A Tree Grows in Philly

Philadelphia is about to get a whole lot greener thanks to a major tree planting effort.

Mayor Michael Nutter has set a goal of planting 300,000 trees in the city by 2015, according to a press release. That's going to take a lot of green thumbs!

The tree planting campaign, designed to help improve the city's environment, health, quality of life and even its economy is kicking off this Saturday. Corporate citizens, organizations, institutions and residents will be asked to join the cause.

The new Department of Parks and Recreation is spearheading the project, which will kick into high gear this fall. Community groups trained by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Tree Tenders program are planting 1,000 trees in neighborhoods throughout the city this month.

The plantings are being funded thanks to a $1.65-million grant through Pennvest, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — yes, that's part of President Obama's stimulus program. A total of 8,000 trees will be planted in Southeastern Pennsylvania through this grant.

Philly isn't the only Northeastern city going green. New York City, arguably the most concrete-heavy of the country's concrete jungles, will have one million new trees by the end of this decade, if all goes well, through MillionTreesNYC. Since October of 2007, in partnership with actor Bette Midler's nonprofit organization New York Restoration Project, MillionTreesNYC has planted over 300,000 trees with the help of thousands of volunteers.

According to a New York Daily News article, trees can not only lift our spirits, but they can also help improve property values and increase neighborhood business. Trees also clean the air and help to reduce the pollutants that trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses and they can also lower energy costs, casting shade on their surroundings and cooling things down on hot summer days.

Photo by apium via Flickr.