Wildlands Awarded Grant to Advance Tree Planting in Taunton, Brockton

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

On July 26, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts awarded Wildlands Trust $52,300 through the Greening the Gateway Cities Program (GGCP) to advance urban tree planting in Taunton and Brockton, two of the largest Environmental Justice communities in Southeastern Massachusetts. 

The award marks the sixth time Wildlands has received funds through GGCP, but the first time for work in Taunton. From 2017 to 2021, Wildlands conducted outreach in Brockton through the program. 

“GGCP is a win-win-win for urban landowners and communities, especially in the face of climate change,” said Wildlands Chief of Staff Rachel Bruce. “As the program outreach partner in Taunton and Brockton, we're thrilled for the continued opportunity to improve quality of life in some of the most densely populated areas of Southeastern Massachusetts." 

Community tree planting as part of the GGCP in Brockton.

GGCP is “an environmental and energy efficiency program designed to reduce household heating and cooling energy use by increasing tree canopy cover in urban residential areas in the state’s Gateway Cities,” according to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR). 

Through the program, state and local foresters plant trees in high-priority neighborhoods, defined by socioeconomic status, existing tree cover, housing stock age, population size, and other variables. Beyond energy savings, GGCP aims to unlock other key benefits of urban tree planting, such as local employment, improved water and air quality, and a greater sense of community. GGCP is a partnership between DCR, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), and Gateway Cities and local grassroots organizations. 

Wildlands’ award comes via GGCP’s Non-Profit Partnership Grant Program, which funds non-profits to conduct outreach to residents and business owners interested in receiving free trees from the program. Our outreach efforts will include in-person community engagement, recruiting and training tree maintenance volunteers, and distributing print and digital materials to educate the public about GGCP and the diverse benefits of urban tree planting. 

Brockton is a Tree City USA thanks in part to GGCP tree-planting efforts.

“Expanding our forest canopy is one piece of the larger puzzle to combatting climate change in Massachusetts,” said EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper in a press release. “With continuous heat waves leading to higher energy bills and greater greenhouse gas emissions, our Greening the Gateway Cities Program leverages our state resources and engages residents to help plant trees and enhance public health. Reducing the urban heat island effect is a top priority, and our non-profit partnerships through the GGCP will help cool our neighborhoods, towns, and cities.”   

In 2023, with funding from NOAA, Wildlands and Manomet Conservation Sciences worked with the City of Brockton and Towns of Avon and Abington to test the urban heat island effect in the Brockton area, finding that temperatures differed between tree-shaded and exposed paved areas by up to 13° on a single July afternoon. Planting trees in highly developed areas is key to leveling the playing field in Environmental Justice communities that already suffer disproportionately from climate change. Besides reducing energy costs and protecting public health from intensifying heat waves, denser tree canopies reduce flooding and improve water quality by absorbing and filtering stormwater runoff. 

GGCP crew delivering free trees to the Brockton community.

Wildlands thanks the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for its continued confidence in and support of our efforts to advance environmental justice throughout our service region. 

We will begin outreach this fall in Taunton and this winter in Brockton. Stay tuned for updates as our work continues! 

Brockton Summer Youth Programs Make National Headlines, Local Impact

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

Across a decade-plus of land protection projects, environmental education campaigns, tree planting initiatives, and park restoration efforts, the Brockton community has matched Wildlands Trust’s enthusiasm for local conservation every step of the way. This summer has been no different, leading to a banner season for our youth conservation programming in and around this city of over 100,000 people. 

2024 marks the 10th year that Wildlands has engaged Brockton-area youth in environmental education. Since 2015, Wildlands, along with Manomet Conservation Sciences, has coached and sponsored the Brockton High School Envirothon Team. In summer 2022, we moved Green Team, a paid service-learning program for high school students and recent graduates, from Plymouth to Brockton. Recognizing the ever-growing appetite for youth conservation opportunities in Brockton, we introduced a second summer program in 2024: Climate Crew.  

This summer, the 12 members of Green Team worked exclusively in D.W. Field Park, carrying out necessary improvements as part of our D.W. Field Park Initiative. Tasks included waste management, gardening, water quality testing, and providing valued input on the D.W. Field Park Master Plan. 

Photo gallery: Green Team completed various improvement projects at D.W. Field Park in Brockton this summer. Photos by Clare Cunningham/Manomet Conservation Sciences.

Climate Crew has blossomed in its inaugural summer. Part of the Brockton Kids Lead the Way Initiative and generously funded by the LSP Association, Climate Crew equips eight young conservationists with technical skills and professional knowledge as they construct an outdoor classroom at Hancock Elementary School in Brockton. The classroom will include a learning space with picnic tables and a whiteboard, two nature trail loops featuring a boardwalk and interpretive signage, and a climate resiliency garden. According to Stewardship Programs Manager Zoë Smiarowski, Climate Crew has succeeded on multiple levels. 

