#treephilly

[philaparkandrec]

Honoring Parks & Rec’s arborists

An art exhibit in City Hall honors the hard-working and passionate men and women who care for our city's trees and forests.

The exhibit, titled "The Arborists of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation: Growing and Caring for Our Urban Forest,” can be found on the second floor of City Hall, outside the mayor's office. 

The primary focus of the exhibit is a collection of portraits of Parks & Rec’s Urban Forestry Unit and Ecosystem Management Unit staff. Photographer Sabina Louise Pierce captured the special relationship between Philadelphia Parks & Recreation arborists, the trees they care for, and the tools of their trade.

In addition to the portraits, the exhibit includes:

a display case with information about the team’s work

examples of a custom soil mix from Greenland Nursery

lumber milled from trees felled by our staff in the park system.

The arborists of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation are charged with the growth and care of the city’s urban forest. This includes 10,250 acres of park land and 117,000 trees along the city streets. 

Their work includes:

growing trees at Greenland Nursery in Fairmount Park

planting and caring for our young forest

removing dead and hazardous trees

These men and women are passionate, hardworking, and proud of the work they do to keep Philadelphia’s trees healthy and its citizens safe. Please visit City Hall before May 10th to see the portraits that honor these dedicated civil servants. 

The arborists honored include (click on name to see portrait):

Lori Hayes

Max Blaustein

Joe Toohey

Dave Cupps

Ben Stanko

Erica Smith Fichman

Curtis Helm (retired)

Chris Johnson

Anthony Holiday

Sean Hubbard

Jose Melendez

Jose G. Melendez

Mark DeLoach

[playturtlebug]

“The urban forest is the lungs of the city.” -TreePhilly (Grow the Urban Forest, 2022) TreePhilly.org

Trees in vacant lots are a part of the urban forest. Plant and Preserve Trees and Cultivate Open Green Spaces.

[beechwrench4-blog]

40 small ways to make Philly a better place

Note: This story was last published in January, 2018. We’ve updated it with all the most recent developments and changes.

In the midst of February and this dismal weather, it can be hard to push yourself to leave the house, much less do some charity work. But giving back (even a little) to your community can actually make this winter feel a little brighter.

Plus, it doesn’t take much. From small opportunities—like donating a little money and making sure to pick up and throw away your trash—to bigger ones—like packing and delivering food to those in need—there are chances for everyone to give a little back to their city this winter. Get started with our guide to all the small things you can do to make Philly a better place:

From your home

1. Green your home: There are plenty of simple ways to live a more sustainable life, but if you want to take it a step further, see if your home qualifies for one of the city’s RainCheck green tools, whether that’s stormwater paving, a rain garden, or a rain barrel. There’s a simple quiz you can take, and if your home qualifies for a green improvement you can sign up for a cost-sharing program to help cut back on costs.

2. Call your legislators. Have a suggestion or something else to say to the folks representing you in government? Give them a ring and speak up. It’s the quickest way to make your voice heard and hold your elected officials accountable. Here’s a full list of the elected officials in Philadelphia county on a city and state level.

3. Donate money. If you have the means to do so, donate to one cause (or more!) that really resonates with you. One easy way to put your hard-earned dollars toward a good cause is to sign up for AmazonSmiles. Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of all of your eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. You’ll be supporting a good cause with one click.

4. Plant a tree. Each fall and spring season the TreePhilly program hosts events where you can pick up a free tree to plant in your yard. It started back in 2012 as a way to make sure that every Philly neighborhood has at least 30 percent tree canopy coverage. If you want to go beyond your yard, you can pay to sponsor a tree in Center City and your donation will be matched by local residents.

5. Recycle. Hands down one of the easiest ways to do good is to recycle. Even better, the city has a ton of pick-up locations where you can snag one of those free blue recycling bins. And here’s a helpful list of what you can and can’t recycle.

6. Give your furniture to ReStore. Replacing your couch? Don’t just dump it on the sidewalk. Haul it over to ReStore on Washington Avenue. It’s an arm of Habitat for Humanity, and all of the proceeds go toward building homes in Philadelphia.

