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Advocates urge larger investments to protect forests and expand urban tree canopy in bond bill
Summary
Tree‑planting and forest protection advocates told the committee to boost allocations, prioritize native species and create permanent reserves for state forest land to maximize carbon, flood and public‑health benefits.
A coalition of tree‑and‑forest advocates urged the Joint Committee to expand the Mass Ready Act’s land‑and‑tree provisions, to prioritize native plantings and to consider permanent protections for state‑owned forests.
Speakers from the Trees as a Public Good Network, the Massachusetts Community Trees Coalition and others described rapid forest loss in recent decades and urged greater investment in municipal reforestation, nursery capacity and a state‑level forest reserves policy.
"Massachusetts lost 245 square miles of tree cover between 2001 and 2024," a network spokesperson said, arguing that protecting large, contiguous public forests and increasing urban canopy are complementary climate strategies. They asked the committee to add sponsor bills — including municipal reforestation and reserve designations (H952, H953, H1048) — to ensure durable protections and funding.
Representatives from municipal coalitions and the state forestry community asked the legislature to prioritize native species in plantings and to invest in local nursery capacity and workforce training so state funding results in long‑term canopy that supports biodiversity and public health.
Mass Audubon, the Trustees and other conservation groups also said the bill’s language on forest reserves should be clarified and strengthened, including public input and scientific oversight, rather than leaving designations to administrative rule alone. Several speakers proposed independent advisory councils of scientists to oversee reserve criteria.
Committee members said they would review the proposed amendments and asked advocates to provide draft statutory language for the panel to consider during reconciliations of the bond bill.
