Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Shapiro Administration helped plant trees in the Cloverly Heights neighborhood in south Harrisburg — part of a $500,000 investment statewide to add shade, reduce stormwater runoff, and make communities more welcoming places to work and live.
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn together with Harrisburg Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams, staff, and volunteers planted 33 trees including oaks, serviceberry, and eastern redbuds.
“The trees we plant today will stand long after us. They’ll make our neighborhoods healthier, our air cleaner, and our future a little brighter,” said Secretary Dunn.
The trees were provided by the TreePennsylvania Bare-Root Tree Program and the City of Harrisburg. This fall the program is providing 1,100 trees to 51 communities in the Commonwealth through a combination of a $500,000 DCNR grant, private donations, and federal funds.
Since 2023, more than 225 trees, predominantly native species, have been planted with volunteers in Harrisburg in regular planting events in the spring and fall.
“Every tree we plant is an investment in the health and hope of our city,” said Harrisburg Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams. “These new plantings are more than beautification -- they represent our commitment to cleaner air, cooler neighborhoods, and stronger communities. I am grateful to Secretary Dunn, TreePennsylvania, and the many volunteers who continue to make Harrisburg greener, one tree at a time.”
Trees and forests play a vital role in addressing climate change as they pull in and store carbon (a process that also helps with clean air), as well as reducing energy costs, slowing runoff after storms, reducing noise, and attracting birds and wildlife. DCNR’s Urban and Community Forestry program helps build capacity within communities to plan for, plant, and care for trees.
In 2024 alone, the Shapiro Administration invested $10.5 million in grants for tree planting in communities and along streams, and lawn-to-habitat conversions — advancing Governor Josh Shapiro’s vision to strengthen communities while driving regional economic growth through projects that enrich cultural, civic, recreational, and historic places throughout Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvanians can support tree planting efforts by donating to the Keystone Tree Fund through an online form or a voluntary $3 check-off on driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals. The fund supports grants for community tree plantings and streamside forests.
Find more information about trees in communities on the DCNR website or follow the department on social media.
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