Growing the Next Generation of Tree Stewards
The Henry Davis Scholarship was created to support education in our trade while honoring someone who gave so much to the trees of greater Boston. Henry Davis was a legend in our industry, known for his care of historic trees, his love of teaching, and his deep joy in tree science.
Each year, the scholarship is awarded to a deserving student pursuing studies in the green industry, thereby supporting and encouraging the next generation of tree stewards.
That next generation matters. Arboriculture is a field where science, skilled trade, physical ability, environmental care, and problem-solving all meet.
It offers meaningful work for young people who want a career outdoors, a connection to the planet, and the satisfaction of seeing their efforts grow over time.
Across the industry, there is renewed energy around welcoming people into green careers. Workforce development programs, apprenticeships, mentoring, student events, and hands-on training are helping young people see arboriculture as a meaningful and rewarding profession. Closer to home, more organizations are investing in training opportunities that introduce students and young adults to tree care, urban forestry, horticulture, and environmental stewardship.
The future of tree care depends on skilled hands, curious minds, and caring hearts.
This is hopeful work. The trees we plant and preserve today will need skilled hands, curious minds, and caring hearts long after us. Supporting students is one way we help ensure that the future of tree care remains thoughtful, knowledgeable, and rooted in stewardship.
The 2026 Henry Davis Scholarship recipient will be announced later this season. Until then, we celebrate every young person looking up into the canopy and imagining a future there. continued from front page Sometimes they simply need space— freedom from soil compaction, construction damage, over-mulching, or unnecessary disturbance.
Good tree care is not about keeping every tree at any cost. It is about looking carefully, asking better questions, and making informed decisions. Can risks be reduced? Is the tree truly declining, or is it struggling with a manageable problem? What would be lost if it were removed?
In a time of hotter summers, heavier rains, development pressure, and shrinking habitat, mature trees are more valuable than ever. They are not simply ornaments in the landscape. They are living infrastructure.
Before removing a mature tree, pause for a moment. Stand beneath it. Look up. Notice the shade, the birdsong, the coolness beneath the canopy. A tree that has taken fifty, seventy-five, or one hundred years to grow deserves thoughtful attention, skilled care, and, whenever possible, the chance to keep giving.