TreePhilly, a program associated with the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department, has recently received a $1.13 million grant that will begin in 2019. TreePhilly is an organization that has distributed over 21,000 trees to residences, streets and parks since 2012. Their citywide goal is to increase the tree canopy to 30% in all Philadelphia neighborhoods to combat the urban heat island effect.

The grant will go toward planting 3,000 street trees, 9,000 residential trees, 6,000 shrubs and 8,000 trees in city parks and 375 trees at parks and recreation facilities. Some of the money will also be used to support the TreePhilly work crew, known as the TreeKeepers. This crew is made up of ex-cons who prune trees, remove invasive vines and weed to maintain the city's tree population.

TreePhilly will also work with Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability in their Beat the Heat program, which works with neighborhoods with fewer trees than others and experience higher temperatures during summer months. To learn more about the TreePhilly program or to donate, visit www.treephilly.org.