March 25, 2026
Provided image/Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is seeking volunteers to help plant 650 trees to help improve the health and environment in the Philadelphia region. The plantings take place April 14-19.
The phrase "urban forest" sounds counterintuitive. But American cities host more than 140 million acres of the country's forests in urban parks, trees planted along streets and rivers, and other green spaces.
These trees help make cities more beautiful. A vast amount of research also shows that urban forests help improve physical and mental health.
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People who have access to parks and green spaces are more likely to achieve recommended levels of physical activity. Increased vegetation has been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Trees also help reduce heat-related health risk by providing shade in urban landscapes.
Children who play in green outdoor spaces exhibit reduced symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. People who live near trees have improved sleep. And people who feel more connected to nature report improved well-being.
The Environmental Protection Agency also reports that urban forests are responsible for removing approximately 45 million tons of carbon dioxide – a culprit in global warming – each year.
American Forests, a national conservation organization, recently identified Philadelphia as one of the major American cities that could attain improved health and environmental benefits from more urban forest.
Here's one way to get involved in improving the health of the city:
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is seeking volunteers to help plant 650 trees throughout the greater Philadelphia region April 14-19.
The initiative – which happens twice a year – is one of the ways the organization fosters healthier local neighborhoods by providing more tree canopies, the organization say.
"Each tree we plant strengthens the city's canopy, improves community health, and gives neighbors a chance to come together and care for the places they call home," Dan Preziosi, the Horticultural Society's director of trees, said in a press release.
Matching trees to their optimal environments based on soil, sunlight, infrastructure and other factors ensures that more than 85% of trees planted survive, the organization says.
Volunteers can help sort and distribute trees April 14-17 at the Philabundance Warehouse at 401 Domino Lane in Philadelphia.
People also can also help plant the trees on April 18-19 – and no experience is needed.
Click here to sign up.
