Plan outlines a 10-year strategy for the equitable growth and care of Philadelphia’s urban forest. 

The City and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation released its first-ever Philadelphia Tree Plan on February 23, 2023.

Over 9000 residents provided input in the plan across surveys, ambassadors, conversations and virtual open houses.

Despite a need for trees to fight climate change, Philadelphia’s urban forest shrunk by 6%, or approximately the size of 1000 football fields, between 2008 and 2018. Tree loss was due to development, lack of maintenance, removal of yard trees, invasive pests and diseases, and climate change.

Trees have multiple benefits. They remove air pollution, protection from heat, a source of nutrition, habitats for pollinators and migratory birds, protect the watershed, improving mental and physical health, combat climate change and more.

Philadelphia Tree Plan – Goals

So what’s in the plan? The 128-page Tree Plan has 8 main goals:

1. Coordinate Support for Trees
2. Protect the Existing Urban Forest
3. Grow the urban forest equitably across the city
4. Reduce the burden of trees on residents
5. Invest in people and communities
6. Communicate with residents and improve customer service
7. Advocate for communities to benefit the urban forest
8. Celebrate and support the ways communities are engaging with trees

Want to read more? Read the entire plan:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  object(WP_Term)#8356 (10) {
    ["term_id"]=>
    int(1636)
    ["name"]=>
    string(35) "Philadelphia Parks & Recreation"
    ["slug"]=>
    string(29) "philadelphia-parks-recreation"
    ["term_group"]=>
    int(0)
    ["term_taxonomy_id"]=>
    int(1646)
    ["taxonomy"]=>
    string(8) "post_tag"
    ["description"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["parent"]=>
    int(0)
    ["count"]=>
    int(20)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
  }
  [1]=>
  object(WP_Term)#8357 (10) {
    ["term_id"]=>
    int(1633)
    ["name"]=>
    string(10) "treephilly"
    ["slug"]=>
    string(10) "treephilly"
    ["term_group"]=>
    int(0)
    ["term_taxonomy_id"]=>
    int(1643)
    ["taxonomy"]=>
    string(8) "post_tag"
    ["description"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["parent"]=>
    int(0)
    ["count"]=>
    int(17)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
  }
  [2]=>
  object(WP_Term)#8354 (10) {
    ["term_id"]=>
    int(767)
    ["name"]=>
    string(5) "trees"
    ["slug"]=>
    string(5) "trees"
    ["term_group"]=>
    int(0)
    ["term_taxonomy_id"]=>
    int(771)
    ["taxonomy"]=>
    string(8) "post_tag"
    ["description"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["parent"]=>
    int(0)
    ["count"]=>
    int(14)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
  }
}

Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher