The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and Aqua Pennsylvania celebrated on Wednesday the 20th anniversary of the Trees for Watersheds grant program with a commemorative planting event at the Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Montgomery County.

Launched in 2005 and formerly known as TreeVitalize Watersheds, the Trees for Watersheds program has been awarded almost $2 million in grants from Aqua. These grants are part of more than $4.7 million in total funding provided collectively by Aqua, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and PECO. Together, these resources have facilitated the planting of over 240,000 native trees, shrubs and seedlings across over 1,200 acres to protect and restore local water quality throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania.

The celebration concluded with a ceremonial planting on site at the Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Montgomery County. 

“For 20 years, the Trees for Watersheds program has shown how powerful partnerships and horticulture can be in protecting natural resources and advancing community well-being,” said Matt Rader, President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. “We’ve planted hundreds of thousands of trees, shrubs, and seedlings, improving air and water quality, restoring vital habitats, and creating greener, healthier places for people to live.” 

Trees for Watersheds has helped expand tree canopy in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. Officials said plantings safeguard the long-term quality of drinking water sources and play a critical role in filtering polluted runoff, lowering stream temperatures, and recharging groundwater supplies, benefiting both the environment and public health.

For more information about the Trees for Watersheds program, you can click here.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photo Credit Morgan Horell