HARRISBURG, Pa. – TreeVitalize, the aggressive four-year effort to restore tree cover to southeastern Pennsylvania, is looking for volunteers to help plant trees for several early-ction projects in neighborhoods throughout the region.
| OTHER TREEVITALIZE OPPORTUNITIES |
Other TreeVitalize neighborhood tree plantings this fall include: Where: West Philadelphia; Planting demonstration at 43rd Ave. and Chester, other plantings in the 4500 block of Springfield Ave. and the 4700 block of Warrington Ave. Where: Trumbauersville/Milford, Bucks County, Emerald Hollow Estates, Main St. and Emerald Lane Where: Warminster Community Park, Bucks County, 300 Veteran’s Parkway, near main parking lot. Where: Hawthorne Neighborhood of Philadelphia, 1100 Block of Christian St. Where: West Chester, Chester County, 30 trees to be planted on the 700 block of South High St., 50 block of Rosendale Ave., and 300-400 blocks of Hannum Ave. Where: Quakertown, Bucks County, Main St. Park, James A. Michener Branch of Bucks Free Library, 401 W. Mill St. |
Launched by Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell on Arbor Day this year, TreeVitalize aims to plant more than 20,000 shade trees in neighborhoods and 1,000 acres of forested riparian buffers in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. The $8-million program targets neighborhoods in older cities, boroughs and townships where tree cover is below 25 percent.
“TreeVitalize will provide high-quality trees, technical assistance and training resources in order to enhance the quality of life in our older communities,” says Michael DiBerardinis, secretary of conservation and natural resources, the state agency spearheading the partnership. “We hope many trees will be planted by community residents so they feel a strong connection and sense of ownership to care for the trees and help them grow to maturity.”
DiBerardinis notes that the five-county Philadelphia region has lost more than 5 million trees in the last 15 years. TreeVitalize is designed to halt that loss and revitalize older communities, improve air and water quality and enhance the quality of life for citizens living in cities and towns. It will provide local governments, which may lack urban forestry resources, with the financial and technical tools to encourage tree planting and stewardship.
The first neighborhood tree planting will be Saturday, Oct. 16 at various sites in West Philadelphia. Volunteers will plant 50 “underwire” trees to demonstrate what trees are best suited for planting beneath high-voltage wires.
“We’re expecting between 100 and 150 people for the event tomorrow,” says Amanda Benner, event coordinator with UC Green, an environmental cooperative in the Philadelphia area. “It’s possible that we’ll get some rain, but we’ll still go on with the project. Our goal for the project is to encourage planting the right tree in the right place in order to support local greening initiatives and ensure proper vegetation around electrical lines for service reliability.”
Benner says volunteers who have not yet registered are welcome to meet at the starting location (see sidebar above) to sign in and participate. Students from the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel Univeristy area universities are expected to participate, as well as representatives from UC Green, the Pennsylvania Electric Co. (PECO), Pennsylvania Urban & Community Forestry Council, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s TreeTenders, and University of Sciences of Philadelphia. Area contractors are also invited to attend and share their tree-planting expertise. The Municipal Tree Restoration Program, administered through the Pennsylvania Urban & Community Forestry Council, is providing funding.
Volunteers should meet at the southeast corner of 43rd Street and Chester Avenue for the tree planting. For more information or to volunteer, contact Amanda Benner at 215/573-4684 or abenner@ucgreen.org.
| TREEVITALIZE GOALS & FUNDING |
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) has partnered with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Aqua Pennsylvamia; the Philadelphia Eagles; PECO, an Exelon Co.; U.S. Forest Service; PA Horticultural Society; Morris Arboretum; and the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association. TreeVitalize has reached more than half of its $8-million funding goal. The Commonwealth’s contribution of $3 million is funded through DCNR and DEP. Feeney’s Wholesale Nursery in Buckingham Township donated 100 trees to support neighborhood projects in Bucks County. According to the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Research Station, the region currently has about 34-percent tree cover ranging from a low of 1 percent in Marcus Hook, Pa., in Delaware County, to a high of 73 percent in Bridgton Township, Pa., in Bucks County. The five-county region where TreeVitalize is focusing its efforts has 1.4 million acres, 4.1 million residents, 239 local governments and 11 watersheds. In addition to coordinating resources to support tree plantings, TreeVitalize aims to train 2,000 volunteer citizens in proper tree care techniques. These citizens will organize future tree planting projects and educate homeowners on proper tree care and planting. For more information on TreeVitalize, log on to http://www.treevitalize.net.
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