The Riverfront North Partnership was recently awarded a $253,500 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The grant, one of 45 to be awarded by NFWF totaling nearly $15.8 million, will go toward a “green” job skill training program that will help oversee the Delaware River watershed. Riverfront North will be partnering with the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Partnership and PowerCorpsPHL as part of the project.
“Working with partners like the City of Philadelphia, TTF and PowerCorpsPHL will help with shoreline restoration projects on the Delaware River watershed.” said Stephanie Phillips, the executive director of Riverfront North Partnership, in a press release. “It comes on the heels of a new Trail & Sidepath Maintenance Study completed by the City of Philadelphia, which has identified enormous stewardship needs in Philadelphia. We see our municipal/nonprofit partnership as a model for environmental learning about watersheds and collaborative care of our shared natural spaces.”
PowerCorpsPHL, in coordination with Riverfront North, TTF and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, will be providing training and oversight for work crews at the watershed parks and trails. Program participants will learn skills such as native tree planting and care and how to identify and remove invasive plant species. They will also work with community volunteers.
The project is expected to benefit the watershed trails that connect the regional Circuit Trail and the East Coast Greenway networks. The Riverfront North Greenway and Tacony Creek Park from Port Richmond to Torresdale and from Frankford to Olney will both be supervised as well.
“This investment recognizes the value of community-based collaboration and enables the growth of our longstanding partnerships, which have been critical to filling the gap on urban natural lands stewardship, access and equity,” said Julia Hillengas, the executive director of PowerCorpsPHL. “We’re beyond excited to get things done with Riverfront North Partnership, TTF and the City of Philadelphia.” ••