7. Donate your clothes. Your hand-me-down could be another’s treasure. Instead of tossing your unwanted clothes, donate them to a local thrift store. The nonprofit Philly AIDS Thrift accepts clothes, home goods, and furniture and sells it at a discounted rate, then donates proceeds to local organizations that support the fight against HIV/AIDS. Nonprofit Second Mile Center in West Philly also accepts clothes and home goods, and offers a re-entry employment program for people who have spent time in prison or in rehab.

8. Learn about the city. Like all cities and towns, Philly has a long and complicated history. Learning all about it can provide an understanding of why certain things are the way they are in this wonderfully weird city. Here’s a list of some books to check out. Or, explore the city by foot: There are a lot of great walking tours that show off the city’s architecture and hidden histories.

In your neighborhood

9. Sign up for neighborhood committee: If you really want to have a hands-on role in your neighborhood, join your neighborhood organization or registered community organization. They all have different committees, from zoning to beautification, so you can join the one you feel most passionate about.

10. Clean up your neighborhood park. Every year, twice a year, the Parks and Rec department and Fairmount Park Conservancy host Love Your Park, a week-long event that includes a long list of opportunities to clean up Philly’s parks, and the next event is in May. But you don’t have to do it just once a year—there’s always the option to organize a cleanup with your neighbors or DIY.

11. Throw a block party. What’s Philly without its block parties? And what better way to get to know your neighbors than over some burgers and beer? Apply online for a block party permit: It’s $25 for a weekend day or $150 for a weekday.

12. Attend neighborhood meetings. If you can’t commit to joining a neighborhood committee (#9), then make sure to show up to their organized meetings. It’s a good chance to make your voice heard about the goings on in your neighborhood, whether it’s over a new development or park.

13. Start a free library. Knowledge is power, people! To spread the word, look into setting up an adorable Little Free Library in your neighborhood. It’ll function as a free book exchange with anyone and everyone. To find out more and see where else you’ll find these libraries in Philly, check out this map.

14. Get to know your committee person... A committee person is like a political block captain and is the political party’s representative to your voting division. Says Sarah Clark Stuart, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, “Get to know your committee person or ward leader, present them with the problem you are seeking to address and see if they are willing to join you in asking your District Council person to ask city agencies to resolve the issue.”

15. ...or run for committee person. “One great way to help your community in an ongoing way is to run for a committee person seat in your neighborhood,” says Jon Geeting, director of engagement for Philadelphia 3.0. “These elections are happening this year, and you only need to get 10 valid signatures from registered party members to get on the ballot between February 13 and March 6.” Sign up here.

16. Don’t be a litter bug: In case you haven’t noticed, Philly has a litter problem. Help the city reach its goal of being litter-free by 2035 and please, put your trash in the trash.

17. Turn that lot into a garden. Is there a vacant lot in your neighborhood that’s just sitting there? Fight blight by turning it into a community garden. You can donate to the Philadelphia Horticulture Society’s Adopt-a-Lot cause, starting as low as $25.

Along your route

18. Ride a bike. Forgo the four wheels every once in awhile and hop on a bike instead: It’s a great way to explore Philly, it’s healthy, and good for the environment. First-timer? The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia offers an Urban Riding Basics class that teaches the basic rules of the road and what your rights and responsibilities are as a cyclist.

19. Follow the rules of the road. If you ever thought that cyclists or drivers don’t follow traffic laws, you were right: Last year, a study found that they both violate the rules of the road at about the same rate. Whether you get around by bike, car, or by foot, set a good example and abide by the laws of the road.

20. Take public transportation. As the fifth most walkable city in the U.S., there’s perhaps no better way to explore Philadelphia than by foot. But Philly is a big place with a lot to see, so if you really want to get from point A to B quickly without getting stuck in traffic, take the trolley or subway. And hey, it’ll take one more car off the road. We have some suggestions on the best public transportation routes to take to really get to know the city.

