The 4C Tree Project aims to honor the memory of lives lost to COVID-19 by celebrating life through the planting of trees. Thanks to generous donations from the public, we were able to plant over 240 trees throughout Newton.
Spearheaded by Green Newton’s Environmental Youth Leadership Program, the Capture Carbon Commemorate COVID-19 Tree Project (4C Tree Project) hopes to demonstrate the resilience of our City through difficult times and its commitment to a healthy ecosystem. In the spring and fall of 2021, trees were planted in public spaces throughout Newton as memorials to loved ones lost and as reminders of the importance of caring for our world.
Angier Elementary | Bigelow Middle School | Burr Elementary | Burr Park | Cold Springs Park | Commonwealth Ave | Heartbreak Hill Park | Horace Mann Elementary | Islington Oval | Lincoln Waban Field | Lyons Field | Mason-Rice Elementary | Newton Centre | Newton South High School | Peirce Elementary | Richardson Field | Stearns Park | Underwood Elementary | Upper Falls Playground | Ward Elementary | Williams Elementary | Wolcott Island
Why trees? Practically speaking, they:
- Capture carbon dioxide from the air, store carbon in the trunk, leaves and soil, and release oxygen into the atmosphere
- Offer cooling shade, block cold winter winds, attract birds and wildlife
- Contribute to a clean water supply by preventing soil erosion and chemical runoff
- Provide grace and beauty to our homes and community
Trees symbolize life, connection, strength and ancestry. We hope the planting of young trees will help our community look ahead to renewed vitality and balance in our lives while remembering the lives we lost and the challenges we endured. We hope that each sighting of a 4C tree will remind us of how precious life is and how important it is for us to care for the environment that sustains it.
Thank you to all those who donated to the 4C Tree project, as well as the Newton Department of Forestry, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, and community volunteers for their support and assistance in planting the over 240 trees.
In 1970, Newton’s public spaces had 40,000 thriving trees, but that number has dwindled to around 20,000 in recent years. Thanks to everyone who donated to help us plant trees, offset carbon emissions, and provide a living reminder of those we lost to COVID-19.
THANK YOU FOR PLANTING LIFE WITH US!
If you have any questions or have a correction for the map, please email us at [email protected].