Gift Trees Planting Project – Pennsylvania

Project Description

This Gift Tree Planting Project is along the Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania in order to protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. One of the best ways to reduce pollution reaching the Bay is by planting trees. The collective goal of the planting project is to buffer the approximately 6,250 miles of Pennsylvania streams within the watershed, the main one being the Susquehanna River which delivers half of the freshwater entering the Bay.

Trees filter and reduce polluted runoff and decrease greenhouse gases (nitrogen and phosphorus) that cause climate change. Planted near and along waterways, these trees act as buffers to pollution as well as stabilize riverbanks, cool water temperatures, mitigate flooding, and improve general habitat quality. These trees will play a critical roll in supporting soil health alongside the river and streams and adjacent lands. As a result, drinking water sources are cleansed and native water habitat is improved. Tree species to be planted are indigenous to the area and include Beech, Chestnut, Elm, Oak, River Birch, Maple, Dogwood, and Cedar.