Making Your

Community

Clamor for Trees LEAF Summit

Miami, FL

March 23, 2017

• The City of Philadelphia

• Creating the TreePhilly

Program

• Important Partnerships

• Building Our Brand

Outline

The City of

Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA

Median Income: $37,192 (2013)

Persons Below Poverty Level:26.5% (2013)

Population:1,553,000 (2013)

Land Area: 134 sq. mi.

Philadelphia Racial Demographics

Philadelphia

People and

Neighborhoods

Philadelphia’s Horticultural History

William Penn’s “Greene Countrie Towne”

• 10,500 acres (13% of the City)

• 130 parks

• 151 recreation centers and playgrounds

• 8 Street Tree Contract Management staff

• 135,000 street trees

• 3 crews of arborists for park property

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

Sustainability in Philly Today

Existing Tree

Canopy

Creating the

TreePhilly

Program

Creating the TreePhilly Program

• What is our tree canopy now?

• Where can we plant more trees?

• What are the best practices?

• What kind of programming will we

offer?

Urban Tree Canopy Assessment

“A Report on the City of Philadelphia’s Existing and Possible Tree Canopy” March 8, 2011. University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Laboratory, USDA Forest Service

Urban Tree Canopy Assessment

Urban Tree Canopy Assessment

Residential

“Philadelphia’s residents control the majority of the City’s tree canopy and have most of the land to plant trees”

Possible Programs

• Talked to colleagues

about best practices

• Tree delivery and

planting?

• Point of purchase

rebates?

• Yard tree

giveaways!

Yard Tree Giveaways

• Pre-registration

• Tree planting and care

demos, free mulch

• Events are in

neighborhoods with low

existing and high

possible canopy

• 17,000 free trees since

2012!

Important

Partnerships

• Corporate partners

• Non-profit partners

• Marketing agencies

• Neighborhood community groups

• Local universities

Important Partnerships

Corporate Partner: TD Bank

We get:

• Unrestricted $

• Event and

planning support

• Access to

expanded

network and

resources

They get:

• Brand recognition

• Positive PR

• Volunteer opportunities

• Mission/values alignment

Non-profit Partner:

The Fairmount Park Conservancy

We get:

• Fundraising

• Marketing,

PR help

• Event

support

They get:

• Mission-

fulfilling

programming

• Fundraising

• Stronger

partnership

with the City

Marketing Partner: Masterminds Agency

• We get:

• Professional materials

• $$$ worth of free work

• They get:

• Fun projects

• Access to new clients

• Grassroots organizing (focus of first 2 yrs)

– Community Meetings

• 76 meetings

• 1,033 people

– Yearly Block Captain Rally

• Over 1,200 attendees

• Partnered w/225 community orgs since

launch in 2012

Community Partners

Partner Appreciation Party, Fall 2013

Partner Appreciation Party, Fall 2013

They get:

• Trees and Mulch

• Training

• Help with tree

planting and care

demos

• $500

Community Yard

Tree Giveaway

Grants

Community Yard

Tree Giveaway

Grants

We get:

• Neighborhood level

outreach

• More events in more

places

• Tree advocates in

non-greening

communities

Community Partners: Esperanza

Building Our

Brand

• Finding our message

• Tree stories

• “Guerilla” marketing

• Traditional marketing

• Social media

Building Our Brand

SurveysTo beautify my yard

To improve the community

To help clean the air

I just love trees!

Surveys

“It’s a family tree. It represents our family. Our

love and care helps the tree grow.

This tree is a part of our family now.

It also helps our child learn about nature &

responsibility for tending to the plant.”

Tell us your “tree story” . . .

Tree Story

Contest

• Cheap and

easy

• Collect stories

online and in

person

• Use for future

promotion

Tree Stories in Marketing

The City of Arborly Love

“Guerilla” Marketing

“Guerilla”

Marketing

• Temporary

• Simple

• #TreePhilly

• Grabs

attention

• Future

engagement

Press Conference

Our SpokesTree

“I made Arborly Love” tee shirts

Arborly Love

Truck

Radio Ads

Philadelphia Geek Awards

Social Media• Engage, then educate

• Diversify outreach

• Exponential outreach

Arbrew Day

Arbrew Day

• Case insert for all beer

distributors

• New audience

• New advocates

TreeHarmony

“Leafy and

Looking”

TreeHarmony

TreeHarmony

TreeHarmony

Philly Tree Trek

Philly Tree Trek

Philly Tree Trek

CelebriTrees

CelebriTrees

Arbor Day Events

• Tree planting

• Tree

maintenance

• Professional

climbing and

pruning

demonstrations

• Tree-themed art scavenger hunt

• Student art show

Other Fun Events

• Volunteer Appreciation

Party at Yards Brewing

Company

• “Witness Tree” Talk &

Happy Hour

• Champion Tree Walk

& Workshop

New Projects

• Complete

street tree

inventory

using

CycloMedia

New Brand for Tree Planting

• Brings attention

to existing

programs

• Increased

visibility,

transparency

for City’s urban

forestry

program

LET’S MAKE

ARBORLY

LOVE.