“It has been incredible to see Climate Crew engage with the classroom space in the way they have,” Zoë said. “It’s so special to watch these young leaders develop stewardship skills and apply them to a project that will benefit their community for years to come. We’ve completed so much work with their help, with plenty of laughs along the way.” 

Photo gallery: Climate Crew is working to build an outdoor classroom at Hancock Elementary School in Brockton. Photos by Clare Cunningham/Manomet Conservation Sciences and Rachel Bruce/Wildlands Trust.

Climate Crew has even garnered national attention: on August 4, Ivy Scott of the Boston Globe published a compelling piece about Massachusetts teens and young adults taking local initiative to combat climate change and feelings of powerlessness. Climate Crew served as the centerpiece example. 

We particularly love this quote from Climate Crew member Xaven Studer: “When you think about climate issues, it feels like a giant thing that most people don’t touch, even if they care about it, because it’s too overwhelming. But it matters, even the little things ... and seeing it unfurl, I’m excited I’m contributing to something important." 

You can read the article here. 

Members of both Green Team and Climate Crew work to restore lost connections between their urban communities and the wild places around them. But many of them have never experienced a night under the stars, insulated from the sounds of the city by vast, untouched forests. In late July, for the first time since Green Team moved to Brockton, we hosted the members of both of our summer programs in an overnight camping retreat at the Stewardship Training Center in Plymouth. Green Team and Climate Crew members explored the pine barren forests of Halfway Pond Conservation Area, enjoyed s’mores around a campfire, and made lasting memories and friendships with like-minded peers. 

Photo gallery: Last month, members of Green Team and Climate Crew gathered at the Stewardship Training Center in Plymouth for an overnight camping retreat. Photos by Clare Cunningham/Manomet Conservation Sciences.

“As the sun set and the stars came out, most of our crewmembers remarked on how they couldn’t remember the last time they’d seen stars and a completely dark sky,” said Programming Coordinator Max Phelps. “In that moment, I understood how truly special and important this campout was for our kids.” 

Green Team concluded on August 8, while Climate Crew will meet for its final session next week. Stay tuned as work on the Hancock School outdoor classroom continues! 

We thank all the young adults who embraced these projects with passion and purpose. We are confident that the future of our region’s natural resources is in more than capable hands.  

Learn more about all our Brockton youth programs at wildlandstrust.org/youth-programs. 

Brockton Gives a Hoot About Conservation

Barred owl, presented by Eyes on Owls at Give a Hoot About the Park on May 19. Photo by Janet Trask.

The verdict is in. Brockton gives a hoot about local conservation! 

An eventful month has left no doubt that this city of over 100,000 residents in northwestern Plymouth County is invested in the protection and stewardship of its natural spaces. 

On Sunday, May 19, our Give a Hoot About the Park event attracted nearly 200 people to D.W. Field Park, a 700-acre urban oasis in Brockton and Avon. Despite considerable rain, friends and neighbors of all ages flocked to see live owls, presented by Eyes on Owls. Free lunch, catered by Lady C&J Soulfood, rewarded those who braved the inclement weather!  

About a dozen community groups joined us, as well, offering information about how the public can get involved in local conservation efforts. 

“This event put local environmental stewardship on display and continued our efforts to build community at D.W. Field Park,” said Wildlands Chief of Staff Rachel Bruce. “The success of Give a Hoot was largely due to the collaborative efforts of our partners at Old Colony Planning Council, the D.W. Field Park Association, the Town of Avon, and the City of Brockton. The dedicated folks of the D.W. Field Park Initiative will continue to work to provide opportunities and resources for this community, who show up to support the park time and time again!” 

The public celebration, as well as the Town of Avon’s recent acquisition of 30 woodland acres abutting D.W. Field Park, were partially funded by the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant program. 

Less than a week later, a determined group of students from Brockton High School ventured to Wachusett Reservoir to demonstrate that the future of our region’s natural resources is in capable hands. On May 23, the Brockton High School Envirothon team competed at the 2024 Massachusetts Envirothon, putting their environmental knowledge, skills, and leadership to the test. The students rose to the occasion, placing in the top five in two categories, Wildlife and Current Issue, where this year, students presented on Clean Energy for a Sustainable Future.

“Our Envirothon team this year was almost entirely new to the competition,” said Programming Coordinator Max Phelps, who co-coached this year’s team. “It was wonderful to see their growth in knowledge and confidence over the school year culminate in amazing presentations. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the future.” 

On June 4, the Envirothon team received citations from the Brockton Mayor’s Office in recognition of their excellence at the state competition. Thank you, Mayor Sullivan and the City of Brockton, for celebrating these passionate young leaders! 

Wildlands has co-coached and sponsored the Brockton High School Envirothon team since 2015, with Manomet co-coaching since 2021. Learn more here. 

Our work in Brockton continues! For updates about our D.W. Field Park Initiative, visit dwfpi.org. 

Summer Programs Support Youth Service-Learning in Brockton

Green Team 2023 at D.W. Field Park in Brockton. Photo by Jerry Monkman/EcoPhotography.

