Gateway Park Tree Planting

Apr 22, 2011 12:00 am

In a joint venture between the Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection’s “Growing Greener” program, the Brandywine Conservancy and the City of Coatesville, about thirty residents and volunteers from the area raced the storm clouds to plant over 40 trees and shrubs along the western edge of Gateway Park at the intersection of Rtes 30 and 82 on Friday, April 22, 2011.

As documented by an ever-increasing body of scientific study, the most beneficial use of land from a water quality, stormwater runoff, climate, and wildlife habitat standpoint in Eastern Piedmont watersheds like the Brandywine… is forest. Forests define this region – the land cover type under which our watersheds, our wildlife, and our ecosystems have evolved over the centuries. Forests provide a broad array of services: ecological, biological, and cultural. Fallen trees and leaves sustain aquatic habitat by providing food and cover. Tree roots reduce erosion and prevent excess sediment and nutrients from entering streams during stormwater runoff, especially on steep slopes. Trees help slow global climate shift by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, storing the carbon and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. They enhance land values, clean water, and beautify our neighborhoods. In short, trees are essential for a healthy watershed in this part of the world.

This effort will not only help to improve the quality of the Brandywine River, but will also – in time – provide a well needed aesthetic for that side of Gateway Park.

this event was posted on Apr 26, 2011