The Committee on the Environment met on the 5th of March to discuss various environmental plans, specifically the Philadelphia Tree Plan, which was created in 2019 and officially launched in 2023 to increase the tree population in the city. The meeting was led by the chair, Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier, and the vice-chair, councilwoman Cindy Bass, and discussed the current Philly Tree Plan.
The hearing on resolution 250126 was dedicated to “evaluate the progress on implementation of the Philly Tree Plan and determine how to expedite progress,” as well as laying out the details behind the resolution itself.
The tree canopy—or tree population—in Philadelphia lost 1320 acres between 2008 and 2018. That is six percent of the city’s tree canopy. This loss was primarily caused by a lack of proper maintenance, especially in residential areas, the removal of yard trees, and climate change.
The Philadelphia urban forest covers 20 percent of the city land, but as Councilwoman Gauthier stated, this distribution is not equitable. Only five presences in the first, second, and fifth districts are covered in trees, whereas the eighth district has over fifty percent tree canopy coverage. Overwhelmingly, it is low-income and communities of color that suffer this loss; The fewer trees, the hotter their communities become.
The tree canopy offers a plethora of benefits in the city: they capture stormwater and replenish groundwater. They help clean the air in polluted areas, improve mental health, cool air in heat waves, and help reduce gun violence.
Trees can also reduce heat-related stress by 25 to 25 percent and are vital in battling climate change and global warming. Neighborhoods with low tree populations are typically ten degrees hotter than those with high tree populations.
In 2023, Philadelphia planted 2421 trees with assistance from Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson’s Tree Canopy Bill. The Philadelphia Tree Fund also incentivizes tree planting by charging organizations and individuals for tree removal without replacement. This led to a 3o percent increase in tree planting.
The committee brought before them Susan Slawson, the commissioner for the Parks and Recreation department. Commissioner Slawson detailed the department’s goals of maintaining equitable growth and care of the tree canopy in urban neighborhoods. She also shared that there are over 10,000 acres in park systems in the city and 130,000 trees planted in the streets. In 2024, an additional 3,724 trees were planted along streets and in parks.
The Philadelphia Parks and Recreation department has increased its maintenance budget, being able to prune 2300 trees in 2023 with an additional 2700 trees to be pruned in the future. They are also beginning the transition from reactive maintenance to proactive. Utilizing a proactive maintenance technique will encourage residents to plant more trees as they will be assured the trees they plant will be properly maintained. Their proactive cycle assesses the current tree inventory on the street.
The Parks and Recreation staff have also partnered with the USDA forestry department and are in conversation about how to improve their maintenance tactics. Commissioner Slawson shared that over 50 percent of the Philadelphia parks system is composed of natural areas such as meadows, wetlands, and forests. This makes up 40 percent of the city’s tree canopy. These efforts are mainly funded by the city and the William Penn Foundation, allowing the department to focus on enhancing the tree canopy and the tree population.
The Parks and Recreation Department has honed in on keeping trees healthy and protected and has hired new staff in the urban forestry unit to improve communication with the USDA. They have also hired a new city forester position, which will serve as a central point of contact for programs and activities in the city. They will continue planting trees with care and working closely with communities.
