Become a ReForester!
Pennypack Trust's adopt-a-forest-plot program
Why do we plant trees?
Healthy Forest:
Diverse mix of native species
Strong understory regeneration
Mixed-age trees
Urban Forest:
Dominated by edge-loving species
Herbivore-suppressed regeneration
Old, even-age canopies with no young trees to fill gaps
What can we do?
Since 1990 the Trust has planted over 12,000 trees...
...installing deer exclosures in large gaps and old fields...
...and using caged and tubed trees for smaller, trickier gaps...
...erosion control...
...and to close unnecessary trails.
Then we bribe some high schoolers with pizza (Free-a-Tree group events)...
...and mow to keep the vines down.
And yet...
...cages help vines climb...
...falling branches crush cages...
... and rodents nest in tubes and chew the bases of saplings.
That's where you come in!
To make the forest whole again, we have to split it up
What you'll need
You'll also need:
- A smartphone (or camera and paper data sheet)
- A 3-hour block of time each month (primarily April-October)
- Willingness to encounter poison ivy, thorns, and wasps
What we'll provide
We'll also provide:
- Plant ID training for native trees and invasive weeds
- Extra caging materials
- Replacement trees
Forest Plot Check Form
Try filling out the form below to see all the steps a ReForester follows during their monthly plot check. For trained ReForesters, there's an optional smartphone version that can be used on-site, with added GPS functionality! This is an example form, so it won't affect the official data.
Results Map
Click the plot outlines and red dots to learn about each forest plot and what our Reforesters have done to nurture them. Click and drag to pan, use lower right controls to zoom.
Adopt your site
We are currently accepting new Reforester applications to begin in late April and May 2023. To become involved, please fill out this survey and we will respond to you shortly. Have any questions? Email Maria Paula Mugnani, Director of Research and Restoration at mpmugnani@pennypacktrust.org. Thank you!
