This project is one of the largest school-based tree planting efforts in DCNR history, with 434 native trees planted across nine Pottstown School District sites as part of the Urban Tree Canopy Enhancement Project.
The project is funded through the $440,000 Keystone Tree Fund grant through DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) and reflects the Shapiro Administration’s broader commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.
“Trees do more than provide shade — they strengthen communities, educate future generations, and help us fight climate change,” said Secretary Dunn. “This project shows what’s possible when communities, schools, and government work together to get stuff done for our communities and the environment.”
Over the past two years, with Governor Shapiro’s support, DCNR has prioritized sustainability through innovative conservation practices — improving Chesapeake Bay water quality, protecting old-growth forests, expanding renewable energy, and enhancing biodiversity.
In 2024, DCNR invested $10.5 million statewide in tree planting and lawn-to-habitat conversions to reduce flooding, cut carbon emissions, and expand access to green space in neighborhoods that need it most.
With one of the smallest tree canopies in Montgomery County — and 38 percent of its land covered by roads, buildings, and parking lots — Pottstown is on the front lines of urban heat and flooding challenges.
"It is my sincere belief that this tree project will be seen by children and community members far into the future, as one of the most ecologically and environmentally sound decisions of our time,” said Pottstown School District Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez. “This investment in an underfunded, urban school district like Pottstown is as unprecedented as it is historic, and I am so very proud to have been an early supporter of what we are doing here."
The $550,000 project included 22 species of native trees, chosen for their resilience and ecological value.
The effort brought together partners including the Pottstown School District, DCNR, Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, and nonprofit Save Our Land, Save Our Towns, Inc.
Beyond planting trees, the project aimed to inspire future environmental leaders.
Over the past year, students participated in six hands-on learning and planting events. Permanent signage at each site provides ongoing educational opportunities, and students have taken on the role of “tree tenders” to care for the new canopy.
In honor of Earth Day, Secretary Dunn encouraged Pennsylvanians to take action in their own communities:
-- Plant a native tree in your yard or neighborhood.
-- Donate to the Keystone Tree Fund, which supports tree planting statewide
-- Volunteer for cleanups or trail maintenance at a local park or forest.
-- Take a child outdoors and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
To find a DCNR Earth Day event near you, visit Earth Day - DCNR Calendar of Events.
Click Here for DCNR’s announcement.
Visit Explore PA Trails and Get Outdoors PA for recreation areas near you.
Visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.
For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website.
Related Article - Earth Day:
-- DEP, Partners Celebrate Earth Day At Schuylkill County Stream Restoration Project; Announce Opening On Next Round Of Growing Greener Plus Grants [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- DCNR Grants: Partnership Expands Recreation Options In Northeast PA; 420 Applications For Conservation Partnership Grants Totaling $120 Million
-- PA Recreation & Park Society: People, Parks & Community Foundation Now Accepting Applications For Grants To Improve Recreation, Community And Organizational Development [PaEN]
-- DCNR State Parks Environmental Educator Newsletter Helps You Celebrate Earth Day! [PaEN]
-- DCNR Names Stacie Hall Park Operations Manager For Hickory Run State Park Complex In Carbon County
-- PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Announces River Sojourn Grants, Schedule [PaEN]
-- Allegheny Land Trust, Game Commission Partner To Preserve 266 Acre Deer Creek Conservation Project In Indiana Twp., Allegheny County [PaEN]
-- Allegheny Land Trust, Cannon Design Release Plans For New Mobile Learning Lab [PaEN]
-- Brandywine Conservancy Launches New Website For Getting Started With Native Plants; Native Plant Sales In Delaware, Westmoreland Counties [PaEN]
-- North Branch Land Trust Hosts May 10 Event In Luzerne County On Exploring The Beauty And Importance Of Native Plants [PaEN]
-- PA Firefly Festival Receives Over 1,800 Entries To Campout Lottery; Private Guided Firefly Eco-Tours Available At Kellettville Firefly Farm In Forest County [PaEN]
-- Game Commission Announces Spraying Plan To Combat Spondy Moths On State Game Lands
NewsClips:
-- Warren Times Editorial: State Parks A Vital Resource
-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Pittsburgh Should Market Itself As One Of America’s Great Outdoors Cities, Because It Is
-- April 18 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation
-- MCall: Massive Carbon County Brush Fire Spreads To 460 Acres As Crews Work To Keep It From Residential Area
-- WNEP: Bear Mountain Wildfire Continues To Burn Near Jim Thorpe
-- Warren Times: Volunteers Refurbishing Trailhead Kiosks Along Allegheny National Forests’ North Country Trail
-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Allegheny County Ready To Develop ‘Brilliant’ Trail Across Allegheny River At Aspinwall
-- TribLive: Former Brilliant Branch Rail Line A ‘Blank Canvas’ For Public Trails, Economic Growth
-- PennLive: Environmental Activist Helps Bring New Park To Harrisburg Neighborhood
-- Discover NE PA: The Hidden Power Of Northeast PA’s Waterways
-- TribLive: Penguin Court Offers Native Plant Sale, Plans Master Naturalist Course In Westmoreland
-- PennLive: Fisherman Pulls 2 Kayakers From Dock Street Dam In Harrisburg: ‘They Weren’t Going To Last Long’
-- Erie Times: McKean County Man Pleads Guilty To One Charge, Fined In Federal Probe Of Ginseng Purchasing
[Posted: April 22, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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