You already know that Saturday is LOVE Your Park Day, but it’s also a major milestone for Plant One Million. Communities throughout the region are making Saturday, November 5 a red-letter day with mass plantings, celebrations, tree sales, and other activities. More than 2,100 trees will be planted in Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, and Delaware—pretty great, right?
The plantings scheduled for Saturday include:
FDR Park in South Philadelphia. PHS and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation will lead this planting of more than 100 trees in the groves around this beautiful park. Special guests include…
- PHS President Drew Becher;
- Michael DiBerardinis, Phila. Deputy Mayor for Environmental & Community Resources;
- State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson;
- Gregory Jacovini, President of the Friends of FDR Park.
These distinguished folks will be joined by the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders and Swoop, the Eagles mascot, for the celebration at 9:30 am at the FDR Boathouse before the planting begins.
The Eagles’ participation is part of the organization’s continuing commitment to keep the environment green. Sponsors of the event, who are also sending volunteers to participate in the plantings, include Benjamin Lovell and Dansko, Johnson Controls, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Chickie & Pete’s will provide lunch for the volunteers.
Drew says, “This is the first time simultaneous plantings will occur in communities throughout the tri-state region, emphasizing the full scope of this effort and the impact it will have on the environmental and economic health of the region.”
A bit north, in Philadelphia’s Vernon Park, 10 trees will be planted and a rain garden will be dedicated at 11 am by the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Friends of Vernon Park, PHS, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Philadelphia Water Department, Center in the Park, and Fairmount Park Conservancy. This event is part of the LOVE Your Park Day, which involves 60 parks.
The next location is outside the city, at the West Branch of the Brandywine Creek in Chester County, PA. Volunteers will plant 1,530 small container trees on a hillside by a tributary to the Brandywine in Unionville (between Coatesville and Kennett Square) from 9 am to 1 pm This riparian planting is funded through a TreeVitalize Watersheds grant and is being coordinated by PHS and the Brandywine Conservancy.
Over in Camden, the New Jersey Tree Foundation will lead a planting of 10 trees at the North Camden Little League home field (Point and Eerie streets). Running from 9 am to noon, this planting will benefit from the volunteerism of members of the North Camden Little League. Partners include Concerned Citizens of North Camden, MAFCO Worldwide Corporation, and United Water Camden.
“Over 100 Camden children rely on this field for baseball and T-ball in the summer. Without a single tree in sight, games have been hot and unforgiving. We look forward to the shade and beauty these trees will bring our community in the years to come,” says Bryan Morton, CCNC President and Little League coach.
We’re not done yet though. The Delaware Center for Horticulture will plant 40 trees in Old New Castle in partnership with the New Castle Tree Commission and 40 community volunteers. The project is funded in part through grants from the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, and the Alliance for Community Trees.
“The DCH is pleased to involve the Old New Castle community for the first time in Plant One Million,” said Jen Bruhler, the DCH Assistant Director of Urban Forestry. “Much of the city’s historic character can be attributed to its trees, and we are excited to help maintain that tradition.”
Lastly, 10 trees and 60 shrubs will be planted along the banks of the White Clay Creek near the historic Hale Byrnes House (606 Stanton-Christiania Rd., Newark, DE). The planting is being coordinated by White Clay Wild & Scenic and the Delaware Society for the Preservation for Antiquities, with support from the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.
As you can tell, Saturday is shaping up to be something spectacular! Be sure to visit the new www.plantonemillion.org for great info about trees!
Posted on November 3, 2011 by Daniel
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