34,000 and Counting: Brandywine Conservancy Reaches New Total for Trees Planted
On May 16, the Brandywine Conservancy staff members and volunteers will plant tree number 34,513 in East Fallowfield Township for its ambitious Reforestation Campaign to plant 50,000 trees in the Brandywine/Christina Watershed by its 50th anniversary in 2017. The Campaign launched in 2009, and reached its first goal of 25,000 trees in 2014, ahead of schedule.
Community Working Together
More than 4,500 volunteers have helped with the campaign from 2009 to the present, digging holes, planting trees, and installing protective tubing at more than 30 sites throughout the watershed. The Reforestation Campaign ismade possible through collaboration with many community partners including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Stroud Water Research Center, Guardians of the Brandywine, East Brandywine Township, Victory Brewing, DuPont, ArcelorMittal, Environmental Resources Management, Inc., PECO, Exelon, school groups, scout groups, and many community volunteers.
Why Trees Matter in the Watershed
Planting trees enhances water quality, restores natural flows in the Brandywine, and improves plant and animal habitat. Trees provide food and shelter for life in and around streams, promote absorption of rain into the ground, replenish groundwater supplies, and reduce storm water runoff and downstream flooding. In addition, tree leaves, branches, and roots reduce erosion and prevent excess sediment and nutrients from entering streams during heavy rains.
Specially Selected Sites -- and Trees
The Conservancy targets steep slopes and riparian areas (strips of land immediately adjacent to a stream) because these specific areas are especially vulnerable to erosion and, when reforested, prevent sedimentation and can filter out pollutants from entering waterways. The Conservancy's Reforestation Campaign allows forests to carry out tasks that are vital to the ecosystem and to the health of our waters.
All trees are native species and selected for each site depending on its conditions.
Reforestation = Cleaner Drinking Water
Reforesting the watershed benefits the businesses and nearly 800,000 residents that rely on the Brandywine/Christina Watershed as the source of their drinking water. Sediments that enter the water upstream need to be filtered out downstream before the water can be used. Planting trees can help to stop pollutants from entering waterways.
50 by 50 Reforestation Campaign
The campaign's initial goal to plant 25,000 trees in the watershed was achieved in April 2014, ahead of schedule. Building on this success, the Conservancy expanded the goal to "50 by 50." meaning 50,000 trees by the organization's 50th anniversary in 2017.
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art (www.brandywine.org) preserves art and the environment in Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Conservancy preserves the land and water of the Brandywine watershed for the community through source water protection, farmland preservation, and work with local governments. It has permanently protected from development more than 62,000 acres in Chester and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania, as well as New Castle County in Delaware, and holds more than 460 conservation easements, granted by landowners to save their property's natural, scenic and historic resources.