Become a Delegation

Join and make a stand!

Turn your community into a Tree Planting Delegation!

Make a stand by planting a pair of heirloom apple trees at your school, business, place of worship, place of work, or community center.

These trees will beautify your space, improve its air and soil quality, provide bushels of delicious apples, and create an engaging community gathering space.

By becoming a Tree Planting Delegation, you will join a diverse city-wide coalition that is organizing in support of Civic Fruit.  Together, we’re making a stand for universal access to fresh healthy food, for greening our cities, and protecting biodiversity.  With this poetic and pragmatic act, we’re making a commitment to the environmental and community health of our city and the next generation.

Email Amory<at>bostontreeparty.org to join the party!

WHAT YOU NEED

–Access to two pieces of land that are each 15’ in diameter (they don’t have to be connected, but they do need to be within 1/4 mile).  Each site needs to have well-drained soil (no standing pools) and get 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.

–The planting site cannot have more than a “medium” level of lead. Lead will be absorbed into the leaves and bark of the tree, but not the fruit.  Sites with a “high” level of lead are not safe to grow in or dig in.

–Access to a water source (during the summer, trees may need up to 5 gallons of water per week).

–The passion and commitment to care for these trees.  These trees can live up to 150 years!  The trees will require weekly watering throughout the spring and summer, and yearly pruning and fertilizing.  Once the trees start to bear apples in the second or third year, they will require attentive harvesting and pest management.

WHAT YOU GET

As an Official Boston Tree Party Delegation you will receive:

  • Two semi-dwarf apple tree whips of New England heritage varieties. (Whips are 1-year old single stem trees without side-branches.)
  • Compost, mulch, and soil amendments.
  • An animal guard.
  • Two informational tree plaques.
  • A Boston Tree Party flag.
  • 15 Boston Tree Party buttons.
  • The Boston Tree Party handbook, which includes tree care tutorials, Tree Planting Party ideas, horticultural information, apple lore, recipes, and resources for further investigation.
  • Web access to tree care videos.
  • Access to low-cost tree care workshops.
  • An opportunity to participate in Boston Tree Party community events.
  • Inclusion in the BTP online interactive map and directory, and the Civic Fruit smartphone app.
  • Community organizing support from the BTP A-Team.

WHAT YOU GIVE

Each Tree Planting Delegation will be asked to pay $325 (the materials cost of the kit). Limited funding assistance is available.