21. Lend a hand. There are many ways and causes to consider to help Philly’s homeless population. But if you see someone in need on your route, there’s a quick way to help out: Text “Share” to 80077 to make a $5 donation to help the homeless. The City of Philadelphia will then match your donation dollar for dollar—all of the funds raised will be invested in housing, jobs, and other services for the homeless. The Center City District Foundation is also holding outreach programs for the homeless, and they could always use donations to further their work.

22. See something? Say something. Download the 311 app and report any issues you see that need fixing—potholes, sinkholes, signs down, et cetera.

Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia

In your community

23. Commit to serve. Join Philly’s #CommitToServe campaign, which has a goal of getting Philadelphians to log 100,000 hours of volunteer service in 2018. Go to www.serve.phila.gov and to tell the city how many hours you plan to serve in the coming year.

Photo by C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

24. Support small and local businesses. Sure, online shopping is quick and convenient. But it’s the city’s important mom-and-pop shops that keep Philly flavor alive. Keep patronizing them so that they can stick around for the long haul.

25. Shop and sell at your farmers market. Kill two birds with one stone here: Organizations like the Food Trust encourage accessible, affordable, and healthy eating all around Philly and let volunteers lend a hand at their local farmers market. When you’re finished helping out, buy some local, healthy produce on your way out to support both local businesses.

26. Paint a mural. Philly is nothing without its thousands of murals. But the artists need all the help they can get to paint and install their gargantuan works of art onto Philly’s walls. Mural Arts, the largest program of its kind in the country, hosts painting days throughout the year, where you can add your creative touch to the city’s many murals.

Photo by Melissa Romero

27. Show some love to animals. There are plenty of animal shelters in Philly where you can volunteer, including Morris Animal Refuge, the oldest animal shelter in the nation, and PAWS, which hosts plenty of adoption events that also need help. But you can also do more than feed and pet the fluff balls: PAWS partners with Monster Milers, a running organization that lets you take dogs out for runs throughout the city.

28. Distribute food for those in need There are a lot of families and individuals all over the city in need of food and a little assistance, and the Jewish Relief Agency is here to help. Every month they call on volunteers to help pack boxes full of food and deliver them around the city. Sign up here, and bring a group if you want.

29. Design for good. Got design chops? There are plenty of nonprofits and organizations that need your eye for design—at a discounted rate. The Community Design Collaborative is always looking for design professionals to volunteer their services all while giving back to the community.

30. Support public spaces. Link up with Parks and Recreation, the Free Library, or their non-profit partners like the Fairmount Park Conservancy or the Philadelphia Parks Alliance.

Photo by Jeffrey Totaro

31. Preserve Philly’s history. Did you know? Philly is the only “World Heritage City” in the U.S. and the only one whose neighborhoods have been designated a “National Treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. So yeah, our historic fabric is important. But while there are a lot of preservationists out there working to save Philly’s history, it takes a lot of resources to do so. To help out, you can donate to organizations like the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, or dip your toes into the preservation world yourself. Here’s a beginner’s guide.

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32. Preserve and grow. If you’re really looking to take on an unusual challenge, join the Grave Gardeners at Woodlands Cemetery in West Philly. Grave gardeners adopt a “cradle grave” at the historic cemetery and plant Victorian-era species, tending to the plot for the year. It’s a unique way to uncover (not literally) the many layers of history around the Woodlands. Sign ups began in January so you’ll have a better chance of getting on the list of volunteers if you sign up now.

33. Become a reading coach for Philly’s youth. Calling all book lovers! Philly’s on a mission to have all of its children reading at grade level by 4th grade. To make sure that happens, volunteer as a reading coach and sign up for one-on-one sessions.

34. Support diversity. Philadelphia is growing, in large part due the city’s blossoming immigrant population. And they’ve also made a huge economic impact in the city: From 2000 to 2013, immigrants were responsible for 96 percent of the Main Street neighborhood business growth. There are many ways to support Philadelphians of all backgrounds, including teaching English and donating or volunteering for one of the many organizations that help Philly’s immigrants and refugees.

35. Make a meal for others. A good meal goes a long way, and there are plenty of soup kitchens and organizations where you can provide food for the homeless. At Project HOME, you can sign up to both cook up and serve meals at various locations.

