Area Youth Groups Gather for Tree Planting in Dorchester

Teens Work Together to Beautify Neighborhoods

and Protect the Environment

Dorchester, Massachusetts - More than 30 local teenagers teamed up on July 15th to plant 18 trees in the Wainwright Park area of Dorchester. The young people are members of Breath of Life Dorchester (B.O.L.D.) Teens and Roots & Shoots New England. BOLD Teens is a teen peer leadership group made up of youth ranging in age from 14 to18. Group members represent 10 different Boston high schools. Roots & Shoots is the Jane Goodall Institute’s global humanitarian and environmental youth program.

This neighborhood project aims to foster community spirit, help reduce air pollution and shade area homes in the summer by planting trees and plants across Dorchester. The project also contributes to the Roots & Shoots international campaign, “Rebirth the Earth: Trees for Tomorrow.” This campaign is helping Roots & Shoots members in Tanzania start new tree nurseries while encouraging groups in the United States and other countries to learn about deforestation and take action by planting trees in their own neighborhoods.

“Planting trees really makes communities more beautiful and meeting other people who care about the environment is always fun,” said Nicole Coakley of Medford High School Roots & Shoots.

Dorchester has the second highest rate of asthma in the City of Boston, in large part due to the more than 150,000 vehicles traveling through the community each day. This figure includes all the vehicles on Interstate 93, which cuts right through the neighborhood. Trees not only improve air quality, but are also known to enhance residents’ quality of life and lower crime rates.

The groups planted four magnolia trees in Wainwright Park as well as more than 15 trees and flowering plants in the front yards of residents living close to the park. The residents have pledged to maintain the trees in order to support the community project.

This spring, B.O.L.D. Teens was awarded a “Promoting Engagement in World Harmony” mini grant from Roots & Shoots New England to purchase the magnolia trees and flowering plants for the community project. B.O.L.D. Teens was awarded the largest of the 2008 Roots & Shoots mini grants because their project addresses not only the neighborhood’s environmental issues, but its social concerns as well.

About Roots & Shoots

Founded in 1991 by Dr. Jane Goodall and a group of Tanzanian students, the Roots & Shoots program is about making positive change happen—for our communities, for animals and for the environment. With tens of thousands of young people in almost 100 countries, the Roots & Shoots network connects youth of all ages who share a desire to create a better world. Young people identify problems in their communities and take action. Through service projects, youth-led campaigns and an interactive website, Roots & Shoots members are making a difference across the globe. For more information, please visit www.rootsandshoots.org.

About the Jane Goodall Institute

Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute continues Dr. Goodall’s pioneering research of chimpanzee behavior—research that transformed scientific perceptions of the relationship between humans and animals. Today, the Institute is a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. It also is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa, and the Roots & Shoots education program, which has groups in almost 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.janegoodall.org.

About B.O.L.D. Teens:

B.O.L.D. stands for Breath of Life Dorchester. We are a youth-led organization concerned with the health, environment and safety of our community. We are youth between the ages 14-18 working to improve the quality of life in our community through education, advocacy and activism. We serve our community through civic engagement and partnerships to effectively improve the health and safety in our neighborhoods. Find out more at www.boldteens.org.