311 Help Desk
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City of harrisburg logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Maisel, Director of Communications
(717) 255-7295, [email protected]

HARRISBURG — As the weather warms up around this Spring, city leaders will be doing their part to beautify local neighborhoods, and they need your help.

Two tree planting events will take place over three days across the Allison Hill neighborhood this April. The goal is to not only make the neighborhoods look nicer, but to help the environment by eventually creating a air-rich canopy over the capital city.

The City of Harrisburg is looking for volunteers to help the Parks and Recreation Department plant trees during these three dates:

  • Saturday, April 9 at 9:00 a.m. at 1341 Vernon Street, for planting between 13th and 17th Streets.
  • Friday, April 29 at 9:00 a.m. at 1173 Market Street, for planting on Market Street between Cameron and 15th Streets
  • Saturday, April 30 at 9:00 a.m. at 1173 Market Street, for planting on Market Street between Cameron and 15th Streets

Interested volunteers can sign up using this link: City of Harrisburg Tree Planting Volunteer Sign-Up

The tree planting along Vernon Street will consist of planting 17 smaller trees, according to City Forester Ellen Roane, while the Market Street beautification project will have 48 cherry trees.

“Any time you see a street full of beautiful trees, it’s something spectacular,” said Parks Maintenance Supervisor Sasha Ross. “It makes you smile, so I’m pretty sure city residents will love to see it as well.”

The Vernon Street trees will be provided to the city at no charge by the state’s TreeVitalize program. It is a public-private run through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to help communities plant trees. Residents have reached out to the city requesting new trees.

The Market Street trees are being supplied through the Arbor Day Foundation, with funding made possible by the United Parcel Service (UPS).

“One of the things the Arbor Day Foundation does best is to help local planting partners take meaningful action in their community to plant trees,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “We plant trees to improve the lives of people around us. We’re happy to help the City of Harrisburg foster a sense of community pride by planting trees.”

Media coverage of all three planting sessions are welcome. Please reach out to Matt Maisel, City of Harrisburg Communications Director, with further questions.