Save The Trees Save The People!

Cancelling  the city’s  Melnea Cass Boulevard roadway plan that just  14 months ago was ready to proceed with a  state approved contractor was a huge win for the health of the neighborhood. And how unbelievable to accomplish this in the  year of  the pandemic when  all meetings  were virtual, and residents  were under siege from Covid!

The campaign to  save the  hundreds of tall trees felt doomed after the March  2020 vote to approve the project  by the Mass DOT Board but  Yvonne LaLyre, Lower Roxbury neighbors and the Friends  of Melnea Cass Blvd. took to the streets with standouts and demonstrations and went online with petitions calling on environmental activists across the city for support.

The  local nonprofit Speak for the Trees  connected us with the Conservation Law Foundation and the Attorney General’s office. A letter was sent  to Mayor Walsh in August reminding  city hall that the  tree warden was legally obligated to hold public hearings  for tree removals.  Reporter David Abel from the Boston Globe wrote a major story and other media followed up. Former Cabinet Chiefs Karilyn  Crockett, Chris Cook and  Chris Osgood  got involved, then City Councilors Janey and Mejia  called for a hearing and the campaign  to preserve mature canopy trees for their  public health benefits mobilized big time! 

The federal funding for the roadway improvements has not vanished but this time, the  city promises community consensus will be the most important consideration. The  Public Works Department (PWD)  will begin a public  process  later  this year and on to 2022. Friends of Melnea Cass Boulevard  envision a greenway- rows of  healthy trees on both sides with increased green space and  submitted an application to the Boston Architectural College’s Gateway Initiative for help with a prototype design. Surveys were distributed at Tropical Foods and in boxes along  the bike path  asking for  feedback from neighbors.

 This past April , PWD began  addressing all the deferred maintenance  along the  Boulevard-  immediate fixes for the sidewalks and  bike path as well as  removing dead trees and litter.  The Transportation Department is responsible for fixing the walk signals. The Friends  are pushing for safe crossings  at every intersection , we need  residents to share their perspectives and urge city officials to do right  by Lower Roxbury.