Testimonials
"So many of my kids come back and say they went to their [college] admissions interviews and spent pretty much the whole time talking about the field studies- they were very comfortable talking about it, excited to talk about it, and the people who read their applications are interested and come in with their questions. It's huge."

- Dave Eatough, Revere High School

The health of the physical environmental in our cities is closely connected to the physical, social, and mental well-being of urban residents. Through the Sustainable Cities Program, UEI and community-based partners work together to strengthen our urban communities by transforming vacant lots into green spaces, increasing urban tree canopy cover and creating urban watershed restoration plans.

Urban Tree Canopy

In 2006, UEI and its partners in Boston's Urban Forest Coalition completed the first-ever comprehensive inventory of Boston's urban forest. The Greater Boston Urban Forest Inventory included both an analysis of Boston's overall tree canopy cover using aerial imagery and a detailed survey of Boston's street trees. The information obtained from the inventory serves to improve management of current street trees, to establish planting goals for increasing the extent of the canopy cover, and to identify priority planting zones throughout the City of Boston.

City Roots

CityRoots is a community planting program that employs interning Summer Foresters to support 12 community groups to design, implement and steward planting projects in environmental justice communities across Boston. To date, over 300 volunteers have completed 33 plantings.

Apply for a CityRoots 2008 Community Groups Grant

Apply for a CityRoots 2008 Youth Crew Grant

Neighborhood Sustainability Projects

In partnership with Trust for Public Land, UEI is building a coalition of NGO’s, community base groups and government agency staff to create a collaborative, city-wide process for community transformation of vacant lots into parks and open spaces.

Urban Long Term Research Areas

ULTRA (Urban Long Term Research Areas) is an initiative led by the U.S. Forest Service, to promote environmental health and community well-being in our cities through research, education and outreach. Boston is one of nine lead cities involved in this interdisciplinary network of university researchers, municipalities, decision-makers, NGOs and community members. UEI is coordinating the Boston-based committee, and is a leading partner in the development of the network.

Yards to Oasis Projects

Working with the Department of Neighborhood development, UEI is helping Boston homeowners turn their yards into well-landscaped showcases.