Community Forestry

In an effort that began in 2008, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has planted 40,000 trees along streets in 73 City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods, in business districts, parks and public spaces in 57 municipalities across Allegheny County and in towns including Ligonier, Erie, New Kensington and Johnstown. Our work to plant more trees to increase and sustain healthy urban forests is done through our community forestry program.

As part of our forestry work with community partners, we launched the Pittsburgh redbud project in 2016, with the goal of planting native flowering native eastern redbud trees on trails, hillsides and open spaces in downtown Pittsburgh in view of the city’s riverfronts. This initiative has planted 3,800 trees and it continues to add another layer of seasonal beauty to Pittsburgh’s already stunning landscape.

TreeVitalize Pittsburgh

We’re partnering with groups to enhance the tree canopy by planting trees across Pittsburgh and throughout Allegheny County.

Pittsburgh Redbud Project

Thanks to Colcom Foundation, we’re planting Eastern redbud trees along downtown Pittsburgh’s riverfronts, trails and open spaces.

Erie Downtown Greening

Since 2013, we’ve partnered with community groups and volunteers to restore the urban tree canopy in Erie.

Downtown Pittsburgh Trees

Since 2010, we've worked with TreeVitalize Pittsburgh and downtown stakeholders to plant more than 750 trees.

Trees for Johnstown

Through the Vision 2025 initiative and the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, we are helping to green downtown Johnstown.

Trees for Ligonier

A street and park tree inventory resulted in 112 new trees for this quaint borough in Westmoreland County.

Pittsburgh Street Tree Inventory

View this inventory of Pittsburgh’s street tree population and review of the state of its urban forest.

Our Impact

A large group of WPC volunteers poses at a tree planting event in Harrison Township
WPC has planted nearly 38,500 trees in public spaces since 2008
Nearly 38,500 Trees have been planted in PUBLIC SPACES since 2008

With the help of our partners, we work with communities, cities and towns across our region to plant trees and reforest areas. We're pleased to work with hundreds of volunteers, community residents and organizations to accomplish our work

We've developed a highly successful community forestry model that utilizes the highest quality plants, fosters community engagement, builds lasting relationships with municipal staff, and ensures the long-term health of each tree planted. We also provide volunteer coordination, community outreach, and support for tree maintenance. This combination of experience, skills, and quality has enabled us to meet our community forestry project goals on a large scale with a high success rate.

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Why It Matters

Our community forestry program aims to increase the ecological, economic, aesthetic and human health benefits provided by healthy urban forests, with a strong focus on prioritizing tree plantings in historically underserved communities with low tree canopy cover.

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What's New

Throughout the year, there is always something good happening within our community forestry program! From new trees being planted to a call for volunteers, we will share that news with you and keep you informed regarding our tree planting work and how you can stay involved.

A large group of volunteers pose near a newly-planted tree on a gently-rising slope at a WPC tree planting event.

Special thanks to Arconic Foundation for their generous grant funding to support the Conservancy’s initiative to plant trees in under-resourced communities. In the fall of 2022, the Conservancy planted 36 trees in Verona and Penn Hills by partnering with those communities’ shade tree commissions. These new plantings will continue the extensive efforts by WPC and its partners to increase tree canopy cover and improve the overall quality of life in disadvantaged communities, as well as increasing resilience to a changing climate.

A bioswale installed along Hawthorne Road in Millvale, Pa.

Learn about efforts by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Ethos Collaborative and other partners to help shape land management decisions for and conserve the Girty’s Run watershed. For information about this effort, please review the project summary or email Alicia Wehrle, the Conservancy's community forestry project coordinator, at awehrle@paconserve.org for more details and with any questions.

 

 

Get Involved

Whether you’re new to planting a tree or have already planted several, we invite you to get involved in the variety of ways to support community tree plantings in your neighborhood or town. Anyone can volunteer, from families to seniors, to help beautify and green our region.

For more information about WPC’s community forestry work throughout the region please contact awehrle@paconserve.org or call 412-586-2386.

MORE GREENING PROJECTS

For More Information:

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
The Pittsburgh Redbud Project
800 Waterfront Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Alicia Wehrle
Community Forestry Project Coordinator
412-586-2386
awehrle@paconserve.org