Here are some projects that we are currently working on!
Bicentennial Park – Plymouth Township
40+ trees planted, riparian buffer restoration, invasive removal
May 2023 event, November 2022 event, May 2021 event
This park contains a section of the Sawmill Run creek. We’re working to restore this riparian zone that has been hit hard by the Emerald Ash Borer and invasive plants. We’ve planted large, water-loving species like American sycamore, swamp white oak, pin oak, and silver maple along the stream. We’re working with Plymouth Township to cease mowing in certain areas to allow for native herbaceous plants to return and provide more deep-rooted vegetation.
Wissahickon Valley Park
20 native trees and shrubs planted!
Photos: May 2023 event
Many thanks to all who joined us today in the Wissahickon! Thanks to funding from Weavers Way Co-op, we teamed up with the Wissahickon Restoration Volunteers to remove many invasives, and install 20 new native trees and shrubs!
Valley Green Park – Whitemarsh
26 native trees planted so far!
Photos: May 2023 event, November 2022 event, April 2021 event
At Valley Green Park, we’ve planted 18 native trees, include 13 in 2022. Since Colonial Canopy Trees is a PHS Tree Tenders group, the trees were purchased by Whitemarsh Township through us. Whitemarsh Township also waters each of these trees throughout the growing season.
Black Horse Park – Plymouth Township
7 native trees, and a native pollinator garden planted!
Photos: May 2023 event, November 2022 event
Black Horse Park is a great neighborhood park in Plymouth Township, with nice mature trees, a playground, and basketball courts. We’re working with Plymouth Township to expand the park’s greenery. We’re planting native trees here, and we recently planted a native pollinator garden!
Miles Park – Whitemarsh Township
23+ native trees planted including 8 oak trees!
Photos: May 2023 event, September 2022 event, November 2021 event, October 2021 event
Colonial Canopy Trees works closely with Whitemarsh Township to plant trees on public lands. Miles Park is perhaps the most popular public park in the township, so planting new trees to expand upon the park’s canopy is very important to us! Many trees were funded by local residents through our Oak Tree Fundraiser!
Fort Washington State Park
Invasive species removal, 10+ native trees planted
Photos: May 2023 event, November 2022 event, October 2022 event, September 2022 event, June 2022 event
Starting in 2022, we partnered up with the Friends of Fort Washington State Park and park staff to remove invasive vines like oriental bittersweet from mature native trees. We also worked to remove invasive shrubs like privet, honeysuckle, burning bush and multiflora rose. We planted 11 native trees at the Flourtown Day Use area part of the park to help restore canopy from lost ash trees. Lastly, we partnered up with the Disc Golf Course to plant native trees and shrubs along the course.
Lawn Conversion at Flourtown Day Use Area of Fort Washington State Park
50+ native trees and shrubs planted
Photos: April 2023 event
In early 2023, we were awarded funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) to convert 0.25 acres of mowed turf grass back to a native woodland at Fort Washington State Park’s Flourtown Day Use Area! Learn more about this project here!
East Plymouth Valley Park – Plymouth
10 native trees planted
Photos: April 2023 event
We planted trees to help expand tree canopy and improve riparian buffers at Plymouth’s most popular park. This park is built in lowlands, and there were a lot of ash trees that died from the invasive emerald ash borer. We planted water-loving trees like cottonwood (Populus deltoides), and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor).
Evangel Church – Norristown
7 trees planted
Photos: April 22, 2023 event
At Evangel Church in Norristown, we teamed up with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 7 native trees. PHS funded these trees through a grant to address tree inequities in Norristown. By planting more trees here, we’re helping to increase the canopy coverage in Norristown, which helps bring cleaner air, more wildlife, cleaner water, and cooler temperatures!
Harriet Wetherill Park – Plymouth Township
23 trees planted
Photos: October 2021 event, April 2022 event, April 2022 TT event, May 2022 event, January 2023 event, April 8, 2023 event, April 21, 2023 event
At HWP, we’ve planted 23 native trees, and upwards of 30 small whips through the Keystone 10 million tree program. Our trees are located along the main path by the stream, in the woods and near the butterfly meadow. We’ve worked to remove many invasive species from this park as well. Click above for more information!
Wells Street Woods – Whitemarsh
Invasive species removal, 9 native trees / shrubs planted
Photos: October 2022 event
At the Wells Street Trail / Woods, we worked with volunteers, the township, high school students, and others to remove invasive plants and vines and to plant native trees and shrubs. We planted a few oaks, eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis) and spicebush (Lindera benzoin).
Mather Mill Riparian Restoration
60+ native trees and shrubs planted, invasives removed!
Photos: November 2021 event, December 2022 event
We’re planting native, water-loving trees in this flood-prone riparian zone in Whitemarsh Township. We’ve planted small trees like Pussy Willows, Hawthorns and Redbuds near the powerlines, and large canopy trees further back. We’re also removing invasives like Bamboo and Mugwort, and we’re leaving a small area for native herbaceous perennials as a meadow. This area will be mowed once per year.
Sandwood Park Forest Restoration – Plymouth Township
25+ native trees planted since 2020!
October 2020 event, August 2021 event, October 2021 event,
Sandwood Park is an undeveloped natural park in Plymouth Township. It includes a remnant sliver of forest from before the Cardinal View neighborhood was developed. Some mature oaks, hickories, cherries and maples are present already, but years of mowing has prevented forest regeneration. As the mature trees continue to decline, we’re working to restore native trees to rebuild the forest canopy and understory.
Whitemarsh Woods – Whitemarsh
50+ trees planted since 2020
October 2020 event, October 2021 event, November 2022 event
Colonial Canopy Trees works closely with the Whitemarsh Woods HOA to restore native tree coverage in common areas throughout the neighborhood including along Germantown Pike. In addition to improving privacy and noise screening, valuable native hardwoods like oaks, hickories and beech were planted. WW has allocated funds to budget for more native trees each year, and CCT helps choose species and organize volunteer events!
Past Projects
10 total trees planted in Spring 2021 – Photo Gallery
We worked with the Colonial School District and local girl scouts troops to plant 10 native trees at Colonial School District properties. Five trees were planted at Plymouth Elementary, 2 at PWHS, and 3 near Victory Fields. We continue to provide care to these trees.
Colonial Canopy Trees 