Winter 2022
10 Million Trees Effort Reaches Midway Milestone
The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, comprised of over 240 partners and coordinated by the CBF, celebrated a milestone in October with the planting of its five millionth tree at Furnace Run Park in Shippensburg.
“To get here has taken an intentional group of partners willing to collaborate, dedicate their time and knowledge, be transparent in what we learn, and commit ourselves, funds, people, and resources in a way that serves the greater good of Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay,” said Brenda Sieglitz, CBF’s Senior Manager of the partnership and Assistant Director of the Making History Campaign.
More than 20 staff members from the national Arbor Day Foundation were in Harrisburg to help celebrate the historic planting and that foundation’s 50th anniversary.
Volunteers planted an additional 100 trees at the park in the afternoon.
“There’s an urgency to getting trees on the landscape because of the many benefits they provide,” state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “Along with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and all of its partners, DCNR accepts the challenge of planting the next five million trees.”
Constitutional Amendment Pre-Dates Clean Water Act
Before there was a federal Clean Water Act, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, Pennsylvania already had a Clean Streams Law and an Environmental Rights Amendment (ERA) on the books.
While serving in the state House, Franklin L. Kury helped draft part of an overall restructuring of Pennsylvania’s water law, and it was signed in 1970.
Kury’s draft of an ERA to Pennsylvania’s Constitution was passed by the House and Senate and enacted on Earth Day in 1970. It was ratified by voters by a 4 1 margin in 1971.
The Amendment reads, in part: “The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.”
Partnership Gives Pair of Mira Lloyd Dock Awards
Zeshan Ismat of Lancaster City and Brennan Ka’aihue of The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy (CPC) have received 2022 Mira Lloyd Dock Partnership Diversity Awards for their conservation work and Environmental Justice work in under represented portions of their areas.
The award, coordinated by the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, was created to honor the spirit of Mira Lloyd Dock, who pursued urban beautification and forest conservation at a time when women or people of color were not welcomed at the decision table.
Brennan Ka’aihue serves in six counties as Project Coordinator for CPC. Brennan’s favorite work is getting young adults involved in hands-on conservation.
Zeshan Ismat started the group Blackbirds Environmental Justice to teach youngsters in Lancaster City about the environment in a fun way while emphasizing stewardship, community, and justice. The group has expanded to include adults.
As part of the Mira Lloyd Dock Awards, Ismat and Ka’aihue each will receive $5,000 worth of trees and supplies to help advance their efforts.
—Bill Chain
Pennsylvania Assistant Director and Agriculture Program Manager
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
