A leash lets loose and a dog tramples over a nicely groomed park. A family has a picnic in newly restored open space. Through sponsorship, advocacy and care, the Brookline GreenSpace Alliance turns local muddy parks into neighborhood jewels that many utilize.
For 37 years, The Brookline GreenSpace Alliance has kept Brookline green by preserving trees, parks and supporting other park groups around the area. GreenSpace is a nonprofit organization that works to promote greater awareness of the value and benefits of Brookline parks and open spaces. The organization hosts tree identification nature walks, publishes a bi-annual newsletter and leads educational events.
According to President of Brookline GreenSpace Alliance Sean Lynn-Jones, GreenSpace matters because trees and green spaces benefit the mental and physical health of residents.
“People feel better, they’re happier when they live in a world where there are trees, where they can walk through a beautiful park and where they can get out and engage in active or passive recreation,” Lynn-Jones said.
According to GreenSpace Alliance board member Olivia Fischer Fox, a big part of keeping Brookline green has to do with the trees that cool the environment, provide shelter for wildlife and slow down climate change by capturing carbon.
“The largest trees capture the most carbon and cool the air in neighborhoods and provide food for our wild habitat. I would say for me it’s a lot about taking care of the trees, especially the large ones, and our parks,” Fischer Fox said.
GreenSpace has an interest in maintaining trees and educating Brookline residents on the importance of trees since they better the community and cool the air, according to Lynn-Jones.
“I don’t think we always appreciate everything the trees do for a community. They reduce the heat island effect, especially as summers get hotter, by just generally cooling the air and that’s more pleasant if you’re walking around,” Lynn-Jones said.
Founder of GreenSpace Micheal Berger started the organization to provide the town with an umbrella organization that would give local parks more say in the town government. Berger said open spaces and parks benefit all families.
“I raised my family, a boy and a girl, who went through Brookline schools and played sports. So open space and the parks are a really important part of being in Brookline,” Berger said.
According to Fischer Fox, GreenSpace connects environmental groups from around Massachusetts such as Mothers Out Front, a network of caregivers advocating for climate justice, that Fischer Fox is an active member in.
“[GreenSpace] brings together many friends groups and many like-minded individuals who care about the environment and trees,” Fischer Fox said. “It’s a network of people that can help each other on various projects.”
Berger said that Brookline residents can get involved in the GreenSpace Alliance by joining walks to learn more about trees, birds and different aspects of nature.
“The current Brookline GreenSpace Alliance has been very active in promoting different walks: bird walks, walks around Amory Field and walks around Halls Pond,” Berger said. “It’s terrific for citizens in Brookline, who may not always get to Halls Pond, to come out and see what their community can offer them.”
Fischer Fox said the best thing to do now is to protect urban forests locally to ensure a better future.
“I have a couple kids, and I care deeply that their future is going to be the best that it can be,” Fischer Fox said. “I think if you want to effect change, the best way to do that is to affect it locally.”
