Lawrence Planting Goal Progress:
2,525 Trees Planted out of 2,400 GOAL
Last Updated: December 14, 2021
Am I In The Zone?
Meet Your Local Foresters:
Ahron Lerman
Education: M.A. Ecological Design, The Conway School (2011); B.A. American Studies, Brandeis University (2005).
Experience: 7+ years of tree planting, recent member of the City of Cambridge’s Urban Forest Master Plan Task Force; former Greenhouse & Nursery Intern at the Arnold Arboretum; former board member of ReGreen Springfield; organic farming in Hawaii, CT, and MA.
Interests: Exploring wild places; learning about history and horticulture; plant-based food.
Favorite Tree & Reason: I first got interested in trees while farming in Hawaii, and always love thinking of the giant banyan trees I encountered (and climbed) there. I love the way their branches grow new roots and continuously explore new territory, growing the tree’s canopy larger and more complex. I also love planting swamp white oaks (Quercus bicolor) because of their beautiful leaves and bark, and for all the wildlife they support!
Lawrence Partners:
Groundwork Lawrence
Groundwork Lawrence (GWL) has been making change happen since its beginnings in 1999. Through its environmental and open space improvements, healthy food access programs, youth education, employment initiatives, community programming and events, GWL creates the building blocks of a healthy community, and empowers residents to improve their quality of life. GWL is committed to “changing places, changing lives, and changing systems” through on-the-ground projects that help to transform local communities. To accomplish this, GWL leads and supports a variety of partnership-driven efforts that bring together the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to solve complex environmental and health problems and sustain a long-term vision for neighborhood change and renewal. In 2007, GWL launched its own Green Streets urban forestry program and, since 2016, has proudly partnered with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Greening the Gateway Cities to plant 2800 trees in Lawrence and support outreach efforts in the neighboring city of Haverhill. GWL houses all aspects of this urban forestry effort under one roof, providing outreach and engagement, tree selection and planning, and tree planting, all conducted by GWL staff, making Lawrence unique among Greening the Gateway Cities communities. You can learn more by visiting www.groundworklawrence.org.