By Thomas Patti, Communications Coordinator

In 2019, Wildlands Trust formalized our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with a statement: 

Wildlands Trust is committed to protecting land and providing access to nature for the people of our region, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We will approach our work with complete respect for the cultures and perspectives of the communities we serve as we endeavor to connect and inspire all people to care about the natural world and the future of our planet.  

We started this work long before 2019. As our service region has expanded, so too have our efforts to live out our DEI values. In the city of Brockton, Wildlands’ quest to connect more people with the benefits of nature dates back to 2011, when we acquired Brockton Audubon Preserve. One of 26 Gateway Cities in Massachusetts facing “stubborn social and economic challenges,” Brockton is one of the largest Environmental Justice communities in the state based on race, income, and language. After decades of development pressures superseding open space needs, land protection alone can no longer restore environmental justice in Brockton. Additionally, community outreach and education must help rebuild the city's connection with nature. 

Wildlands continues that effort this summer with two paid service-learning programs for Brockton-area high school students, one old and one new. Both programs are intentionally designed to empower all Brockton-area youth to explore and advance their careers in the environmental field. 

“Brockton has long been overlooked and underserved by conservation organizations and agencies,” said Wildlands President Karen Grey. “Giving youth opportunities to learn about conservation, make a local impact, build their résumés, and earn a fair wage for their work is only the beginning of our obligation to Environmental Justice communities across our region.” 

Green Team 2023 at D.W. Field Park in Brockton. Photo by Jerry Monkman/EcoPhotography.

Green Team continues for its third summer in Brockton and eighth summer overall. Over eight five-hour days in July and August, crewmembers will work to improve D.W. Field Park, the largest and most beloved open space in Brockton and Avon. Co-led by Manomet, Green Team is funded by the D.W. Field Park Initiative, Wildlands’ collaborative effort to revitalize the urban park for people and planet. 

New this summer is Climate Crew, an opportunity for Brockton-area teens to build environmental education into the local school curriculum. Over six workdays, Climate Crew members will help plan and construct an outdoor classroom at Hancock Elementary School, enabling younger students to explore nature and learn about climate resiliency. The program, funded by the LSP Association, supports Brockton Kids Lead the Way, a NOAA-funded initiative by Manomet and Wildlands to foster city students’ connection to nature.

“We’re excited to bring Green Team back to D.W. Field Park and kick off Climate Crew,” said Programming Coordinator Max Phelps. “Green Team is a great way for the Brockton community to make immediate improvements to the park during the longer-term D.W. Field Park Initiative. And through Climate Crew, teens will give back to younger generations by creating a designated space for kids to learn outdoors.”

Green Team 2023 helped build the outdoor classroom at the Manthala George, Jr. Global Studies School as part of Brockton Kids Lead the Way.

Program participants receive a stipend of $70 per workday. Crewmembers are encouraged to attend a camp-out at Wildlands' Stewardship Training Center in Plymouth on July 26, with transportation provided. 

To apply, visit wildlandstrust.org/brockton-summer. For questions, contact Programming Coordinator Max Phelps at mphelps@wildlandstrust.org. 

Wildlands Hosts Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

By Max Phelps, Programming Coordinator

At Wildlands Trust, volunteers are integral to the work we do. We always appreciate our volunteers, but sometimes we must put sandwiches and cookies where our mouths are; our volunteers deserve no less.  

On December 9, Wildlands hosted an appreciation lunch for our Adopt-A-Preserve (AAP) and hike leader volunteers at the Stewardship Training Center. Volunteers gathered in our holiday-decorated home beside a (virtual) fire to see old friends and meet new ones.  

Our Adopt-A-Preserve program is an incredibly helpful and simple way for people to volunteer with Wildlands, but it can be somewhat solitary, so it’s important to build community through social gatherings. Most of our hike leaders started as AAP volunteers, so it was great to bring both groups together. After sitting down to a meal of sandwiches, soup, and salad, volunteers shared how they first got involved with Wildlands Trust. Stories ranged from running into staff members on the trails to posting photos of downed trees on Instagram to feeling a debt of gratitude after our preserves became a safe haven during the pandemic. Our longest-tenured volunteer has been working with us since 1999. Regardless of how or when their stories began, all our volunteers expressed a love for the work they do and an appreciation for what Wildlands does for the community and natural world.  

Zoë, our Stewardship Programs Manager, and I shared exciting volunteer numbers from 2023, including 120 miles hiked during Wildlands programs and 8,300 acres monitored by Adopt-A-Preserve volunteers. Afterwards, many attendees joined us for a three-mile hike at Halfway Pond Conservation Area along Leona’s and Gramp’s Loops, trails that our volunteers helped build. After an especially busy summer and fall at Wildlands, it was great to take the time to relax with our volunteers and express our gratitude for the time, knowledge, and hard work they donate to Wildlands. 

Thank you to all our volunteers! If you’d like to contribute your gifts to the Wildlands mission, explore our volunteer opportunities at wildlandstrust.org/volunteer or contact Zoë Smiarowski at zsmiarowski@wildlandstrust.org.