Burlington will plant 40 new shade trees in the Terrace Hall neighborhood from Monday, Nov. 2, through Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, using a $74,819 state Cooling Corridors grant aimed at lowering summer heat in one of the town’s hottest areas. The Burlington tree planting grant covers trees at the Francis Wyman Elementary School, the A and B Street industrial area and residential streets south of Terrace Hall Avenue.
Key facts: the Terrace Hall Cooling project
- Grant: $74,819 from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), Cooling Corridors program.
- Trees: 40 small trees, 1 to 2 inches in diameter, of six species.
- Planting dates: Nov. 2 to 4, 2026, with a groundbreaking at the Francis Wyman School on Nov. 2.
- Where: the Francis Wyman School parking lot, the A and B Street industrial park, and about 30 trees on residential streets south of Terrace Hall Avenue.
- Care: the contractor waters weekly for two growing seasons; the town takes over after that.
Where the 40 trees will go
Conservation Administrator Eileen Coleman updated the Select Board on the project at its meeting on Monday, Oct. 19, the Daily Times Chronicle reported. Coleman said the planting targets “hot spots,” which she described as areas with the 5% highest land surface temperature index values in a region, along with “burdened areas” that face high environmental or socioeconomic hardships.
Two of the targeted sites are the Francis Wyman School parking lot and the A and B Street industrial park. About 30 of the trees are planned for residential streets south of Terrace Hall Avenue. According to Coleman, the trees will be placed in the town’s right-of-way, roughly 5 to 10 feet in from the roadway. The residential plantings are voluntary: the town dropped off letters to residents, and Coleman told the board that a number of residents have already agreed to take a tree.
Coleman also said the industrial property owners are considering planting in their parking lot, and that the companies and property owner are on the same page. Residents who have questions about removing existing trees can go before the Conservation Commission, she said, noting that setback requirements and buffer zones apply.
A tree for every grade at Francis Wyman
The project includes a student element. The town plans a groundbreaking ceremony at the Francis Wyman School on Nov. 2, with one ceremony for each grade, according to the Chronicle. Six different species will be planted, one for each grade. The town held a public meeting about the project in the Francis Wyman School Library on Oct. 7, where residents and businesses could learn whether their property qualifies and how to join the town’s Tree Team, Burlington Access TV (BCAT) reported.
“This grant will allow us to create a cooler neighborhood and expand tree canopy in the Terrace Hall Area, including at the Francis Wyman School, the industrial A and B Streets, and in the residential area,” Coleman said in BCAT’s report on the award.
How the state Cooling Corridors program works
Cooling Corridors is one of seven grant programs bundled into the state’s new Environment & Climate One Stop (ECO One Stop), a single application for climate and resilience funding. On Aug. 13, 2026, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced more than $45 million for 97 projects in the program’s first round, including 71 municipal projects.
Under the state’s grant catalogue, Cooling Corridors funds tree planting in identified heat hotspots and burdened areas, with a typical maximum request of up to $75,000 and a two-year funding period. The state says strong applications place trees near schools, transit stops, senior centers and other places where people gather, favor large shade species, and include a detailed two-year watering and maintenance plan. ECO One Stop grants generally require a 10% local match in cash or in-kind contributions.
Select Board discussion
Coleman’s appearance was an update rather than a vote, because the grant had already been awarded. Town Administrator John Danizio praised her for pursuing the grant, the Chronicle reported. Select Board member Joseph Morandi asked whether the board needed to approve the plan that night and said he was not happy with the process. “We don’t approve these trees,” Morandi said, according to the Chronicle. “You approved them.” Coleman said she had come before the board earlier to let members know she was applying for grants.
Once the two seasons of contractor watering end, maintenance shifts to the town. “They should be well-established by then,” Coleman said, adding that the trees would not require much work after that.
What residents can do
Terrace Hall residents who received a letter and want a tree can contact the Conservation Department through the town website. For other fall changes around town, see our roundup of Burlington, MA news this fall, and for the season ahead, our guide to the Burlington winter parking ban and trash holiday schedule. Families can also find school details in our Burlington Public Schools guide.
Sources
- Daily Times Chronicle: 40 new trees to be planted from a state grant (Oct. 23, 2026)
- Burlington Access TV: Burlington Awarded Tree Planting Grant for Terrace Hall Area (Sept. 16, 2026)
- Mass.gov: ECO One Stop Grants Catalogue (Cooling Corridors criteria)
Additional sources
- Mass.gov: $45 million ECO One Stop awards announcement (Aug. 13, 2026)
- Mass.gov: FY27 ECO One Stop award recipients and map
- Burlington Patch: Burlington Receives $75K State Grant For Tree Program
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