(HARRISBURG) – As the weather gets warmer, the City of Harrisburg becomes more beautiful. Harrisburg’s Spring tree planting is coming up, and we need your help!
The City is hosting two tree planting events this April, both in the Wilson Park neighborhood of East Harrisburg. The first will run Thursday, April 11 to Saturday, April 13, at the Taylor Park Apartment Complex near the park. The second will focus on the homes surrounding Wilson Park, from Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, April 27.
Thirty bare-root trees will be taken care of in the first community planting, while the number of trees for the late April planting is still to be determined.
“Seasonal tree plantings help reduce environmental issues we see around us every day. Air pollution reduction, stormwater management, energy savings, and carbon sequestering are all problems that can be alleviated by simply planting trees,” said City Forester Cody Legge. “Besides these physically measurable variables, trees break up the harsh edges and dull color of the increasingly urban surroundings which leads to a more pleasurable living experience.”
Volunteers can help with either or both of the April tree plantings. Click this link to sign up for Harrisburg’s spring tree planting April 11-13. Volunteers should arrive by 9 a.m. at the intersection of Wilson Parkway and S. 29th Street.
This link takes you to a sign-up page for Harrisburg’s spring tree planting April 25-27 spring tree planting, which will gather at 9 a.m. at the Wilson Park Pavilion.
If signing up more than one adult, please complete the form for each individual, providing name, email, and cell phone where they can be reached for further details about the event. Adults should include children under 18 on their form. Information will stay private and used for purposes of this planting only.
Since 2019, the City of Harrisburg has planted more than 500 new trees, largely by volunteers. Trees set for Wilson Park are from the non-profit TreePennsylvania.
The Wilson Park/Taylor Apartment neighborhood has a high Tree Equity Score, according to Legge. A Tree Equity Score is a metric that helps cities assess how well they are delivering equitable tree canopy cover to all residents. Scores range from 0-100. The lower the score, the greater priority for tree planting. A score of 100 means the neighborhood has met tree planting goals.
This particular neighborhood has a score of 75, making it a high priority for improvement.
“All of the streets at this location have wide planting strips that held many trees,” Legge said. “As these trees deteriorate, nothing was replanted and now most of the streets are without tree cover and the subsequent effects of that can be felt. We will plant a diverse mix of large-maturing species to reverse some of these impacts.”
Handtools, work gloves, water, and snacks will be provided. Volunteers can bring their own, and a refillable water bottle as well.
The City of Harrisburg hosts seasonal tree plantings in the Spring, and then again in the Fall, with a different neighborhood targeted each time. Property owners are offered new street trees, suitable for their site, at no cost. Residents are asked if they can help plant their own tree, and that they also care for it until it becomes an established tree.
Harrisburg has earned a national distinction by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA, putting Harrisburg into a class of municipalities that values environmental concern. Keeping and displaying this award generates pride among the residents and holds current and future administrations to its standards.
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Contact: Matt Maisel, Communications Director
(717) 255-7295
MMaisel@HarrisburgPA.gov
