The Western PA Conservancy is accepting applications year-round through June 2027 for its Riparian Restoration Tree Planting Initiative, which provides native trees to landowners planted at no cost as part of Pennsylvania’s statewide water quality improvement goals.

The Conservancy plans to plant 75 acres of unforested riparian areas with approximately 15,000 trees through 2027. Some native tree species available include oaks, maples, hickory, sycamore, dogwoods and willows.

Landowners with open (or mostly open) land along waterways in more than 30 counties may apply.

Those counties include, but are not limited to: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Somerset, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland. 

Landowners statewide may apply because other funding sources are available for those in locations outside the named 30 counties.

Site visits will begin by June 2025. Planting by WPC watershed staff (or contractors selected by WPC) will begin in the fall of 2025 and continue during the 2026 and 2027 spring and fall planting seasons.

Project implementation will be on a first-come, first-planted basis.

Click Here to apply and for all the details.  Questions should be directed to Alysha Trexler at atrexler@paconserve.org.

More information is available on programs, initiatives and special events at the Western PA Conservancy website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Conservancy, Like them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, join them on Instagram, visit the Conservancy’s YouTube Channel or add them to your network on Linkedin.  Click Here to support their work. 

(Reprinted from the latest Western PA Conservancy newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

Related Articles:

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-- Western PA Conservancy: Landowners, Apply Now For Statewide Riparian Tree Plantings  [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy: Apply Now To Treevitalize Pittsburgh For Support In Planting Trees In Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, April 1 Deadline

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NewsClips:

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper: Forest School Educator Dr. Jean Lomino Shares The Benefits, Key Components Ahead Of Naturalist Certification Course Set For April 14-17 In Central PA - By John Zaktansky

-- PA/NJ Chapter The American Chestnut Foundation Spring Growers Meeting March 29, Annville, Lebanon County

-- AP: President Directs Federal Agencies To Find Ways To Bypass Endangered Species Protections To Increase Logging In National Forests  [Allegheny National Forest]

-- AP: $75 Million Was Awarded To Plant Trees In Places That Badly Need Them; In Anti-DEI Push, That’s Over

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: President Freezes $12 Million Meant To Help Philly Plant Thousands Of Trees

-- WHYY: Philadelphians Push City To Do More To Plant, Protect Trees; $12 Million Federal Grant Frozen

[Posted: March 4, 2025]

3/10/2025