BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE WATERSHED
Regional Planning for Tree Canopy
Climate Change Is Here
Massachusetts has warmed by approximately 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit since the beginning of the 20th century. As our climate continues to warm, we expect more frequent and intense heatwaves will impact the watershed, putting vulnerable populations at risk and straining community resources.
Warming temperatures also impact the native biodiversity of flora and fauna in our watershed, causing a decline in forest health and the loss of carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services.
BY 2070, OUR REGION IS EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE
Up to 50 days where temps exceed 90 °F each year
Changes in seasonal and growing patterns
Loss for ecosystem services, possibly with severe consequences
Over 180 days annually without rain
Working Together for Regional Solutions
Founded in 2019, the Charles River Climate Compact is a collaboration of twenty-eight cities and towns, led by CRWA, that takes a regional approach to climate adaptation to address flooding, sea level rise, extreme heat, and river health.
In 2023, CRWA and CRCC were awarded a grant to develop a Regional Tree Planting and Protection Plan for the Charles River watershed. Funding for this project was provided by the USDA Forest Service.
Do you see your city or town? Participating communities include Arlington, Bellingham, Belmont, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norfolk, Sherborn, Somerville, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and Wrentham.
Trees Are a Climate Solution
Trees provide cooler neighborhoods, cleaner air, flood reduction, cleaner water, and mental health benefits. Yet our watershed is losing tree canopy at an alarming rate (average 6.9% across the watershed from 2008 to 2021).
The Charles River Climate Compact (CRCC) is developing a regional tree protection plan to help municipalities and residents maximize the health and benefits of existing trees, help protect trees from invasive species and other threats, and identify new opportunities for tree planting to ensure a robust, healthy tree population that can thrive in our changing climate.
Social inequities also result in variable tree cover across the watershed area. In the Charles River watershed, areas with high percentages of low-income or minority residents typically have less tree canopy cover and are, therefore, more at risk from the impacts of extreme heat. By taking a regional approach, we can work to address this issue.
Map of tree canopy cover by block groups within the watershed meeting the Mass EEA criteria requirements for EJ and how many criteria they meet.
Investing in climate resilience gives us the opportunity to address these historical wrongs
WHAT WILL BE IN THE REGIONAL TREE PLANTING & PROTECTION PLAN?
Existing Conditions Assessments of Tree Canopy in the Watershed
Recommended Protection Strategies
Recommended Tree Cover Expansion Strategies
Recommended Maintenance Practices
We Want to Hear From You!
Take our 5-minute survey to share your thoughts on how to prioritize strategies to protecting and expanding tree canopy in the watershed.
In our first survey, over 300 respondents shared their thoughts. Over 73% thought that there were not enough trees in their neighborhood. Major themes from responses included concerns about:
Planting space: paved areas and high density
Development pressure: tree removals without adequate replacement
Funding: lack of staff, dependence on grants/non-profits
Climate Change: drought, temperature, extreme weather
Pests: emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly, invasive species
Education: community engagement and knowledge
Equity: heat islands and low canopy
Policy: enforcement and lack of accountability
Aging canopy: concerns about lack of replacement plans