Any resident of Boston can request to have a street tree planted in front of their home or business. Please call the Park Line at 617-635-PARK (7275) to request a planting. An arborist will come out and inspect the site to determine if it can be planted.

The site will be inspected to see if it meets the following requirements:

• 15 feet from a light pole
  
  
• 10 feet from a driveway
  
  
• 20-40 feet from an intersection (depending on the direction of traffic)
  
  
• 10 feet from a fire hydrant
  
  
• 6-foot-wide sidewalks excluding curb
  
  
  • 3½ feet (42") for A.D.A. handicap accessibility requirements
    
    
  • plus 2½ feet (30") for the tree pit
    
    
• Inspect for the proper tree species
  
  
  • Look for power-line clearance
    
    
  • Check for other species on street
    
    
  • Look at the overall space for the tree to grow in
    
    
• Avoid planting trees in front of building entrances

A letter will be sent to the property owner once the inspection has been completed. If the site can not be planted, the Parks Dept does offer a lawn planting option. The Parks Dept will plant a tree on your front lawn and monitor it for two years. After the two years the tree becomes the property of the owner of the parcel of land where the tree has been planted. In order to plant on private property the owner must supply the Parks Dept with a copy of the property deed and sign an agreement. For additional questions, please call the park line at 635-PARK (7275).


You can request a tree planting by calling the Park Line at (617) 635-PARK.

Currently there is a backlog of about one year and sites are replanted in the order that they are received.

If you would like a tree planted immediately, you may opt to pay for the tree yourself and the tree will be installed under the current contract (price may vary from year to year).