Lower Moreland Community Comes out for Cleanup and Tree Planting

In the last five years, Lower Moreland Township has planted 125 trees, nearly 40 of which were planted by community volunteers and township officials on April 27.

According to Lower Moreland Public Works director Steve Woerner, the township holds an annual tree planting, and invites the community to volunteer at such events.

He explained the tree planting originated through the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS), when the organization provided the township with “Plant One Million” campaign information.

According to www.plantonemillion.org, the campaign has so far counted 259,698 trees planted in 13 counties of southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as parts of New Jersey and Delaware.

“We also had lost a lot of old growth trees in our parks and had decided to try and start a replacement program,” Woerner said in an e-mail. “That’s how we got involved.”

Woerner said that the trees, which are subsidized through a grant from PHS, are typically planted either in front of residential properties, public property or township facilities, such as the library, the township building or parks.

“With the new field/park going in we figured Fairway Farms would be perfect,” Woerner said.

In Lower Moreland, the nearly 40 trees planted on April 27 were placed throughout township and Lower Moreland School District properties, specifically along Red Lion Road by the high school, as well as in and around what the township intends to be a new 31-acres park that would include an 8-acres recreational complex (currently under construction) and the 23-acres nature area of Fairway Farms Field.

Community Volunteers

There were approximately 40 volunteers from the community who came out to the event, including members of Boy Scout Troop 208, Lower Moreland High School (LMHS) National Honors Society (NHS) and Environmental Club, township Public Works and government officials, commissioners, as well as adult volunteers.

“It’s really good to see such a diverse group of people come out,” Woerner said on the day of the event.

The Boy Scouts, led by Eagle Scout candidate Joshua Sirken, planted the majority of the trees along Red Lion Road and along the top of the hill, above the under-construction athletic field.

Other volunteers went to plant trees along the edge of the Fairway Farms field woods, which volunteers have referred to as a flood basin.

“We’re planting River Birch,” Cindy Ahern, an event volunteer, explained. “It’s a beautiful native tree and food source for wild life, and it also drinks water like crazy.”

Ahern, who was helping to guide LMHS students on how to plant the trees, is a certified PHS Tree Tender. She said that it’s important for youth to learn how to care for their environment.

“It’s an investment with their future,” Ahern said. “And, it’s a good way to connect with them that they are going to be the care-takers of the Earth.”

Ahern added that she was particularly glad to see so many of the township’s youth tending that particular area, as she explained that the wooded area of the Fairway Farms Field was up for development prior to the Township preserving it as open space a few years ago.

She said that several residents supported the preservation of the natural wetlands, including Ward 2 Commissioner Jill Blumhardt, who, along with Ward 1 Commissioner Robert DeMartinis and Ward 4 Commissioner Ferdinand Gonzales, was volunteering at the event.

Blumhardt said she is excited to see the planned recreational complex and new park for the township. She added that it was amazing to join so many of the township’s residents and come out to beautify that area.

“I think it’s really rewarding,” Blumhardt said. “It doesn’t feel like you’re just doing work, it’s fun, and you’re using your Saturday in a productive way.”

Tires and Couches

In addition to the tree planting, volunteers also went into the Fairway Farms field wooded area to search for trash to cleanup. Since the high school’s wooded area is adjacent to the township property, volunteers also cleaned up that area, where a majority of the larger trash items seemed to be collected.

According to volunteers at the event, nearly 70 tires and at least two weather-beaten couches were collected overall, among other smaller debris and trash.

A majority of the LMHS students helped with the woods cleanup.

According to the school’s NHS president, LMHS senior Molly Davie, there were over 15 NHS students out that day.

While each NHS student must earn their own service credit, Molly explained that Lower Moreland NHS students prefer to collaborate their efforts. She added that the tree planting and woods cleanup event has been one of the bigger service projects the group has been involved in, and that they didn’t mind at all giving up their Saturday morning for the event.

“It’s definitely cool doing something for our school and township,” Molly said. “We’re always willing to help.

According to Woerner, future volunteer projects may include the installation of a rain garden and demonstration rain garden by Red Lion Road.