What is Greening the Gateway Cities?
Neighborhoods of Leominster and Fitchburg have been selected as part of a state-wide program to increase tree canopy cover. With more trees in Leominster and Fitchburg, our community will reduce home energy use for heating and cooling – resulting in cheaper heating and AC bills. As part of the Greening the Gateway Cities Program (GGCP), experienced Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) foresters will visit Leominster and Fitchburg homes and businesses to recommend the best trees for each property. The trees are planted in April – June and September – November by a crew of trained professionals. More than 50 different varieties of tree species are offered. Each tree will be about 6-8 feet tall at the time of planting, depending on the species.
Growing Places organizes outreach efforts and educational programming for GGCP. Our goal is to connect the community to the urban forest all around them.
GGCP is a partnership among the:
- Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)
- DCR Urban & Community Forestry program
- Department of Energy Resources (DOER)
Who is eligible?
Residents of Leominster and Fitchburg who live within the planting zone below are eligible for free trees. Visit maurbancanopy.org to see if you’re in the zone!
To request your free tree, call (617) 626-1514
Why trees?
Research demonstrates that there are many benefits of urban trees:
- Save money: Just 3-4 trees strategically located around a house can cut summer cooling costs by 30-40%!
- Cool down: The net cooling effect of a tree is equal to 10 room-sized air conditioners operating 20 hours per day.
- Healthy families: Kids in tree-lined neighborhoods have lower rates of ADD and asthma.
- Improve quality of life: Trees beautify neighborhoods and reduce speeding and crime, improving quality of life.
- Reduce noise: Tree-lined streets reduce noise pollution by absorbing sounds and slowing down traffic.
- Add value: Trees and vegetation can raise property values by up to 37%
Request your free tree today – call (617) 626-1514!