Trees available for residents of McKeesport

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

Just in time for Arbor Day, Tree Pittsburgh will be bringing a little shade, and the many benefits of trees, to the Tube City.

Tree Pittsburgh, an environmental nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing community vitality by restoring and protecting the urban forest through tree planting and care, education, advocacy and land conservation, has committed to two tree projects in McKeesport — tree adoptions and an educational event that will give McKeesport Area High School students a chance to learn more about the life, biology, needs and benefits trees and an urban forest bring.

Tree adoptions

For the past few weeks, Tree Pittsburgh has been offering McKeesport residents a chance to sign up to adopt up to two trees, pick them up and plant them on their properties. 

Spokeswoman Maggie Aupperlee said quantities are limited, as the nonprofit made around 200 trees available for the project.

Aupperlee said the goal is to respond to a tree and urban forestization survey Tree Pittsburgh completed in recent years that showed the urban tree canopy has been reduced around Allegheny County in places like McKeesport, Tarentum, communities in the Woodland Hills School District and elsewhere. 

“We’re working in McKeesport and a few other areas because of tree canopy loss and low tree canopy,” she said.

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