Elementary School Students from St. Francis de Sales School Displayed Tree-Themed Artwork Showcasing Their Love for Trees

PHILADELPHIA –Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell joined Bartlett Tree Experts’ David Miller, and Friends of Cedar Park President Maureen Tate at Cedar Park to plant a tree in celebration of Earth Day.  Elementary school students from St. Francis de Sales school displayed tree-themed artwork showcasing their love for trees as part of the Earth Day celebration.

“I am excited to celebrate Earth Day this year by highlighting the tree-themed artwork of the wonderful students from Francis de Sales school.” Said Parks and Recreation Commissioner, Kathryn Ott Lovell “Their genuine interest in protecting the environment gives me hope that our public parks will continue to flourish for many years to come”

Participating students are enrolled in the Junior TreeKeepers afterschool club. Junior TreeKeepers is a nine-week educational club focused on tree care that meets weekly at Cedar Park. It is sponsored by the Friends of Cedar Park and Bartlett Tree Experts with support from the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation department.

The Friends of Cedar Park spearheaded the creation of the Junior TreeKeepers club as part of a multi-pronged response to repeated damage to several trees in Cedar Park in recent years. They have also physically protected the trees with stakes and fencing, and have plans to create educational signage for the trees in the future.

Cedar Park, located at 50^th Street and Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia is a popular, multi-use park. The neighborhood children are particularly fond of the parks vast green space and its soccer program for young children.