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Community-Based Tree Planting as a Catalyst for an Engaged Citizenry:PHS Tree Tenders1Mission

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society motivates people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture.2Tree Planting Programs

Since 2005, more than $4.5 million in State, City and private funding has been allocated to tree plantingPHS Tree Planting Funds: 2005 - 2012 60% State 18% City 22% Private4

Loss of 8% of heavy tree cover (-34,000 acres) in 15 years over the five-county SE PA regionAnalysis by American Forests Inc. and US Forest Service5TreeVitalize: Riparian Planting

Public / Private partnership: DCNR, DEP, William Penn Foundation, Aqua PA, Philadelphia Eagles, PECO, and US Forest Service$4.74 million allocated to SE Pennsylvania since 2004Partnering with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, the four County Conservation Districts and Stroud Center for implementation Providing mini-grants to municipalities and watershed associations: 457 acres reforested since 2005

1,200 volunteer hours per year 15,000 canopy trees and understory trees and shrubs planted annually

6Riparian Planting Locations for 2012-2013

Over 65 plantings for 2012 & 20137

Established in 1993Goal : Educate citizens to plant and care for trees, increasing neighborhood greening capacity and community engagementOver 3,000 trees planted each year by more than 4,000 Tree Tenders from over 250 SE PA neighborhoods (about half are residents of Philadelphia)

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PHS Tree TendersAnnual Enrollment:2005 - 2012 The peak in Tree Tenders enrollment corresponds to the infusion of funding from the TreeVitalize program and illustrates how dedicated funding can stimulate participation in educational programming since people knew that there was funding to plant trees in their neighborhoods Also corresponds to incoming Nutter administration and focus on urban sustainability issues9

Tree Tenders Courses:3- part, 9- hour trainingThree to four offerings per year in Philadelphia at PHSAt least four offerings per year in counties surrounding PhiladelphiaOnline webinar training in partnership with DCNR and Penn State Cooperative Extension

Expanded to five-county SE PA region in 2005 to support launch of DCNR TreeVitalize program Partnered in Statewide trainings beginning in 2008 Also partnered with Keep America Beautiful as a national partner, bringing the Tree Tender model and resources to cities across the country in a train-the-trainer format

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Our Recipe for Building Capacity and Fostering Civic Engagement3-parts Tree Knowledge1 part Volunteer Management1-part Partnership DevelopmentA spoonful of PoliticsA dash of Media Savvy

11Topics:Benefits of TreesTree BiologyTree IdentificationTree Health Evaluation

Urban Tree StressorsProper Tree SelectionTree PlantingTree Care and Proper PruningAdvocacy12Resources:Bulk Tree PurchasesTree Pit CutsTool LibrariesHandbooks, DVDs, Videos

Purchase and distribute trees in bulk (700-1,200+) to Tree Tenders groups twice a year, in the spring and fall Produced a series of handbooks, DVD and video guides, webinars and other educational resources13

Continuing Education/Engagement:How to Organize Community Tree PlantingsWorking with YouthTree Health SeminarsPruning ClubsTree CheckersLinkages to Other PHS Programs/Events

Provide guidance on community organizing and engaging community youth Ongoing tree health seminars, such as recent class on Emerald Ash Borer Currently have three pruning clubs, and will add at least four this summer Tree Checkers is a subset of Tree Tenders that is engaged in assessing basic tree health and care information; PHS maintains information in central database Many Tree Tenders become Garden Tenders and participate in other PHS-sponsored activities14

Thanks for providing the catalyst to get my civic association moving againas a result of the Tree Tenders program the neighbors were energized to reorganize!Isabel Pilling , Philadelphia One of the things I like about planting trees is that it makes me feel like I belong somewhere. 10 year old foster child inNorth Philadelphia

We have found that Tree Tenders serves as an important gateway to fostering community engagement, serving as the first step in many communities to organizing residents around a common goal for neighborhood improvement. Further neighborhood greening and other improvements, such as creating community gardens, block clean-ups, 15

Building Capacity and Fostering Civic Engagement

Andrew Emma16

Nancy GoldenbergSenior Vice President, Programs & Planning

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