors to the community for the urban forest while taking direct hands-on action to mitigate the generational crisis of canopy loss and climate change.

Still, have questions? Visit our FAQ page!

Funded in part by a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act through the City of Cambridge, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the USDA Forest Service through the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Urban and Community Forestry Program.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.