Courtesy of Tupungato/Shutterstock.com

36. Keep Philly’s water clean. William Penn couldn’t have picked a more beautiful spot to put down roots in Philadelphia, sandwiched between the Delaware River and the Schuylkill. But it takes a lot to keep those waters clean—even the way you manage stormwater at home can trickle down to the rivers. To do your part, consider supporting the organizations that have signed on to the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, or all of the partners working to keep the Schuylkill clean.

37. Become a foster grandparent. Sometimes all a kid needs is some extra love and attention. The Foster Grandparent Program provides a way for low-income adults ages 55 and older to serve as an extended family member for a child with special needs.

38. Support Philly’s schools. Whether you are a parent or not, supporting Philly’s public schools is a supporting Philly’s future. But every school has different challenges and needs. To make it easier to help out, the School District of Philadelphia launched an interactive map called Philly FUNDamentals that lets you donate directly to a school or project of your choice.

39. Support an urban farm. Greensgrow always gets a lot of love, but there are a bunch of urban farms big and small that would love for you to lend a hand. Even better: Many of them started out as abandoned, vacant lots until neighbors banded together to beautify the space.

40. Vote. Especially in your local elections. It’s your civic duty!

Source: https://philly.curbed.com/2018/1/12/16867882/get-involved-local-politics-volunteer-philadelphia

[drdogmusic]

Hey Philly here's a cool thing to get for free: TREES! Hit up phillytree.org to sign up for your own free yard tree. I've got a bunch of these up and down my block and I just love the darn things. Thank you to the fine folks at @treephilly for doing this and for cementing our #celebritree status with this lovely rendering. You can also register to win a print signed by us at treephilly.org Thank you ✌����💚🌳 http://ift.tt/2mO95eR

[myphillyrealty]

How to get a free tree in Philly for your yard this spring

The free TreePhilly program is back

Looking to spruce up your yard this year? The city’s TreePhilly program that offers free trees for Philadelphians is back for the spring season.

The Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department and the Fairmount Park Conservancy announced Monday that the TreePhilly program will return next month. Starting April 1, city homeowners will be able to take home a free tree to plant in their yard or on their street.

The TreePhilly program started back in 2014 after then-Mayor Michael Nutter proposed making sure every Philly neighborhood had 30 percent tree canopy coverage. As of today, the program has handed out 17,500 trees to homeowners.

Here’s how it works: Pre-register for one of the four pick-up events being held around Philly in April (walk-ins will be accepted, but while supplies last). There, you’ll be able to pick from a street tree or a yard tree. In addition, each resident will receive a free bag of mulch.

This spring, there are 12 tree varieties available, including black gum, red oak, gray birch, ironwood, red buckeye, Robin crabapple, staghorn sumac, witchhazel, sourwood, apple, apricot, and sweet cherry.

These are the four dates and locations for tree pick-ups:

Saturday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Congreso de Latinos Unidos courtyard (216 W. Somerset St.)

Sunday, April 2 from 12 to 2 p.m. at South Philadelphia High School (2101 South Broad St.)

Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Roxborough TD Bank Store (5501 Ridge Ave.)

Sunday, April 9 from 12 to 2 p.m. at Frankford Avenue TD Bank Store (6635 Frankford Ave.)

TreePhilly [Official]

from http://philly.curbed.com/

The post How to get a free tree in Philly for your yard this spring appeared first on MyPhillyRealty.

http://myphillyrealty.com/2017/03/20/how-to-get-a-free-tree-in-philly-for-your-yard-this-spring/

[greenphillyblog]

Here's How to Get Connor Barwin to Plant a Free Tree in your Yard

Here’s How to Get Connor Barwin to Plant a Free Tree in your Yard

Want to plant a tree in your yard with a little help from Eagles (and sustainability) all-star Connor Barwin? TreePhilly announced a Philly “Tree Trek,” a social media contest in which one lucky winner will have Eagle player Connor Barwin help plant their tree. Participants can follow their Celebri-Tree, “Bud”, on social media as he explores Philadelphia landmarks before he finds his forever…

[m3printing-blog]

Now with more trees! Thank you Tree Philly for planting the newest addition to our front view! ‪#‎cityofarborlylove‬

[spiritnewspapers]

Get Free Trees in Kensington

By Joshua Albert. Published on Spiritnews.org May 28 2015.

