The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has removed the dead trees at Swampscott’s commuter station, a representative told the Swampscott Tides.
Last week, the Tree Committee raised concerns about several dead trees at the station, noting the area would benefit from a sprucing up. The MBTA is the property owner of the station.
The MBTA does not currently have a timeline for replanting, a representative told the Swampscott Tides
That said, Swampscott and towns across the country are experiencing a decline in tree canopy coverage. Urban areas nationwide are losing approximately 175,000 acres of tree canopy each year, according to a recent study from Salem State University.
The study, which has a 4% margin of error, found that Swampscott has “both improved and lost foliage based on census blocks.” The greatest tree loss occurred in the town’s northeast coastal area and the southwestern region bordering Lynn. Between 2016 and 2023, Swampscott lost an estimated 56 acres of tree canopy, according to the study.
Tree Committee Vice Chair Tara Gallagher noted at last week’s meeting that the MBTA area includes green space that could be utilized. Committee Member Suzanne Hale said the station is within one of Swampscott’s environmental justice areas.
The committee pointed to other communities’ transit areas, such as Salem which had major renovations to now include new tres and landscaping.
Swampscott has been working to reverse the decline in tree canopy coverage and expand its climate gains. Last summer, 52 new trees were planted along walking routes, and more than 400 trees have been distributed to residents for backyard planting over the past four years.
The Swampscott Public Library is also partnering with Neighborhood Forest to give children in the community the opportunity to plant a free tree at home during Earth Week next month.
The Swampscott MBTA station has been a hot button, with many politicians even pointing to it as part of their campaign plans.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), who is running for the Senate seat in the 2026 midterm elections, is calling for a more consistent, approachable station.
“My vision is you walk to Swampscott Station. You stand there covered because we tell you to take the train and then you’re just there out in the rain, and you have a train every eight minutes to anywhere in eastern Massachusetts,” Moulton told the Swampscott Tides. “That’s what we need. That’s the dream.”
Sen. Ed Markey, who is the incumbent in the race against Moulton, noted in a press release sent to the Swampscott Tides that he and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have partnered to strengthen transit infrastructure, securing a $472 million investment to replace the North Shore Draw One Bridge and modernize rail capacity at North Station.
State Sen. Brendan Crighton (D–Third Essex) was honored in February, in part for calling for an increase in the Chapter 90 funding this past year as a chair fo the joint committee on transporation. Crighton and State Rep. James Arciero (D-Middlesex) secured a 50% increase in base local road and bridge funding, bringing total statewide Chapter 90 funding to $300 million.
Crighton previously told the Swampscott Tides he also focused on electrifying the commuter rail system. The bill, now before the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, would fully electrify the MBTA commuter rail by December 31, 2035, helping the Commonwealth meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Recent MBTA investments include $20 million for the low-income reduced fare program, $40 million for infrastructure upgrades, and $175 million for workforce and safety expenses.
Swampscott and other towns in the North Shore are currently working to fulfill the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Communities Act, which passed in 2021 and was sponsored by Crighton. The act requires communities served by transit to zone for multifamily housing.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), which has worked to update Swampscott’s master plan, had seven goals around transportation during a presentation in October. The MAPC listed one as leveraging the adoption of the MBTA Communities zoning
Gov. Maura Healey’s state budget announced in October also directed more than $1 billion toward MBTA improvements.
