Page 4 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JunE 9, 2023 Healey-Driscoll Administration announces tree planting grants R ecently, in an eff ort to help communities build resilience and mitigate the harms of the climate crisis, the HealeyDriscoll Administration announced $1.3 million in grants to support tree plantings in Gateway Cities across Massachusetts. Eight municipalities and two nonprofit organizations will receive awards totaling $988,300 through the Greening the Gateway Cities (GGCP) Implementation Grant Program, and an additional 15 projects are receiving awards totaling $313,571 through the GGCP’s Partnership Grant Program. “Recently, I got my hands dirty in Malden planting trees. I saw firsthand the tremendous benefi ts the Greening the Gateway Cities Program has on communities,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our administration is proud to announce we’re investing in our future by creating more tree canopy in Gateway Cities across Massachusetts to ensure we are providing healthy and livable communities for generations to come.” “As a former mayor, I know how important the partnerships between municipalities and key stakeholders are in this program, not only by planting trees but also maintaining them,” added Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “By employing residents in each community, we’re fostering good stewards and providing them skills applicable to future employment in green industries.” The GGCP is a partnership between the Executive Offi ce of Energy and Environmental Aff airs (EEA), the Urban & Community Forestry Program of the Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), along with Gateway Cities and local grassroots organizations. These tree Governor Maura Healey and Mayor Gary Christenson are shown at a recent tree planting event in Malden. planting eff orts help decrease energy use, reduce flooding from storm water runoff , and improve the quality of life in these cities. “Our Gateway Cities are on the front lines of the climate crisis,” said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “With summers getting increasingly hotter, it’s critical that Massachusetts curbs the urban heat island effect. Planting more trees provides a cooling eff ect in neighborhoods, and is especially important in environmental justice communities where there’s less tree canopy, older housing stock, higher wind speeds, and larger rental populations.” “Planting more trees in our Gateway Cities helps shield our environmental justice communities from the extreme heat driven by the climate crisis,” said DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo. “Last year the Greening the Gateway Cities Program reached a milestone of 35,000 trees planted across the Commonwealth and we are excited to work with our partners create more urban tree canopies and green spaces in our communities that need them the most.” The GGCP Implementation Grant and Partnership Grant awards will facilitate tree planting in 16 Gateway Cities by funding municipalities and nonprofi t organizations seeking to maximize tree planting in urban residential areas of Gateway Cities to augment tree planting that DCR is actively pursuing within designated planting zones. The GGCP Implementation Grant awardees include the following: · City of Everett: $100,000 to plant 65 trees. · City of Malden: $100,000 to plant 154 trees in partnership with the Mystic River Watershed Association. For more information regarding the Greening the Gateway Cities Program, please visit the webpage https://www. mass.gov/service-details/greening-the-gateway-cities-program
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