In an effort to help beautify the neighborhood, East Kensington Neighbors Association and the New Kensington Community Development Corporationhave partnered with TreePhilly to give out two free trees to residents whoregister for them. You can pick up your trees this Saturday at the NKCDC garden center (1801 Frankford Ave) from 10AM to 2PM.

Residents will be given their trees as long as they make the following pledge:

“I will plant my tree in the City of Philadelphia on property I own, or property on which I have permission to plant.

I will plant my tree in the ground (NOT in a container or in the sidewalk).

I will plant my tree within 15 days of pick-up.

I will water my tree (20 gallons a week) from March through December.

I agree to allow TreePhilly to contact me for follow-up information about my tree.”

So if you like trees—and who doesn’t—make sure to stop by and do your part to help beatify your neighborhood.

See link for more info.

FULL

ARTICLE

AT

PLAN PHILLY →

[philaparkandrec]

Junior Farmers learn & grow with FarmPhilly kids’ program

All across the city kids have been learning about plants and wildlife through the Junior Farmers program of Parks & Rec’s Farm Philly.

This season kids have:

planted gardens

harvested fruits and vegetables

learned about food and the natural world

The fall is usually time to wrap things up for the year. But at Simpson Rec Center, we've been busy planting a small orchard!

Parks & Rec's TreePhilly provided one peach and two pawpaw trees. Youth from the site's afterschool program had a fantastic planting day.

During the planting, kids learned about the benefits of trees and how to care for them. We also talked about how the pawpaw trees were a part of the natural landscape in Philadelphia hundreds of years ago.  

Above: pawpaw fruit on tree, and cut open.

The pawpaw tree produces the largest edible fruit native to North America. The flavor of pawpaw fruit is often compared to bananas, but with hints of mango, vanilla, and citrus.

While it may take several years, we are all looking forward to our trees bearing fruit!

[myphillypark]

Cornhole at @theovalphl with some TreeKeepers surrounded by beautiful oaks and London Plane trees @treephilly #treephilly (at The Oval)

[pompomflipflop]

Nest in me

(Tree sign in Rittenhouse) (by Laura Swartz pompomflipflop)

[hexthepatriarchy]

The trees in Philly flirt with you 😉🌳 #treephilly #philly #philadelphia #rittenhousesquare #idefinitelylovethiscity (at Rittenhouse Square)

[thetealappeal]

I think this tree is coming onto me.... #treephilly (at Rittenhouse Square)

[myphillyrealty]

18 simple ways to live green in Philly

Tips to make your home, neighborhood, and city more sustainable

Fun fact: The original Earth Day has its roots in Philadelphia. Way back in 1970, a group of well-meaning students at the University of Pennsylvania came up with the grand idea of devoting an entire week to the environmental cause.

These days, a week of demonstrations, raising awareness, and activities dedicated to saving the earth have been packed into just one Earth Day. But here in Philly, there are plenty of ways, big and small, that you can live greener on a daily basis and help make this city even better and cleaner for years to come.

Green Your House

1. Grab a free tree for your yard. Each fall and spring season the TreePhilly program hosts events where you can pick up a free tree to plant in your yard. It started back in 2012 as a way to make sure that every Philly neighborhood has at least 30 percent tree canopy coverage.

A post shared by Philadelphia Water Dept. (@phillyh2o) on Jan 30, 2017 at 9:35am PST

2. Manage stormwater on your property. The city offers Rain Check, a residential stormwater management program that aims to help homeowners beautify their homes. All of you have to do is attend a workshop, then you can get a free rain water barrel or buy one of those clever downspout planter boxes (plants included!).

3. Keep a lid on it. The aftermath of trash day is, more often than not, a mess. Keep your debris off the sidewalk by simply putting a lid on your trash can.

4. Pick up a recycling bin. You know the deal: Reduce, reuse, recycle. You can pick up a free recycling bin from the city at these locations shown on the map. And here’s a helpful list of what you can and can’t recycle.

5. Check for lead paint. Philly is an old city that has the highest lead-exposure rates in the region. If you rent a property that was built before 1978, make sure your landlord can show proof that the unit is lead-safe. If you’re about to buy, bring in a lead paint testing company as part of the house inspection.

6. Purify with plants. No need to build a green wall, though that would be awesome. A decades-old study conducted by NASA found that certain plants like a snake plant or the monstera plant can remove carcinogens from the air in your home. NASA’s rule of thumb is to have one air-purifying plant for every 100 square feet of space.

Photo by Heidi’s Bridge

Snake plants, monstera plants, and bamboo are known to help purify air in your home.

7. Install a roof garden. Instead of a roof deck, consider a roof garden for your home to help with stormwater management. It requires some complicated work, but the Philadelphia Water Department has a helpful design guide to get started.

Green Your Neighborhood

8. Plant a tree. Okay, so you don’t have a yard to plant your own tree. Then find out if there are any nearby volunteer opportunities to help plant trees in your neck of the woods.

9. Sweep your street. Grab a broom and do it yourself or organize a cleanup with your neighbors to beautify your street.

10. Become a block captain. Want to chase that feeling of sprucing up your street? Contact the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee (PMBC) and see if you have what it takes to become a block captain. These leaders are responsible for organizing cleanups and other beautification activities on their block.

11. Clean up your neighborhood park. Every year the Parks and Rec department hosts Love Your Park, a week-long event that includes a long list of opportunities to clean up Philly’s parks. This year, it takes place between May 13 to 21. Check this map to see if your neighborhood park could use a hand.

R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia

The Spring Gardens started out as an abandoned lot. Today, some 180 families grow their own food here.

12. Curb your dog. Furry friends are wonderful, but their waste? Not so much. Do you part by picking up your pup’s poo. Otherwise, rain water could wash it directly into the city’s storm drains or into local waterways.

13. Start a community garden. Fight blight by turning that vacant lot in your ‘hood into a community garden. The Philadelphia Horticultural Society is hosting a number of workshops this spring on how to start a sustainable community garden. (Got a vacant side yard? Here’s how you could buy it from the city for $1.)

14. Join your neighborhood green committee. Find out if your neighborhood association or registered community association has a green or beautification committee that you can join. No dice? Be the change and start one!

Green Your City

J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia

15. Explore Philly by bike. Ditch four wheels for two and explore the city by bike (or by foot!). First time city cyclist? The new GoPhillyGo app, spearheaded by the Clean Air Council, offers the best bike and pedestrian routes to take to various sites around the city.

16. Shop local. If you buy food from your local farmers market, it helps local farmers stay in business and cut their costs and amount of pollution they create. Here’s a helpful map you can use to find your nearest market.

17. Speak up. Have you come across an illegal dumping spot in the city? Want to report an air quality issue? Calling the city at 3-1-1 or download the app here to file a digital report. You can then track the status of your report here.

18. Contact your local legislators—and vote! Concerned? Got a question? Give your local leaders a call and make your voice heard.

Care to share more advice for sustainable living? Hit up the comments section. We’d love to hear them!

from http://philly.curbed.com/

The post 18 simple ways to live green in Philly appeared first on MyPhillyRealty.

http://myphillyrealty.com/2017/04/20/18-simple-ways-to-live-green-in-philly/

[greenphillyblog]

Recycle Your WEIRD waste This Saturday in Bella Vista

Recycle Your WEIRD waste This Saturday in Bella Vista

Do you have those ANNOYING things around the house you can’t seem to recycle? We have a special event to report for Where Can I Wednesday. Good news – The Bella Vista Neighbors Association is hosting a TreePhilly Giveaway this Saturday, October 10th! Weird Items to bring to recycle: Pens Batteries Hangers Plastic bags Light bulbs Deets: Where: 10th & Fitzwater When: Saturday, October 10, 2015…

[groundscore-blog]

#treephilly