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Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership: Over 60,000 Trees Planted This Spring, Double Last Year

The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, coordinated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA, doubled its tree plantings from last spring and has taken big steps toward its ambitious goal of adding 10 million new trees by the end of 2025.

“This spring we had 16 planting partners. Staff planted over 60,000 trees. CBF field staff planted over half of these trees and shrubs,” said Partnership Manager Brenda Sieglitz. “All of the plants were native and each tree was sourced from a Pennsylvania supplier, which encourages economic growth and job development.”

The Partnership is a collaborative effort of national, regional, state, and local agencies; conservation organizations; watershed groups; conservancies; outdoors enthusiasts; businesses; and individuals.

Roughly 40 percent of Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams are impaired by polluted runoff and the legacy of coal mining.

Trees are the most cost-effective tools for cleaning and protecting rivers and streams by filtering and absorbing polluted runoff, stabilizing streambanks, and improving soil quality. Trees placed in parks, municipal properties, and other urban and suburban settings also absorb and clean stormwater, reduce flooding, and help restore abandoned mine land.

“It’s no small feat to find locations to plant trees, organize plantings, recruit volunteers, and to get the trees and supplies to the sites and planted properly,” Sieglitz added. “Our

partners shined in their individual areas of expertise. I’m excited to see how we learn from the challenges we experienced this spring and how we continue to build upon the strong momentum to plant even more trees near streams.”

To learn more about what you can do, visit the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership website.

For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA webpage. Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column). Click Here to support their work.

(Reprinted from the July Penn’s Waters newsletter from Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA.)

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