Trees for Communities: Growing a Greener Groton

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A greener Groton starts here

Did you know you can request a free tree for your property or suggest a public location where we can plant one?

Trees for Communities is a collaborative project between The Nature Conservancy, the Town of Groton, and the City of Groton. Funded by a grant from the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), our goal is to plant free trees across Groton to build a healthier, cooler, and more resilient community. This project will:

  • Plant 40 free trees on public and private properties in priority areas
  • Host community workshops and events to teach best tree-care practices and celebrate our expanding canopy

To request a tree, suggest a public planting spot, or sign up to volunteer, scroll down to the Take Action section at the bottom of this page!

How trees help our neighborhood

Trees do more than beautify our streets—they are essential natural infrastructure. When we plant and care for trees, they:

  • Improve air and water quality by filtering out harmful pollutants and runoff.
  • Provide cooling shade to lower neighborhood temperatures and combat extreme heat.
  • Reduce flooding by absorbing rainwater and lessening the impact of heavy storms.
  • Support healthier communities by reducing stress and anxiety, lowering blood pressure, and boosting mood.

Supporting a Climate-Ready Groton

This project helps bring the Town's new Climate Action Plan, Climate-Ready Groton, to life. Our tree-planting efforts directly help implement the Plan's vision to protect our natural resources and build a more resilient community for future generations.

Specifically, this initiative supports Natural Resources and Consumption (NRC) Strategy 1.2, which aims to expand and maintain a healthy tree canopy in alignment with Groton’s Tree Management Plan. Under this strategy, the project directly advances two key actions:

  • NRC Action 1.2.A: Prioritize diverse, native, and adaptive tree species for new street plantings to increase canopy resilience to disease, pests, and heat.
  • NRC Action 1.2.C: Equitably distribute new street trees across the community, prioritizing neighborhoods with low tree cover and/or high heat indexes.

By focusing on neighborhoods with lower canopy coverage and higher heat vulnerabilities, we are turning our climate goals into real, local action.

Quick FAQs

Who can get a tree? Planting is grant-funded and limited to eligible neighborhoods, ensuring benefits go where they are needed most.

Who cares for the tree? Private property owners water trees on their land, which requires a signed Tree Agreement. Trees in public areas are maintained by municipal staff.

Take Action

Help us grow a greener Groton! Choose an option below to get started:


A greener Groton starts here

Did you know you can request a free tree for your property or suggest a public location where we can plant one?

Trees for Communities is a collaborative project between The Nature Conservancy, the Town of Groton, and the City of Groton. Funded by a grant from the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), our goal is to plant free trees across Groton to build a healthier, cooler, and more resilient community. This project will:

  • Plant 40 free trees on public and private properties in priority areas
  • Host community workshops and events to teach best tree-care practices and celebrate our expanding canopy

To request a tree, suggest a public planting spot, or sign up to volunteer, scroll down to the Take Action section at the bottom of this page!

How trees help our neighborhood

Trees do more than beautify our streets—they are essential natural infrastructure. When we plant and care for trees, they:

  • Improve air and water quality by filtering out harmful pollutants and runoff.
  • Provide cooling shade to lower neighborhood temperatures and combat extreme heat.
  • Reduce flooding by absorbing rainwater and lessening the impact of heavy storms.
  • Support healthier communities by reducing stress and anxiety, lowering blood pressure, and boosting mood.

Supporting a Climate-Ready Groton

This project helps bring the Town's new Climate Action Plan, Climate-Ready Groton, to life. Our tree-planting efforts directly help implement the Plan's vision to protect our natural resources and build a more resilient community for future generations.

Specifically, this initiative supports Natural Resources and Consumption (NRC) Strategy 1.2, which aims to expand and maintain a healthy tree canopy in alignment with Groton’s Tree Management Plan. Under this strategy, the project directly advances two key actions:

  • NRC Action 1.2.A: Prioritize diverse, native, and adaptive tree species for new street plantings to increase canopy resilience to disease, pests, and heat.
  • NRC Action 1.2.C: Equitably distribute new street trees across the community, prioritizing neighborhoods with low tree cover and/or high heat indexes.

By focusing on neighborhoods with lower canopy coverage and higher heat vulnerabilities, we are turning our climate goals into real, local action.

Quick FAQs

Who can get a tree? Planting is grant-funded and limited to eligible neighborhoods, ensuring benefits go where they are needed most.

Who cares for the tree? Private property owners water trees on their land, which requires a signed Tree Agreement. Trees in public areas are maintained by municipal staff.

Take Action

Help us grow a greener Groton! Choose an option below to get started:


Page published: 28 Aug 2026, 11:20 AM