“Green-up” Day
The Franklin Park Environmental Advisory Council annually leads a “Green-up” Day to help conserve and restore habitat in Franklin Park’s greenspaces (protected areas of undeveloped landscape). Efforts typically include invasive species removal, tree plantings, and trail maintenance/improvements.
2025 – Little Sewickley Creek
Thank you to our wonderful team of about 20 volunteers who helped to plant 100 native buttonbush, pussy willow, black willow, sandbar willow, and/or silky dogwood along the banks of the headwaters of Little Sewickley Creek in Acorn Park. This year we continued our work from 2024 downstream and along Magee Road Extension. Litter was also cleaned up, invasive species removed, maintenance was performed on the 2024 tree tubes, and all 100 plastic sapling pots were donated for reuse. This riparian forest buffer will help protect against flooding, filter pollution for cleaner water, and stabilize streambanks to prevent erosion. The green biodegradable tree tubes protecting the saplings from wildlife can be seen from the road when driving north on Magee Road Extension. Plants were procured from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership.
2024 – Little Sewickley Creek
Thank you to our wonderful team of volunteers who showed up in the rain to work! We had about 18 volunteers and planted 100 buttonbush and silky willow along the banks of the headwaters of Little Sewickley Creek in Acorn Park. Litter was also cleaned up in the area with glass, plastic, and cans sorted and recycled. All 100 plastic sapling pots were donated for reuse. This riparian forest buffer will help protect against flooding, filter pollution for cleaner water, and stabilize streambanks to prevent erosion. The green biodegradable tree tubes protecting the saplings from wildlife can be seen from the road when driving north on Magee Road Extension. A special thank you to Franklin Park resident Martin Karl for procuring the plants from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership.
2023 – Acorn Park
We cleaned up a section off the trail in the central portion of Acorn Park where many sapling and mature hardwood trees were being attacked by invasive species like oriental bittersweet and garlic mustard. Acorn Park is home to the headwaters of Little Sewickley Creek and has remained mostly untouched greenspace for over 100 years.
Green-Up Day Photo Gallery
