Volunteers plant a tree at a city planting day in 2022.
Harrisburg has plans to make the city a little greener and needs some help making it happen.
The city announced that it will plant 75 new trees in Uptown Harrisburg on April 21 and 22 and is calling on volunteers to assist in planting them.
The new trees will be planted between Division and Maclay streets, from 2nd to 7th streets, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.
“Trees provide essential ecoservices to urban areas, like cleaning and cooling the air, reducing stormwater runoff, and taking up carbon, while also adding tremendous beauty to our homes and streets,” said Ellen Roane, city forester. “Yet for far too long, the rate at which street trees are removed in Harrisburg has exceeded the number that are replanted, resulting in a net loss of tree cover.”
According to Roane, in recent years, in an effort to reverse this trend, significant funds have been allocated to the city’s Shade Tree Program toward the purchase of new street and park trees. Since 2019, about 500 new trees have been planted in the city.
For the April planting, all trees will be bare root and between 8 to 10 feet tall, but are lightweight and easy to lift, Roane said.
Volunteers who sign up for the Friday, April 21, tree planting will meet at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, at the corner of Green and Seneca streets, at 9 a.m. Those participating in the Saturday, April 22, tree planting will meet at the Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church at the corner of Green and Schuylkill streets, also at 9 a.m.
Tools, work gloves, water and snacks will be provided.
Harrisburg’s community tree plantings take place every spring and fall in different neighborhoods throughout the city. Property owners are offered new street trees at no cost.
“We are always looking for neighborhoods in need of trees where resident interest in increasing tree cover is also high,” Roane said. “If you know of such a site, or would be willing to help with outreach to such neighborhoods, please let us know!”
To sign up to volunteer for the April Harrisburg tree plantings, click here. For more information, visit the city’s website.
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