Volunteers plant new trees, shrubs in Penn Hills Community Park

A beautification and restoration project at Penn Hills Community Park has moved into its next phase with new trees and shrubbery planted along the banks of Plum Creek.

About 60 volunteers from throughout the community, and some from neighboring towns, came out Sept. 19 to the recreation site along Colorado Street.

They planted 33 trees and shrubs as part of a three-phase effort to revitalize the area. Tree types included eastern redbud, serviceberry, sycamore and tulip poplar.

Sunshine, blue skies and a crisp breeze made it ideal for some landscaping, according to Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission President Kathy Raborn.

“We’re right on track where we wanted to be,” she said. “We figured in the beginning it would be a four- or five-year project. We started spring 2017, and what we did today we’ll do one more time in phase three (next year). We had a lot of people here. It went so smoothly. It was wonderful.”

The project began three years ago with the removal of Japanese knotweed, an invasive plant that smothers native plants and pollutes the soil.

Shade Tree Commissioner Rick Duncan said some knotweed plants were nearly 10 feet high and stretched several feed deep toward the creek.

It took two years to remove them before new trees and shrubs could be planted.

“It is an incredibly tenacious plant,” Duncan said of the knotweed. “You couldn’t see the creek.”

Phase one included planting about 44 trees and multiple flowers toward the middle of the park by the pavilions and playgrounds.

Phase two involved planting near the park entrance and along a red wooden rail fence. The plantings will assist with water runoff control as well as add to the natural habitat.

About 10-foot tall wire fencing was wrapped around each tree to help prevent deer and other animals from eating them.

Wildflower seeds were dispersed among the plantings. Some of the younger volunteers, such as Nora Zourelias, 6, of Plum, helped stomp the seeds into the ground so they could connect better with the soil.

Penn Hills Councilman Jim Getsy, a shade tree commission advisor, praised the volunteers for their efforts.

“It’s a wonderful thing,” Getsy said. “The municipality couldn’t afford to have all these people. We had a big turnout, and we had a big turnout last year when we planted the other trees. It’s a wonderful experience. People from different areas get together. They meet each other and join up. I think the main attraction is it’s outdoors. It’s usually a nice day.”

Linda McNair of Penn Hills was one of those volunteers. She tended to several trees with Sandy Feather of Penn Hills and Maryann Brendel of Oakmont.

“We are plating trees in order to restore native plants to the bank of Plum Creek,” McNair said. “There are lots of different species (of trees). We get great support from the community. Tons of people come to volunteer.”

Fencing was purchased from Lowe’s in Monroeville. Mulch came from Penn Hills Lawn & Garden, and the trees were from Tree Pittsburgh native plant nursery.

Phase one was paid for through a $1,300 grant, and phase two was funded by an estimated $1,900 grant.

Both grants were from Dominion Energy and facilitated through the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

Raborn said they are seeking the same grant for next year to fund phase three, which includes about 30 or more trees and shrubs to be planted near the rear of the park.

More information about the project and how to volunteer is available at pennhillsstc.org and on the group’s Facebook page.