Come See Your Newest Neighbors

by Mike Roth

This past month the Hunting Park community saw two beautiful new additions. On the forty-two hundred block of Seventh Street, two young Autumn Brilliances were planted. The Autumn Brilliance is a beautiful flowering tree, which reveals white flowers in the spring, stunning foliage in the summer and fall, and even tasty berries in the winter. These two trees were planted by the Rosado and Morales Families.

Maria Morales believes that planting trees is a great way to improve our environment. She says, “We need a lot of trees, it improves the quality of the air…it is important we do not just think of ourselves.” Her 13 year old son Ralph also likes the idea of having a new tree, “trees provide nice shade for kids and adults.” Three doors down lives the Rosados, a long time Hunting Park family. The father of the house, Ray Sr., has played a big role the planting. He helped pick up the trees and helped in planting them. He and his son Ray Jr. believe, “Trees give the block a facelift and improve the tone of the neighborhood.” Both these families are excited to see their trees blossom and grow.

The truth is that trees do exactly what the Morales and Rosado family said they do and more. Trees can benefit communities and the environment in tremendous ways. Trees themselves are a testimony of the beauty they bring to an area. While the aesthetic benefits are easy to see, there are some things that might surprise you about trees. Studies have been done showing that trees can actually reduce crime in a neighborhood and raise the property value in a community. Trees can reduce cooling and heating costs in homes by providing shade in the summer and a wind barrier in the winter. The value of a tree to our environment is quite staggering. Trees help purify the air we breathe by absorbing pollutants. The USDA forest service reports that “Philadelphia’s 2.1 million trees currently store approximately 481,000 metric tons of carbon with an estimated value of $9.8 million.” If I listed all the benefits of trees you would probably get tired of reading, so I won’t. The point is clear: trees benefit us.

Interested in planting your own tree? Through the Treevitalize program Philadelphia residents have a unique opportunity to have a tree planted for the price of only $25. The city subsidizes the bulk of the tree price and recently has even paid for and completed concrete cutting. One of the many advantages to this program is that you are able to select your own tree. The trees available are placed into categories small, medium, and large. Smaller and medium trees will not damage your sidewalks. All of the trees are proven street trees. This means that they are hardy enough to withstand the tough city environment. They also have less aggressive root systems, so your pipes stay safe. You are able to pick a tree that will fit your block and space. For more information on planting your own tree please contact Mike Roth at 215-370-8029.