UC Green, the West Philly-based community greening nonprofit, will plant 46 trees throughout University City and surrounding West Philadelphia neighborhoods on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017.

UC Green planted this tree in memory Winnie Harris, UC Green Executive Director and community green space advocate who was murdered on February 2, 2017.

“The Greater Philadelphia region has lost millions of trees in recent decades to development, storms, and pests. Replacing our tree canopy is an important goal that will benefit the region for years to come,” reads a press release by the organization. It can take a lifetime for some trees to mature, so planting trees now is very important.

UC Green’s ongoing partnership with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society supports semi-annual tree planting events like the upcoming planting on November 18th. This Fall 2017 event was funded largely through the recent More Trees Please campaign, with individual donations accruing to exceed the targeted goal of $11,000.

“We are particularly grateful to the UC Green volunteers and sponsors whose generous financial contributions enable us to plant all of the approved trees in our area,” said Edwin Datz, UC Green Board President. He added, “We are eager to continue our work honoring the legacy of our Executive Director Winnie Harris, who was tragically murdered last February. Recent developments in the criminal investigation provide our UC Green family with some closure. Winnie’s memory will drive our community greening efforts for many years to come.” (Editor’s Note: Read more about Winnie Harris’s murder investigation here).

UC Green joins hundreds of PHS Tree Tenders and other volunteers from 60 neighborhoods and communities to jointly plant 400 trees in Philadelphia.